Senior Planning Lawyer

Job Description

Job Category : Legal
Location : ALEXANDRA HOUSE, London Borough of Haringey
Hours Per Week : 36.00
Start Date : Immediate Start
Start Time : 09:00
End Time : 17:00
Salary: £36.04
To provide specialist legal advice (mainly in the legal area of planning) put into legal effect the instruction of the Council in such a way as to provide the Council with an excellent and contribute to improving Legal Services to enable the Council to fulfill its vision of making Haringey a better place in accordance with the Council’s values.

BASIC OBJECTIVES OF THE POST

To provide specialist legal advice, and put into legal effect the instructions of the Council in such a way as to provide the Council with an excellent and continuously improving legal service to enable it to fulfil its overarching vision in accordance with the Council’s priorities.

To contribute to the work of Corporate Legal Services by providing legal advice and assistance as required.

MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Manage a full and varied caseload of legal matters with an emphasis on Planning and Regeneration issues, including giving legal advice to colleagues within the Council and its partners on the law and practice to enable the Council to discharge its functions legally and effectively.

2. To deliver complex specialist advice on legal matters with minimum supervision.

3. To evaluate and advise on all aspects of legal matters in a variety of forums.

4. To represent the Council in applications before an Inquiry the Magistrates Court, County Court and High Court and instructing Counsel as required.

5. To advise elected Members where appropriate, and attending the Executive, Committees and Sub-Committees and providing reports as required.

6. To provide advice and support to the Council’s partners and stakeholders.

7. To conduct all work in accordance with practice management standards laid down by the Law Society (Lexcel) and all other departmental and corporate performance standards in order to maintain standards of excellence.

8. To contribute to the development of the Legal Service through identifying opportunities for improvement, and supporting, motivating and coaching colleagues within the team / Legal Service.

Abilities/Experiences

• At least 2-4 years recent post qualification experience of working in legal practice conducting a caseload consisting of planning, highways and regeneration matters (Essential)

• Post qualification experience of conducting the above mentioned caseload within a public sector setting (Desirable)

• Experience of advocacy in an Inquiry, the Magistrates or County Courts or other relevant courts and Tribunals, to include planning appeals at both hearing and public inquiry stage. Experience of advising on regeneration schemes and more complex public inquiries, High Court appeals and judicial reviews in the context of planning would also be useful. (Desirable)

• Experience of attendance at, and advising, committees (Desirable)

• Experience of supervision of staff (Desirable)

• Experience of delivering legal advice in a partnering environment (Desirable)

• Experience of contributing to the design and implementation of business planning and strategy development in a legal environment (Desirable)

Qualifications (only if applicable)

• A Solicitor, Barrister, Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives (Essential)

Knowledge/Skills

• The ability to communicate orally and in writing clearly and precisely (Essential)

• The ability to work on own initiative and with minimum supervision (Essential)

• The ability to work objectively, calmly and efficiently under pressure (Essential)

• The ability to contribute to the work of a team, and to work well with both legal and support staff, clients and consultants (Essential)

• The ability to deliver excellent specialist advice in planning, highways and regeneration matters in an accessible way to a variety of clients, partners and stakeholders (Essential)

• Proven skill in working successfully in a political environment, and an understanding of its implications for the provision of Legal Services (Essential)

• Organisational ability in dealing with priorities and managing time (Essential)

• Understanding of, and ability to manage, risk in the public sector (Essential)

• The ability to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with a wide range of stakeholders (Essential)

• The ability to support, motivate and develop colleagues (Essential)

• Good research skills (Essential)

• Commitment to the role (Essential)

• A willingness to work flexibly, and to adapt to a changing environment (Essential)

• Able to use Microsoft Word packages and a computerised case management system – Visualfiles or other equivalent and online law library (Essential)

• An appreciation of the needs of the communities of a deprived inner city urban area (Essential)

Special Requirements

• Attendance at some evening meetings