Lawyers In Local Government
Specialist Lawyer (Planning)
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Specialist Lawyer (Planning)
Senior Planning Lawyer – SC07873 (Permanent, Full-time, Southwark Council)
Location: 160 Tooley Street, SE1 2QH Schedule: Full-time (36 hours per week, Monday to Friday) Contract Type: Permanent
About the Role
Bring your planning law expertise to an organisation that is transforming Southwark—London’s most ambitious borough. We are reshaping housing, regeneration, and planning across iconic areas like Elephant and Castle, Peckham, and Canada Water, and we need a strategic legal mind to steer us through some of the most high-impact legal challenges of our time.
If you thrive in complex legal environments, love delivering sharp, commercially driven advice, and want your work to visibly shape London’s future, this is your opportunity.
Why This Role Matters
- Advise on visionary regeneration, from riverside developments to residential regeneration, ensuring legal strategy aligns with transforming communities.
- Work directly with Executive Members, committees, council leaders, and senior officers—driving policy and decision-making at the highest level.
- Help set the playbook for planning in London, ensuring governance that is both innovative and legally robust.
Your Core Responsibilities
Legal Expertise & Strategic Guidance
- Deliver expert legal advice on planning law across a high-profile portfolio of projects and development disputes.
- Ensure decisions are gobally transparent, robust, and legally defendable.
- Contribute to the Corporate Delivery Plan, ensuring legal strategy supports long-term ambitions for Southwark’s regeneration and growth.
Leadership & Collaboration
- Guide a team of specialists (where applicable), fostering excellence and responsive legal service.
- Provide influential, forward-thinking counsel to Executive, steering groups, and senior stakeholders, ensuring legal clarity at every stage.
- Be the preeminent subject matter expert on complex planning law matters—balancing vision with rigorous legal judgement.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Impact & Accountability
- Make sure developments align with legal and statutory obligations, managing compliance effectively across projects.
- Advise on judicial review, planning law, and regeneration matters, minimising risks while maximising opportunities for Southwark.
Requirements
Essential
- Qualified solicitor (mainstream instance—QEB recommended) or barrister with an up-to-date practising certificate, or FILEX designation (local government legal experience preferred).
- Strong track record of delivering legal excellence in a public sector or local government setting.
- Proven ability to support strategic planning objectives with commercial and legal acumen.
- Deep knowledge of planning & regeneration law, judicial review, Statutory Conveyancing Code, and change of use controls.
- Experience managing a complex case load independently with attention to detail, even under tight deadlines.
- A collaborative and persuasive communicator, explaining complex legal matters clearly to both legal and non-legal audiences.
Additional
- Experience in Southwark or similar London boroughs would be beneficial.
- The role may require managing legal teams or contractors.
Additional Information
- Satisfactory DBS check required.
- flexibly designed to meet staff needs, with hybrid-flexible working options.
- Based at Southwark Council’s London Bridge HQ, but from time to time you’ll need to be on-site to support teams and meetings.
Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range
£59,526–£74,040 p.a. + an additional [JNC Benefits Package] of £2,724 p.a..
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
The JNC package can be used to fund:
- Gym subscriptions
- Health insurance
- Season ticket loans
- Cycle purchase
- Additional pension contributions
- Professional subscriptions & fees
Alternatively, candidates can choose a cashable benefit of £218.67/month.
Why Work for Southwark?
Southwark Council is the largest social landlord in London, home to:
- 18,300 businesses, including powerhouses like The Shard, Tate Modern, and Borough Market.
- 55,000 homes, lived in by 40% of London borough residents.
- A young, diverse, and culturally rich population with limitless opportunities.
We’re leading better outcomes for residents, tackling inequality, racism, and injustice under our Southwark Stands Together ethos—ensuring our work is grounded in fairness, innovation, and collaboration.
Disability Confident (Guaranteed Interview Scheme)
We are committed to increasing diversity in our leadership teams and offer:
- Guaranteed interviews to:
- Members of the Armed Forces (serving & veterans)
- Anyone who has been in care or looked after by the local authority
- People with a recognised disability or long-term health condition who meet the minimum job requirements.
Application & Timetable
How to Apply
Submit your application via Southwark’s application portal. Elect your references and details.
Closing Date
Tuesday, 7th July 2026 at 23:59
Interviews
To be confirmed—but if successful, please expect a shortlisted stage followed by an interview.
We retain the right to close recruitment early if sufficient applications are received. Apply early!
For queries, contact Kam Dolebski, Head of Legal, Planning & Property 📞 07704 667 956
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location