Solicitor – Highways & Environment

Overview

In this role, you will provide high-quality, client-facing legal advice within the Highways and Environment team of Essex Legal Services. You’ll support decision-making and compliance on infrastructure and development matters for a large public authority. You will work closely with senior leaders and stakeholders, shaping outcomes across public projects while enjoying a supportive, in-house culture. This hybrid role offers varied work with a meaningful public service impact and opportunities to influence policy and practice.

Pay / Benefits

• 27 days holiday + 8 bank holidays
• up to 4 paid volunteer days per year
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• professional fees for approved professions
• hybrid working
• caregiver support

Responsibilities

• Model client service across Essex Legal Services and support service-wide training
• Use strong communication and influencing skills to resolve complex issues and balance interests
• Anticipate change, adapt priorities, and support others to respond to new demands
• Undertake challenging, high-quality work and build credibility through timely, informed decisions
• Manage multiple priorities, allocate resources, and develop contingency plans
• Balance organisational and individual needs, encourage collaboration, and support learning and service improvement
• Understand external social and political influences on resources and align team performance with organisational goals

Key requirements

• Qualified solicitor, barrister, or legal executive with full valid practising certificate
• Ability to establish credibility with Directors, senior management, and key stakeholders including LPAs
• Effective communication, drafting, and negotiating skills
• Strong case management abilities
• Experience advising in a public sector setting on planning issues and related agreements (e.g., section 106, s278)
• Ability to work within a large, complex organisation and contribute to cross-functional teams

• communication
• influencing
• resilience
• drafting and negotiating planning-related documents
• advising on planning issues at district and county level
• section 106 agreements and undertakings (bi/tri-party)

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