Planning Associate

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Job Title

Planning Associate

Department

Real Estate

Office Location

London

Reports To

Group Manager

Working Hours

35 hours per week, 9:30am to 5:30pm but additional hours may be required.  We are happy to consider agile and flexible working patterns.  Our approach to hybrid working allows for up to 40% of time working from home and 60% working in the office, please contact a member of the recruitment team to discuss further.

Firm Description

Hogan Lovells is one of the leading global law firms.  Our distinctive market position is founded on our exceptional breadth of our practice, on deep industry knowledge, and on our 'one team' global approach.  Formed through the combination of two top international law firms, Hogan Lovells has over 40 offices in the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. 

With a presence in the world's major financial and commercial markets, we are well placed to provide excellent business-oriented advice to our clients locally and internationally.  Our people are the key to our success, which is why we seek to recruit and retain the most talented individuals in all regions of our global practice. 

Department Description

The planning team is an integral part of our London real estate group.  The group works on some of the most complex and innovative development projects in the UK, including offshore wind, urban regeneration projects, life sciences, prime office buildings and large residential-led schemes. We have an integrated approach, with strength and depth across key practices required to successfully complete projects.  The planning team deals with all aspects of planning law including negotiations and appeals for planning and associated consents, the drafting and negotiation of planning and related agreements and the environmental implications of development proposals. 

Role Overview

An associate role dealing with a broad range of planning matters, including negotiating s106 agreements for large, multi-use developments, as well as various infrastructure agreements, advising on topics such as community infrastructure levy and heritage constraints, and giving strategic advice on a variety of types of scheme, including infrastructure projects. Further, providing planning support to the transactional real estate team, including due diligence and inputting into documentation.

Key Responsibilities / Accountabilities

Technical Ability

• Understands the issues surrounding, and has experience of advising on complex, multi-use developments for a variety of different developments.
• Understands and has experience of advising on a variety of  planning legal principles including community infrastructure levy, listed buildings and CPO related principles
• Has a working knowledge of the relationship of planning issues with those of the wider real estate practice and is able to provide planning support as necessary, including reporting on the planning history of properties and contributing to the planning elements of transactional documentation.
• Has negotiated a variety of different s106 agreement, including those with affordable housing provisions and can demonstrate an understanding of the key elements of other s106 requirements.
• Has experience of negotiating a range of other development related agreements including those relating to highways and sewers.
• Understands and has advised on legal matters relating to highways, including their stopping up.  
• Stays aware of legal developments affecting any specialist areas and regularly attends appropriate training sessions.
• Has experience of public inquiries and/or hearings.
• Experience of advising on securing and implementing development consent orders and infrastructure projects is desirable but not essential.  

Client Focus

• Has good working relationships with clients.  
• Has a good understanding of the planning and wider real estate teams’ clients, the sectors in which we operate and the associated risks and opportunities.
• Actively works to develop and strengthen new client relationships.
• Writes and contributes to articles for internal and external publication.
• Delivers seminars and training sessions for clients.

Team Work and Interpersonal Skills

• Acts as a source of advice to others, sharing knowledge and expertise.
• Has strong relationships and profile amongst colleagues.
• Ability to work effectively with others at all levels within the firm.
• Effectively supervises and supports junior colleagues.

Firm Mindedness 

• Understands the development industry and market in which the HL planning and wider real estate teams and clients operate.
• Takes an active role in managing the firm's reputation both in and out of work.
• Understands the responsibility to give back to our communities.
• Understands the value of a diverse workforce.

Specific duties or responsibilities may be reviewed from time to time to reflect changes in personnel and management structure, staff location or services.

All members of the firm participate in our Responsible Business program.

Person Specification

We have an opening for a first rate Planning lawyer.  It is essential that the candidate has a strong academic background (minimum 2.1 degree) with excellent written communication and drafting skills. The successful candidate will also have outstanding technical skills, together with the ability to build relationships with clients and colleagues and work well in a team. The ideal candidate will circa 5 years post qualification experience (or equivalent experience).

In return, Hogan Lovells offers excellent training and development, a superb working environment together with a competitive salary and benefits package.

Agile Working Statement

Our goal is to embed flexibility across our business by giving everyone the opportunity to work in an agile way, whether as a regular pattern or on an ad hoc basis, and we will be happy to discuss this further.

Equal Opportunities Employment Statement

It is the policy of Hogan Lovells to provide equal opportunities for all employees in relation to recruitment, training and promotion.  Decisions in these areas will be made only by reference to the requirements of the job and shall not be influenced by any consideration of racial or ethnic origin, religion, sex , gender and gender identity, age, sexual orientation, marital and civil partnership status, pregnancy or disability.

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