Associate/Senior Associate - Planning & Environmental in Exeter

Are you keen to find an exciting new role where you will be part of a dynamic, forward-thinking, agile team? If so, come and join us on the journey.

Why Michelmores? Michelmores is the destination law firm for the ambitious, the imaginative and the distinctive. We help enterprises and individuals navigate change to find a positive future. We are a flexible, friendly and inclusive organisation with as clear a focus on fresh thinking as we have on growth and success. We value and nurture our people’s potential and inspiration and give them a creative, open and collaborative environment in which to develop a career and succeed.

We believe that whatever your legal experience, you’ll find Michelmores different. From day one we encourage our people to forge relationships and expand their understanding and knowledge of areas that interest them – developing an understanding of commercial challenges and opportunities, rather than just knowing the law. We nurture creative and commercial thinking to help in your long-term career success – it mirrors our approach to ensuring the very best outcomes for our clients too.

At Michelmores, we believe in empowering our people to thrive. That’s why we’ve launched Michelmores Academy – our innovative skills development framework designed to support your career progression at every stage. Through a blend of core programmes and elective sessions, the Academy helps you build the skills, knowledge, and mindset needed to deliver exceptional client service and drive sustainable growth. Whether you're attending live workshops or exploring our digital learning resources – including e-learning, podcasts, and best practice guides – you’ll have the tools to grow professionally and personally.

Aligned with our strategic vision, the Academy focuses on key pillars that will deliver our strategic aims. You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with peers across the Firm, expand your network, and benefit from mentoring relationships that support your long-term success.

What are we looking for? We are seeking a talented and motivated Planning and Environmental Lawyer to join our team. This role could be at Associate or Senior Associate level and will be ideal for someone with a strong interest in planning law and environmental matters. It can be based from either our Bristol, Cheltenham or Exeter offices.

What sort of work? Working alongside Partners Helen Hutton and Fergus Charlton, your primary focus will be to deliver a diverse range of Planning projects across the development, natural capital, energy, housebuilder and landed estates/agricultural sectors, providing high-quality advice to clients on complex legal planning law issues. This position offers an opportunity to broaden your knowledge and progress your career in a supportive team environment.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Advising on planning and infrastructure agreements, including Section 106 agreements and related obligations for development matters, many of which are significant strategic land projects.
• Drafting and negotiating section 106s, conservation covenants and other environmental agreements to deliver landscape recovery, BNG and nutrient neutrality.
• Acting on historic building matters.
• Interpreting and advising on planning permissions and associated conditions.
• Providing clear, concise and commercially focused advice to clients.
• Preparing high-quality written work, including reports, agreements and client communications.
• Supporting senior lawyers on major projects and manage smaller matters independently.
• Liaising with local authorities, developers and stakeholders to facilitate project delivery.
• Delivering prompt advice on environmental offences and other environmental issues and identifying potential risks in the course of your other work.
• Preparing for and submitting all types of appeal and both judicial reviews and statutory challenges.
• For Inquiries and Court challenges, working with barristers and often the wider internal team in taking the matter through the appeal or Court process.

How do we work? We take a flexible, agile approach to working patterns. As a team we agree together on the best working arrangements that will enable each of us to provide exceptional client service, to collaborate and connect with colleagues, and to achieve the right home/work balance. As a Firm we are committed to supporting our people across all levels to achieve the balance they need. We are open to talking about flexible working and to empowering any candidate to put forward a flexible working pattern to meet their needs.

Who are we looking for? We are looking for somebody who will understand our values and thrive in our culture. We are looking for an ambitious lawyer, who has gained experience in a range of planning and environmental matters. The role will be based in one of our Bristol, Exeter or Cheltenham offices, with the opportunity to work with colleagues and clients across all our offices.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Between 2-5 years' post-qualified experience in Planning and Environmental law
• Excellent client care skills and ability to build strong relationships.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines effectively.
• Commercial awareness and both a problem-solving and inquisitive mindset.
• Collaborative team player with a proactive approach.

This is a great opportunity to join a Firm which believes potential, inspiration, and teamwork should be valued and nurtured. We work hard to create and sustain an open and collaborative environment. We embrace change and constantly evolve to meet our people’s diverse needs, in the same way that we help our clients to navigate and stay ahead of developments, to move forward together.

Next Steps: To apply please click here or if you would like to talk to someone about the role, please call Lisa Gater, Recruitment Business Partner, on 07355 677 986.

Michelmores LLP is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We do not discriminate on grounds of race, gender, marital status, age, religion, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, disability or sexual orientation in the selection, recruitment and treatment of our staff.

As part of our recruitment policy our candidates are subject to pre-employment screening checks. The Employee Screening Process includes DBS screening, adverse media checks, financial screening, and will also involve verification of employment history, your right to work in the UK and any relevant qualifications and memberships. If you would like further information around this, at this stage, please get in touch with our recruitment team (careers@michelmores.com).

*No agencies please – any agency assistance will be via invitation only. Please note any speculative candidates submitted via agencies without invitation will not be considered as represented by that agent.