Senior Lawyers - Property and Regeneration

Swale Borough Council; Brompton; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in the Region seeks a Senior Lawyer (Property and Regeneration) to manage complex legal work and provide high-level advice. The ideal candidate will be a qualified legal professional with experience in property law and the ability to navigate politically sensitive environments. This role offers a competitive salary, generous benefits, and flexible working arrangements, with an emphasis on professional growth and wellbeing.

Benefits

Local Government pension scheme

Generous annual leave

Wellbeing support

Discounts on leisure and retail

Free parking across partner authority sites

Season ticket loans for travel

Qualifications

• To be a qualified solicitor, barrister, chartered Legal Executive or have equivalent qualification and experience.
• Post-qualification legal practice experience in property and regeneration.
• Experience advising Members on all aspects of property and regeneration law.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of complex property and regeneration work.
• Provide high-level legal advice to elected members and senior managers.
• Supervise less senior fee earners and Legal Support Officers.

Skills

Post-qualification legal practice experience in property and regeneration

Experience providing legal advice to senior leaders

Knowledge of local government processes

Ability to operate in politically sensitive environments

A full valid UK driving licence

Education

Qualified solicitor, barrister, or chartered Legal Executive

Job description

Overview

As our Senior Lawyer (Property and Regeneration), you will manage a caseload of complex property and regeneration work. Ensuring we operate at the forefront of legal excellence and align with Lexcel standards, you will provide high-level legal advice and services to elected members, senior managers and staff across all three local authorities. You will supervise less senior fee earners and Legal Support Officers, ensuring high-quality support in legal transactions.

To be considered for this role you will join a team that is actively working on large and high-profile projects across the Partner Authorities.

Responsibilities

• Stay updated on legal developments in property and regeneration law and practice
• Represent MKLS in internal working groups and external meetings
• Deputise for the Team Leader/Practice Area Lead when required
• Uphold the Council's policies
• Provide high-level legal advice and services to elected members, senior managers and staff across the three local authorities
• Supervise less senior fee earners and Legal Support Officers, ensuring high-quality support in legal transactions

This is an exciting time to join the MKLS Property & Regeneration Team with a number of large and high-profile projects happening across the Partner Authorities.

Requirements

• To be a qualified solicitor, barrister, chartered Legal Executive or have equivalent qualification and experience
• Post-qualification legal practice experience in property and regeneration
• Experience providing legal advice and support to senior leaders and key decision-makers in property and regeneration law and practice
• Experience advising Members on all aspects of property and regeneration law and procedures
• Experience operating in politically sensitive environments
• Knowledge and understanding of the political nature of local government and the democratic process
• A full, valid UK driving licence

About MKLS

Mid Kent Legal Services (MKLS) provides legal services and advice across the Mid-Kent area (to Swale, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells councils). The service covers a range of areas including Property and Regeneration, Planning, Contentious, Contracts & Commissioning and Corporate Governance. Working across multiple councils means a range of high-level, challenging and impactful work, ranging from supporting the delivery of garden communities, to the redevelopment of large shopping centres, to letting very large contracts, to delivering affordable housing. In short, it\'s a real opportunity to make a difference in an area with vibrant towns, beautiful villages and countryside and fantastic leisure and cultural amenities.

MKLS has a reputation as being forward thinking, progressive and innovative and is closely and strongly aligned with its partner authorities. It provides a supportive and nurturing environment, providing opportunities for staff to progress internally and uses technology to maximise the effective use of lawyers\' time. In short, it is a great place to work.

Contract and Benefits

We are now looking for Senior Lawyers (Property and Regeneration) to join us on a full-time, permanent basis, working 34 hours per week.

• Salary of £48,657 - £54,727 per annum + £7,000 market supplement
• Local Government pension scheme
• Generous annual leave plus time off office closure between Christmas and New Year (and an option to purchase extra leave)
• Wellbeing support, including confidential advice, counselling, and flu vaccines
• Discounts on leisure, retail, and fuel and salary sacrifice schemes, including Cycle to Work and car leasing
• Generous sick pay
• Free parking across the 3 Partner Authority sites
• Season ticket loans for rail/bus travel

This is the ideal opportunity for experienced property and regeneration lawyers with a track record of providing high-level legal advice to join our forward-thinking shared service.

With exceptional benefits, a brilliant pension scheme and opportunities for professional growth, you\'ll enjoy a rewarding public sector career with more flexibility and development and significantly less commuting.

What\'s more, we offer outstanding working arrangements, with the majority of your time spent working from home and a 34 hour working week, including 1pm finishes on Fridays. On top of this, we offer a number of working options such as compressed hours, nine day fortnights and part-time working, all within an inclusive and supportive working environment where your wellbeing is prioritised.