PURPOSE OF THE ROLE 

This is a key strategic hire within AG's market-leading Planning & Infrastructure Consenting team, advising on some of the UK's most significant infrastructure projects. The role offers exposure to high-profile clients across the development, energy, transport, utility, and public sectors, recruiting in response to sustained growth in client demand across all project sectors.

The role will strengthen our capabilities within Leeds or Manchester, ensuring we continue to deliver high-quality, scalable support to clients through a period of growth, while investing in the team's future leadership pipeline. This is an opportunity for an Associate or Managing Associate to take on significant responsibility, deepen client relationships and develop into a senior role within the practice. 

THE TEAM 

AG's Planning & Infrastructure Consenting team advises on a wide range of planning, infrastructure and parliamentary and public law matters, with strength in energy, transport, utilities, regeneration and major development. The team supports clients on strategically important and significant projects, including development consent orders, Transport and Works Act orders, hybrid Bills, compulsory purchase, highways agreements, harbour and other infrastructure-related consenting regimes, and the public law framework that underpins them.

The team aligns with the firm's strong sectoral focuses on Energy & Utilities, Transport and Real Estate and works closely with colleagues across real estate, construction, environment, , procurement, finance and corporate practices to provide clients with joined-up advice across the full project lifecycle. This integrated approach is important on major infrastructure and utility projects, where consenting, land assembly, environmental assessment, implementation, operation and challenge risk must all be managed together.

The team works nationally across offices and is distinguished by the quality and breadth of its work, the opportunity to advise on projects of national importance, and the combination of technical planning expertise with real infrastructure sector understanding. 

WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS ROLE 

In this role, you will lead key workstreams / projects, supervise junior team members, and play a prominent role in both client development and building your external market profile. Key responsibilities include:

• Advising on planning, infrastructure, and highways law in relation to major development, energy, transport, and utilities projects.
• Supporting and, where appropriate, leading workstreams on DCOs for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects and other strategic consenting regimes.
• Advising on compulsory purchase, land assembly, statutory powers, and related implementation matters.
• Managing day-to-day client relationships, taking ownership of deliverables, transaction management, and the progression of matters.
• Working directly with leading partners on nationally significant and market-shaping mandates.
• Developing expertise across both front-end advisory work and contentious or challenge-related matters, while building sector-specific specialisms.

AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE

As the successful candidate, you will have:

• Between 4 and 8 years' PQE in Planning & Infrastructure Consenting law, with significant experience in infrastructure, energy, utilities, and/or major development projects.
• Experience advising on one or more of the following: Development Consent Orders (DCOs), Transport and Works Act Orders (TWAOs) and other major infrastructure consenting regimes[GS1.1], as well as strength in advising on town and country planning matters, highways law and infrastructure agreements, or similar areas of practice.
• The ability to manage substantial drafting and advisory responsibilities on complex matters, demonstrating an appropriate level of independence.
• Experience advising on protective provisions, asset protection agreements, access arrangements, operational matters, and regulatory interfaces affecting infrastructure operators.
• A strong understanding of local government law, statutory powers, and public authority decision-making processes.
• Proven ability to manage complex transactions and projects, delivering high-quality work within agreed deadlines.

OUR FIRM

Our story of international growth is built on a performance mindset, innovation and true collaboration. We believe results follow relationships, so we work closely with each other, and develop deep client connections to deliver. 

Our award-winning culture balances high standards and hard work with genuine care – looking out for each other, supporting professional development, in a down to earth and inclusive environment. We do the right things in the right ways, combining commercial excellence and innovative thinking with teamwork. Together, we deliver excellence, achieve stand out solutions, and enable career-defining opportunities.