Senior Counsel (Planning)

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Counsel specialising in planning and compulsory purchase (ideally with experience of working for public sector bodies), to join the dynamic HS2 Legal Team, contributing to the building of Britain's new, high speed rail network.

As a Senior Counsel (Planning) at HS2 you will play a key role by working with colleagues across the project, providing expert legal advice which is critical to delivery and future operation of the largest infrastructure project in Europe.

You will be the lead lawyer advising the HS2 Town Planning team on a broad range of planning matters, including the interpretation of HS2 Act powers and the limits on use, and advising the Construction/Delivery team as to the planning regime under the HS2 Act. You will also be the lead lawyer for obtaining additional powers (when required) that are not included in the HS2 Act, including Development Consent Orders (securing protective provisions for HS2), TCPA 90 planning permissions, use of Permitted Development Rights and Listed Building consents and for all litigation cases involving planning matters (including Judicial Review).

• You will also be a principal legal advisor on compensation legal advice and disputes (including Tribunal claims) arising out of exercise of CPO powers and managing litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution ("ADR") in relation to the same.


Subject to capacity and suitable expertise, you will also provide (or oversee the provision by external lawyers of) legal advice on other general property matters affecting HS2 including drafting licences, dealing with landlord and tenant issues and other queries.

You will be expected to work without supervision and to minimise exposure and risk whilst ensuring compliance with legislation and regulations and timely delivery of property requirements to ensure HS2 observes its commitments to its sponsors. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other senior members of the Legal Team, including the General Counsel, and to supervise the work of junior members of the team on all aspects of property, planning and compulsory purchase law in connection with HS2. The team is approachable, supportive and adaptable, with decades of combined experience in property and planning law.

This role will provide you with unique experience of working directly with clients, managing your own matters, dealing with high-value and programme critical cases, understanding how an infrastructure project is delivered in practice and dealing with the complex issues that arise as a result of working alongside government sponsors and other private and public sector stakeholders - experience that is exclusive to this once in a generation project that is doing things differently. From modern methods of construction to destination net zero, HS2 is utilising cutting-edge innovation to deliver the railway in the best way.

About the role:

In this role, you will be required to assist HS2 on a variety of project requirements including:

• Lead lawyer for all legal advice to the HS2 Town Planning Team.


• Lead lawyer for obtaining additional planning-related powers (when required) that are not included in the HS2 Act.


• Lead lawyer for all litigation cases involving planning matters (including planning inquiries, appeals and Judicial Reviews).


• Delegating to and where required supervising planning work by Property Counsel and Legal Assistant.


• A principal legal advisor to the Land & Property Approvals Panel, dealing with approvals of statutory Blight Notices, General Vesting Declaration ("GVD")/Compulsory Purchase Order Counter-Notices and the non-statutory compensation schemes (such as Rural Support Zone, HOP and Need to Sell schemes) and the lead lawyer on litigation flowing from Blight and GVD Counter-Notices.


• A principal legal advisor on compensation legal advice and disputes (including Tribunal claims) arising out of exercise of CPO powers and managing litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution ("ADR") in relation to the same.


• Subject to capacity and suitable expertise, providing legal advice on other general property matters affecting HS2 including drafting licences, dealing with landlord and tenant issues and other minor queries.


• Determining when it is appropriate to instruct external lawyers in connection with the above. Where external lawyers are appointed instructing and managing them and monitoring performance and cost to ensure high quality advice and value for money. Where external lawyers are appointed working with them to optimise the amount of work which can be kept in-house.


• Delivering training to improve quality and efficiency of outcomes for HS2 in connection with planning matters.


• Training, developing, and passing on specialist knowledge to, junior lawyers in the team to support team resilience and succession planning.


• Providing advice to support policy issues/improvements (including processes and procedures) in connection with HS2 planning issues.


• Liaising with the Department for Transport and other external stakeholders to ensure optimal outcomes in relation to planning matters.


• Drafting, updating and maintaining standard form template documentation and procedures in order to continuously improve performance and compliance, consistency across the business and effective working practices.


• Ensuring that best practice and continuous improvement methods are engaged in connection with all documentation, processes and systems used in connection with delivery of L&P Legal services.


• Assisting Head Counsel with monitoring and improving overall performance of the L&P Legal team, including quality of advice provided, recruitment, retention, performance and development of staff and optimal allocation of work between team members.


• Deputising for Head Counsel from time to time as required, including attendance at L&P SMT and other senior meetings. Actively promoting and embedding Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in all work, and supporting and complying with all organisational initiatives, policies and procedures on EDI.


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  Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team in a high pressured, demanding environment, on a wide range of planning and property issues.


• Problem-solving skills, including working without established precedent or procedure.


• Planning and organisational skills in order to manage a high, diverse and complex caseload.


• Understanding of the challenges facing the delivery of a major infrastructure project and the role of the in-house legal function as a key contributor to successful delivery.


• Ability to produce and present information to a variety of internal and external stakeholders with interpersonal and influencing skills.


Knowledge:

• Qualified solicitor with substantial post-qualification track record in a full spectrum of planning law, including compulsory purchase.


• Knowledge gained in house or in private practice dealing with government departments, utilities and/ or transport undertakers and on projects involving the exercise of compulsory acquisition powers.


Type of experience:

• Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team with a large and varied case load on a wide range of L&P law issues.


• Experience advising on construction or infrastructure projects.


• Experience in planning litigation/dispute resolution.


• Experience of advising on planning matters. Experience of advising on compulsory purchase and general property matters


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  As HS2 Ltd do not hold a sponsorship license from the Home Office, we are not able to provide sponsorship to any applicant. Applicants must already have the Right to Work in the UK at the time of application and our process involves a Right to Work validation prior to the interview stage. Note, there are certain types of time-bound visas that we cannot accept.
  
  Any offers made to applicants will be subject to satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks which include Nationality & Immigration Status, employment references, DBS, Financial and Education checks.
  
  We ask for a variety of detail in your online application, however we perform the first assessment of suitability for a role based solely on the information in your CV. In a further development of our efforts to create a more diverse workforce, your CV will be anonymised and personal information will be removed during the first stage of the application review. This removes bias from the process and makes it even more important that you attach an updated word version of your CV for each new application ensuring you include evidence directly related to the criteria in the job advert. Watch this video on how we remove bias in the recruitment process: Removing bias in the recruitment process - YouTube
  
  Salary for Birmingham: Base salary: £54,500pa to c.£68,150pa depending on skills and experience. In addition, we offer flexible benefits fund of 20% which is paid on top base salary and is fully pensionable, as well as a range of competitive benefits - check them out in the Benefits section on our website.
  
  Salary for London: Base salary: £63,050pa to c.£78,800pa depending on skills and experience. In addition, we offer flexible benefits fund of 20% which is paid on top base salary and is fully pensionable, as well as a range of competitive benefits - check them out in the Benefits section on our website.
  
  HS2 Ltd endeavours to ensure everyone working for us and with us feels included, thrives and achieves their full potential. In practice, this means we are positive and inclusive about making adjustments, providing flexible working, encouraging our staff networks to flourish and providing personal and professional development opportunities.