Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Provide legal advice on planning and environmental matters while managing your own caseload.
- Company: Join Herts Legal, a leading public sector legal team with a supportive culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible hybrid working and modern office facilities in Stevenage.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on community projects and support local development initiatives.
- Qualifications: Solicitor, barrister, or legal executive with planning and highways law experience.
- Other info: Opportunities for professional growth and collaboration in a dynamic legal environment.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
About Herts Legal
With more than 100 colleagues in the team, Herts Legal is one of the largest and most successful legal teams in local government and offers a complete legal service to clients across the County Council, District Councils and other public sector bodies. Our lawyers are crucial to the County Council's continued success. We have high standards for our services and we are pleased to be recognised as a Centre of Excellence by the Law Society's Lexcel quality standard assessor. Herts Legal provides a fantastic opportunity for ambitious, passionate and organised Lawyers who want to join a supportive and flourishing public sector legal team. We offer flexible hybrid working and have recently moved to newly refurbished modern offices in Stevenage.
The Role
We are looking to grow our successful Environment Law Team, which is central to the broad portfolio of legal work connected with Hertfordshire’s planning, highways, environmental and rights of way work and supporting the wider growth and development agenda for the County and its Districts. The Environment Law Team provides legal advice and assistance to client departments and District Councils on a wide range of planning, highways and environmental matters, and also offers the opportunity to be involved in supporting the Council’s major infrastructure and community facing projects. The role will be client facing providing high quality legal services to Council officers and Members, committees, and other council bodies.
Criteria for the Role
- A solicitor, barrister or legal executive
- Knowledge and experience of planning and highways law, including s106 agreements, highway agreements, and rights of way
- Excellent drafting skills and the ability to negotiate documents and agreements
- Manage and prioritise workloads to achieve client outcomes to timescale and within budget
- Excellent client care skills and the ability to develop relationships with client officers
- Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues at all levels
- Self-sufficient in the production of all documents and correspondence
- Attention to detail and a pragmatic, flexible and commercial approach to problem solving
- Knowledge of the broad spectrum of environmental work is welcome
- Experience of working in a local authority legal environment and an understanding of the issues facing local authorities, their legal service departments and lawyers is welcome
Role Responsibilities
- Manage your own case load of routine and more complex matters
- Provide quality practical advice and support to clients on planning and highways cases
- Advice to and occasional attendance at Planning Committees
- Participate in training courses and seminars for Members, officers and others
- Ensure that the decisions made by client departments are lawful, accord with County Council policy and achieve their aims and objectives efficiently
- Maintain an awareness of all relevant legislation, policy and regulations, investigate and advise on implications of changing legislation, case law and codes of practice and policy and provide training where necessary
- Make recommendations to the Principal Lawyer and Assistant Chief Legal Officer on improvements in practice and procedure in the Team to ensure that the Team retains pre-eminence in its practice area
Planning Lawyer employer: Hertfordshire County Council
Contact Detail:
Hertfordshire County Council Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Planning Lawyer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the legal field, especially those who work in local government. Attend events, join relevant groups on social media, and don’t be shy about reaching out for informational chats.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your expertise! When you get the chance to meet potential employers or colleagues, be ready to discuss your knowledge of planning and highways law. Bring examples of your work or experiences that highlight your skills and how they can benefit their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by researching Herts Legal and understanding their recent projects and challenges. Tailor your answers to show how your experience aligns with their needs, especially in environmental law and client care.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our fantastic team at Herts Legal.
We think you need these skills to ace Planning Lawyer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Planning Law: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for planning and environmental law shine through. We want to see that you’re not just qualified, but genuinely excited about the work we do at Herts Legal.
Tailor Your CV and Cover Letter: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience in planning and highways law. We love seeing how your skills align with our needs, so don’t hold back on showcasing your expertise!
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so make sure your writing is easy to read and free of jargon. This will help us understand your qualifications and fit for the role quickly.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy to do!
How to prepare for a job interview at Hertfordshire County Council
✨Know Your Planning Law Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of planning and highways law, especially s106 agreements and highway agreements. Being able to discuss these topics confidently will show that you're not just familiar with the basics but also ready to tackle complex issues.
✨Showcase Your Drafting Skills
Prepare examples of your previous work that highlight your excellent drafting skills. Bring along documents or agreements you've negotiated to demonstrate your ability to produce high-quality legal texts. This will give the interviewers a clear picture of your capabilities.
✨Demonstrate Client Care Expertise
Think of specific instances where you've developed strong relationships with clients or colleagues. Be ready to share how you managed client expectations and delivered results. This will illustrate your commitment to excellent client care, which is crucial for the role.
✨Be Ready to Discuss Local Authority Challenges
Familiarise yourself with the current issues facing local authorities and their legal departments. Showing that you understand the broader context of your work will impress the interviewers and demonstrate your readiness to contribute to the team’s success.
