LEGAL COUNSEL PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT

The Brisbane City Council is hiring a Legal Counsel for Planning and Environment, offering a permanent full-time role with a salary range of $139,957 to $151,454 plus benefits. This position involves providing legal advice and managing planning and environment matters, with a focus on litigation. The role allows for hybrid work, enabling up to two days of remote work per week, promoting work/life balance and professional development.
Personnel Area: City Administration and Governance

Branch: City Legal

Salary Range: Band 8 $139,957 to $151,454 + 14% Superannuation and a possible further benefits package dependent on the skills and experience of the successful candidate

(Remuneration stated is for a full-time position)

Work type: Permanent Full-time (Hybrid working, up to two days working from home)

Location: Brisbane CBD

This is a unique opportunity to be part of one of the busiest planning and environment litigation practices in Queensland and work alongside an experienced and established team who are heavily involved in court attendance and the conduct of proceedings in the Planning and Environment Court.

Join a team where flexibility meets quality work. Enjoy 7.25-hour workdays, hybrid arrangements, and the ability to accrue flex whilst experiencing diverse and interesting work. This is an exciting opportunity to take the next step in your planning and environment career by building a name for yourself whilst restoring your work/life balance.

Our Business

Brisbane City Council is one of the largest local governments in the Asia-Pacific region and one of the biggest employers in Queensland. We have more than 300 job types across a broad range of service areas, with roles that serve our community. We employ an inclusive and diverse workforce, with great benefits and flexible work options. A job with us offers skill development, career mobility and access to benefits that matter.

Our Branch

City Legal is a specialist provider of legal services to Brisbane City Council. We provide a comprehensive range of cost-effective legal services, adding value to Council's core business and major projects.

The Role

To be considered for this role you will have significant relevant knowledge and experience in planning and environmental law. This will be across a diverse range of areas but with an emphasis on the conduct of litigation in the Planning and Environment Court. Experience with infrastructure charges and enforcement notice appeals would be favourably considered.

In this role you will also provide high quality, professional legal advice on complex issues whilst offering mentorship and coaching to the planning and environment group within City Legal’s Planning and Development Team to deliver effective legal services to Council. This role also offers support to the Senior Legal Counsel–Planning and Development and the Chief Legal Counsel of City Legal.

In this role you will:
• provide specialist legal skills, advocacy and advice on a wide range of critical and sensitive issues to Council
• lead, manage and advise on a variety of planning and environment matters on behalf of Brisbane City Council
• lead the delivery of legal services with respect to planning and infrastructure matters and manage a specialist team
• demonstrate responsibility and accountability for the performance and outcomes of the work area by taking a leadership role with respect to corporate deliverables and branch performance against established corporate, performance and business outcomes.

To be successful you will have:
• must be admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland and hold a current Practicing Certificate from the Queensland Law Society.
• extensive knowledge and experience in local government and planning law, especially in the conduct of Planning and Environment Court litigation
• strong advocacy skills, with the ability to represent Council in Court and lead negotiations
• high-level communication skills and the ability to build relationships with senior stakeholders
• a thorough understanding of the legislative framework governing Council operations and planning law
• demonstrated leadership and mentoring experience.

Benefits of working for Council include:
• flexible hybrid working arrangement
• free gym and wellness centre
• award winning superannuation fund
• generous leave provisions
• competitive salary.

Benefits of working for Council: CLICK HERE

How to apply: Click on the 'I’m interested' button to complete your online application. Please upload your tailored resume and covering letter (of no more than one page) demonstrating your suitability to the position.

This role may require a Criminal History Check.

For more information: Please call Tania Heyblom on 07 3178 2146.

People from diverse backgrounds, including those living with a disability and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who may have questions about the recruitment process or working at Council, are encouraged to reach out to the contact above, who can connect you with a member of Council’s Diversity and Inclusion team.

Application Closing Date: Friday 4 April 2025 at 11:55pm AEST.

Brisbane City Council is a multi-award winning accessible and inclusive workplace where our people represent the diverse communities we serve, are supported, and can feel safe. Council has been awarded Employer of the Year at the National Disability Awards and has been recognised multiple times with ‘Gold Employer’ status from the Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTI inclusion.