Senior Lawyer, Planning Team, MHCLG LA

Job summary From healthcare to artificial intelligence, energy to national security, we provide legal advice to government departments on nation-changing subjects. At Government Legal Department we have a vital, single-minded purpose: to help the Government govern well within the rule of law. This is complemented by our exciting vision to be an outstanding legal organisation, committed to the highest standards of service and professionalism and a brilliant place to work where we can all thrive and fulfill our potential.

Our work touches almost every aspect of public life. We are the largest provider of legal services across government, working on high profile matters. Our respected professionals are involved in everything from regulation and litigation to advice on drafting legislation. They provide expertise to the full range of government departments. We are at the heart of delivering the government’s priorities and our success depends on our people.

GLD is a non-ministerial government department headed by the Treasury Solicitor, our Permanent Secretary, and employs nearly 4000 people, including nearly 3000 legal professionals. We have offices nationwide, in Bristol, Leeds, inner and outer London and Manchester. Our lawyers can also be located within other departments and overseas. GLD also depends on a range of cross-functional professionals to provide our corporate services.

There are nearly 1000 colleagues playing an essential part in helping GLD to achieve its purpose and truly deliver much more than law. This is an exciting time to join GLD, with cutting edge legal work on global issues and a transformation agenda which is ensuring the Department exemplifies the Modern Civil Service . To find out more about what we do you can view our introductory film . On our website you can hear from team members, find out how to apply and learn about the benefits of working for GLD.

You can also read more about the future vision for GLD in our GLD Strategy 2024 – 2027 . Job description The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) Legal Advisers is a friendly, inclusive, high performing and collaborative Directorate with a strong sense of shared purpose. We provide legal support to the Secretary of State, Ministers and officials in MHCLG to support delivery across all MHCLG’s policy areas.

Lawyers in MHCLG help implement policies to empower local leaders, spread opportunities, improve living standards across the UK and restore local pride. The Department has an ambitious agenda to drive up housing supply, increase home ownership, improve building safety, devolve powers and budgets to boost local growth, support strong public services and create community cohesion and social integration.We have a substantial programme of primary and secondary legislation and enjoy a wide and exciting portfolio of core government legal work supporting policy development and delivery in areas that make a real difference to the lives of UK citizens, which is hugely rewarding.

Our work includes advising on: Planning policy and casework including implementation of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 and government proposals for planning reform Delivery of the new towns programme, an ambitious new programme designed to build housing, infrastructure and create local communities Housing policy (including reforms to the private rented sector and leasehold, social housing, homelessness, refugee housing Building safety and fire (remediation of unsafe buildings and recovery of government contributions to remediation funding, regulation to support safer, greener homes) Community integration, faith and social cohesion, construction of the Holocaust Memorial and the Grenfell Memorial Grant funding to support regional growth and regeneration Elections policy including the Representation of the People Bill Local government including implementation of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026.

The Directorate is comprised of