Who You Are You are a seasoned legal professional, deeply knowledgeable in planning law, with a robust background as a Solicitor, Barrister, or FCILEx, preferably within a local government context. Your extensive experience includes leading and managing professional teams in compliance with 'Lexcel' standards, performance management, and staff development. Your technical proficiency spans across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and electronic case management systems. Your core values embody equity, kindness, accountability, and ambition. You are committed to fairness, justice, and inclusivity, valuing diversity and individuality within your team. You thrive in fostering a supportive, empathetic environment, encouraging mistake-driven learning, personal growth, and collective accountability. You lead with ambition, perpetually motivating your team to achieve the highest standards while being innovative, flexible, and collaborative. What the Job Involves As the Senior Lawyer - Planning, you will provide strategic legal guidance and support across the Council's planning and local government law initiatives. Your role involves managing the Planning Team operationally, ensuring quality assurance, and meeting performance standards. You will offer specialist planning legal services, advising the Executive, Committees, Corporate Directors, and various departments, guiding them in legal matters affecting policies and service delivery. Your responsibilities include representing the Council in various courts, drafting reports, and advising on legal implications. You will lead legal advisory meetings, assess legislative impacts, and provide training to senior officers. Your managerial duties encompass effective supervision of staff, building crucial professional relationships, monitoring legal service budgets, and contributing to continuous service improvement. You will participate in cross-departmental initiatives, ensuring alignment with equity and diversity policies, and manage tasks in a flexible, team-oriented manner, with a focus on delivering cost-effective legal solutions aligned with the Council's objectives.