NQ Solicitor +

Birketts is an ambitious full service, top 100 UK law firm, operating in East Anglia, London and the surrounding areas.  With a rich heritage spanning over 150 years we’ve built an enviable track record advising businesses, institutions and individuals in the UK and internationally.

Throughout our history our ethos has remained simple: we provide clear legal advice and value and insight to our clients.

We believe that through this approach and a combination of technical excellence and high quality service we can develop long-lasting partnerships and become our clients' solicitor of choice.

Ranked Top Tier 2020 in Legal 500 and Tier 1 for Chambers and Partners, our very highly regarded Planning and Environmental Team are regularly instructed by landowners, promotors, developers and local authorities in East Anglia, London and further afield. We have an excellent reputation for Environmental law, public rights of way, highways, CPO and major strategic development.

Both Partner and Head of the Team Tom Newcombe, and Partner and Head of Environmental Deborah Sharples are ranked as leading individuals and many of the 15 strong team are leading individuals or rising stars. The Team is well structured and includes 2 Legal Directors and 4 Senior Associates, plus Associates, Solicitors, Consultants and Legal Executives.

Clients include:

4 of the top 10 national Housebuilders, more than 10 Local Authorities, many of the leading regional housebuilders, both Cambridge and Oxford Colleges and other universities, colleges and institutional landowners.

Our team's expertise covers a variety of different types of Planning and Environmental areas including:

• Strategic land, development plan promotion and major infrastructure planning
• Examinations in public and development plan examinations
• Greenfield and Green Belt development
• Urban regeneration schemes
• Advising on the planning application process (including acting as agent) and pre-application consultation
• Environmental Impact Assessment, strategic environmental assessment and the habitats directive
• Contaminated land
• Compulsory purchase and compensation
• Negotiation and completion of planning obligations via s106 agreements and unilateral undertakings
• Conservation areas and listed buildings
• Planning appeals via written representations, hearings and inquiries including advocacy
• Judicial review including advocacy at the High Court
• Renewable energy planning
• Enforcement
• Village Green inquiries
• Public Rights of Way
• Waste and Minerals

• This opportunity is ideally suited to ambitious Solicitor/Associates keen to forge a career specifically within Planning and Environmental Law. We do not necessarily require experience of qualification with a planning or environmental team, but 6 months planning seat in planning or environmental and a 6 month property seat as a trainee would be ideal.
• Solicitors of 0-3 PQE should ideally (but not essentially) be based in Cambridge but other offices will also be considered, as will hybrid working arrangements in line with our current policies.
• Experience of Local Government work and/or development in London would be advantageous, but not essential.

We are committed to recruiting individuals on merits of suitability for each role, on the basis of qualifications and experience. All applications are treated fairly and equally regardless of sexual orientation, race, disability, religious beliefs and any other protected characteristic, ensuring that there are equal opportunities at all stages of the recruitment process.