Government Legal Department
Senior Planning Knowledge Development Lawyer (KDL)
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Senior Planning Knowledge Development Lawyer (KDL)
Government Legal Department | Bristol, Croydon, Leeds, London & Manchester
Salary: £74,960 National / £76,405 Croydon & London
Civil Service Pension with a 28.97% employer contribution
Closing Date: Monday 12 October 2026 at 12:00 midday
Are you an experienced planning lawyer who enjoys the law itself as much as the practice of it?
The Government Legal Department is seeking a Senior Planning Knowledge Development Lawyer (KDL) to play a leading role in developing planning law knowledge and capability across government.
This is not a traditional planning advisory role.
Instead, you'll sit at the heart of the Government Legal Profession, helping ensure lawyers across GLD remain at the forefront of planning law developments, best practice and legal learning. You'll work closely with senior leaders, planning specialists and legal networks across government to shape how planning law knowledge is shared, developed and embedded.
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What will you be doing?
- Monitoring and explaining planning law developments.
- Leading planning law knowledge projects.
- Creating and curating planning law know-how resources.
- Developing planning law awareness and capability.
- Collaborating with senior lawyers and planning specialists across government.
- Horizon scanning and identifying emerging legal issues.
- Helping shape planning law learning and development across GLD.
Who might be interested?
You might currently be a:
- Senior Planning Lawyer
- Principal Planning Lawyer
- Managing Associate (Planning)
- Planning Team Leader
- Planning PSL / Knowledge Lawyer
- Planning & Environment Lawyer
- Planning & Infrastructure Lawyer
The role is ideal for somebody who enjoys the intellectual side of planning law and wants to influence legal capability at a wider organisational level.
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Why consider it?
- A genuinely unique "lawyer plus" opportunity.
- Significant autonomy and influence.
- Exposure to senior leaders across GLD.
- Opportunity to shape planning law capability nationwide.
- Flexible working arrangements.
- Civil Service Pension with a 28.97% employer contribution.
- A chance to play a direct role in supporting the Government's planning priorities.
Interested?
If you'd like to learn a little more, please feel free to get in touch for a completely confidential conversation. I'd be delighted to talk through the role in more detail, provide further insight into the team and give you a realistic picture of what a day-to-day legal career within the Government Legal Department looks like.
Alternatively, you're welcome to apply directly through Civil Service Jobs.
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