Solicitor - Property & Planning

Luton Borough Council; Caulcott; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Luton Borough Council's in-house Legal Services team is seeking an experienced property lawyer to join us. The role is predominantly property‑focused, with a varied caseload including acquisitions and disposals, leases, licences, landlord and tenant matters, and development projects.

You will provide practical, commercially focused legal advice to senior officers and elected Members, helping deliver key priorities and major projects.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor, barrister or qualified legal executive with practising certificate.
• At least six years' post‑qualification experience in property/public sector work.
• Experience handling broad commercial property and development matters.

Responsibilities

• Provide practical, commercially focused legal advice to senior officers and elected Members.
• Handle a varied caseload including acquisitions, disposals, leases and development projects.
• Support the development of junior colleagues and drive continuous improvement within Legal Services.
• Advise on planning enforcement and Section 106 agreements where appropriate.

Skills

Property law

Commercial property

Landlord and tenant

Development projects

Legal advice

Caseload management

Education

Qualified Solicitor or Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced property lawyer to join our in‑house Legal Services team.

This is a predominantly property‑focused role, offering a varied caseload that includes acquisitions and disposals, leases, licences, landlord and tenant matters, development projects and other complex land transactions. You will provide practical, commercially focused legal advice to senior officers and elected Members, helping to deliver key Council priorities and major property projects.

While the role includes some planning‑related work, the principal focus is on property law and the Council's extensive property portfolio.

You will also support the development of junior colleagues and help drive continuous improvement within the service.

You will be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive with a current practising certificate and at least six years' post‑qualification experience.

You will have significant experience handling a broad range of commercial property and development projects. The ability to manage a demanding caseload independently and provide clear, practical and commercially focused advice.

Experience within local government or the public sector is desirable, as is familiarity with planning enforcement and Section 106 agreements work.

Our ambitious Luton 2040 Vision, that no one in Luton will have to live in poverty, is at the heart of everything we do. Our Legal Services team plays a key role in supporting major regeneration, development and service delivery projects that help achieve this vision.