Planning Solicitor

The Planning team at Weightmans handles a large variety of high-quality work for both private and public sector clients.  Examples of the type of work include:

•Various strategic residential and New Town projects – advising on all planning aspects for both applicants and LPA’s, including advising on a new garden town which is to comprise 23,000 dwellings and major infrastructure

•Promoting over 10 major CPO projects, including various major highways CPO’s

•DCO’s and Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects – including acting for promotors and utility companies

•Judicial review challenges

•Day to day planning advisory work for a range of clients and infrastructure agreements, including developers, housebuilders and public bodies

•The national team works collaboratively across offices, undertaking high quality work in a supportive environment

Due to a strong pipeline of work and significant projects there is a need to recruit an additional experienced specialist planning solicitor to our national Planning team.  Candidates will be considered for Associate level up to Legal Director level, depending on experience.

We will consider candidates for Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Leicester, Newcastle.

Main duties and responsibilities:

• Work collaboratively with members of the Planning team and wider firm to meet client needs, providing clients with commercially focussed planning advice and guidance. The role may involve some travel in view the projects we undertake
• To have conduct of matters and work as part of the team on larger projects
• Help support growth for the Planning practice both nationally and in the relevant location
• Work in accordance with Weightmans’ values

This list is not intended to be exhaustive and you will be expected to perform other duties and have other responsibilities that fall within the wider remit of the role.

About You    

• Qualified solicitor
• At least 3 years’ post qualification experience in Planning law
• The ideal candidate will have some private practice experience, good experience on CPO matters and drafting of section 106 agreements
• Technically strong and good communication skills
• Excellent time management and organisation skills
• A team player, who has the ability to work as part of a team and on own initiative
• Flexible approach

The role is ideally based in our Leeds office but we will also consider candidates for Manchester, Liverpool or Newcastle. The firm supports and encourages flexible working arrangements

Why work for us

Weightmans is a Top 45 law firm with offices throughout the UK. Having been recognised as the leading legal employer at the annual Britain's Top Employers awards 2021 and achieved record rankings in Chambers UK.

The independent research showed "Weightmans provides exceptional employee conditions, nurtures and develops talent throughout all levels of the organisation."

We are truly committed to fostering a culture of equality and diversity, where everyone in the firm is respected and recognised on merit for the work that they do.

We strongly encourage applications from people of all ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations and disabilities. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustment at any stage of the application process.

Please feel free to note your preferred pronouns in your application.

Work for a firm where people matter – work for Weightmans.

As well as being immensely proud of the work we carry out for our clients and the culture we provide to our people we offer a wide range of benefits including;

• 28 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rated for part time)
• Agile / working from home including provision of home office equipment*
• Healthcare cover/ Medicash
• Pension plan
• Life Insurance 4 x salary
• Interest free travel loan scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme including counselling, legal and consumer advice service
• Discounted gym membership
• Discounted dental scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Offers & discounts
• Great reward and recognition scheme

*there are a small number of roles that cannot be performed from home, your Recruitment Advisor can confirm.

Please note

• Any reference to experience or PQE in our adverts or job descriptions is to be used as a guideline only. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and with different levels of experience who can demonstrate that they fulfil the requirements of the role.

• The successful candidate appointed to this role will be subject to our standard background checking process, and any offer of employment made is conditional upon successful completion of those checks. Further details can be obtained from the Recruitment team.

• We are open to part time/job share applicants.