Senior Lawyer - Planning
About the Role
As a Senior Lawyer (Planning), you will provide high-quality professional legal services and manage a caseload of complex planning matters.
Ensuring we operate at the forefront of legal excellence and align with Lexcel standards, you will provide high-level legal advice and service to elected Members, committees, senior managers and staff across all three local authorities.
Confirming that planning decisions and processes comply with legal standards, you will provide expert legal advice on planning matters, draft and review critical documents and provide support at planning appeals and inquiries.
You will also stay informed of legal developments in planning law and contribute to policy development, ensuring that local policies remain compliant and strategically sound.
Additionally, you will:- Stay updated on changes and developments in Planning law.
- Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure effective planning processes.
- Supervise junior fee earners and administrative staff in the Planning team.
- Deliver training and Member briefings to enhance understanding of planning law and procedures.
About Us
Mid Kent Legal Services (MKLS) is part of Mid Kent Services, a shared services directorate formed by Swale, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils. MKLS provides high quality legal services across the three Authorities encompassing Property and Regeneration, Planning, Contentious, Contracts & Commissioning and Corporate Governance.MKLS’s vision is aligned to the Partner Authorities for which it acts which is forward thinking, progressive and innovative. We look at utilising technology to maximise lawyers' time to deliver an efficient service to our clients.
MKLS is a supportive and nurturing environment which provides opportunities to progress through learning and development.
Our Offer
A range of benefits including:- 34 hour full time working week with the offices closing at 1:30pm on Friday.
- Highly flexible hybrid working opportunities.
- 7am to 7pm flexi time to suit personal circumstances for most role.
- Generous holiday entitlement which increases after 5 years LG service plus bank holidays with the option to buy additional leave.
- Additional 3 days leave given to enable a close down of the offices between Christmas and New year.
- Free parking.
- Range of flexible working opportunities to accommodate people’s home/work life balance including compressed hours, 9-day fortnight, part time.
- Invitations to staff events to celebrate success and support wellbeing that include holistic therapies and outdoor activities.
- Employee Assistance Programme which provides confidential & independent information and access to counsellors.
- Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with valuable life cover and financial protection for your family.
- Life Assurance – three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS).
- Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work.
- Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand-new car. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax.
- Annual flu vaccine.
- Cycle to work scheme.
- Staff benefits discounts on leisure, eating out, holidays and shopping.
- Excellent learning and career opportunities for committed individuals.
- A professional fee payment, if required for the role.
About You
To be considered as our Senior Lawyer (Planning), you will need:
- To be a qualified lawyer, solicitor, barrister, legal executive or have equivalent qualification and experience.
- Post qualification legal practice experience in planning and development.
- Experience with case management and legal research.
- Supervisory experience in connection with planning casework.
- Experience with legal document drafting.
- Experience of Planning Appeals and court proceedings.
- Familiarity with statutory instruments, regulations, and guidance relating to local government planning and development law.
- Experience in advising at Committees.
- Experience operating in politically sensitive environments.
- Knowledge and understanding of the political nature of local government and democratic process.
- A full, valid driving licence.
This is the ideal opportunity for an experienced planning lawyer with a track record of dealing with complex and often high profile planning agreements, providing high level legal advice and dealing with the complex issues arising from present day developments to join our forward-thinking shared service.
This is the ideal opportunity for an experienced contracts and commissioning lawyer 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 discover real flexibility, potential and rewards within the public sector.
Selection ProcessIf you would like to discuss this position, please contact Timothy Pyant on 01622 602155.
Following submission of your application form for review, if successful you can expect job specific interview assessment & interview.
Maidstone, Swale and Tunbridge Wells local authorities are equal opportunities employers, value diversity and are strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment. Equal opportunities are the only acceptable way to conduct business and we believe that the more inclusive our environments are, the better our work will be.
Maidstone, Swale and Tunbridge Wells local authorities are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employee and volunteers to share this commitment.