Environment Senior Associate

Description:

Pinsent Masons seeks a qualified Environment Senior Associate with at least 7 years PQE to join its nationally recognized Environment Practice, based ideally in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, or Birmingham. The role offers an excellent opportunity to provide strategic environmental advice and contractual drafting/negotiation with a strong emphasis on contentious environmental work and litigation.

The candidate will work across the UK on a broad range of environmental and regulatory matters within a market-leading Planning & Environment team — the largest dedicated team in the UK — engaged in major projects across energy, infrastructure, and real estate sectors.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic advice on environmental law matters including regulatory, transactional, and enforcement issues.

• Lead contentious environmental work and litigation.

• Advise on regulatory matters such as remediation liability, water licensing, waste management, environmental permitting, and enforcement.

• Support clients with net zero, carbon, biodiversity, natural capital compliance, and related environmental aspects of infrastructure consenting and development.

• Collaborate with consenting lawyers and wider firm specialists on major infrastructure and development projects.

• Develop and maintain strong client relationships, taking responsibility as main client contact.

• Supervise and develop junior lawyers within the team.

• Participate actively in business development.

Key Clients

• bp

• Drax Power Limited

• Balfour Beatty

• E.ON

• Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

• Viridor

• FCC

• ENVA

• Motor Fuel Group

• Heidelberg

Candidate Profile

• Qualified environment lawyer with 7+ years PQE.

• Strong experience in contentious environmental law and environmental litigation.

• Experience in strategic environmental advice and contractual drafting/negotiation.

• Previous experience in a large regional or national law firm.

• Excellent technical and commercial legal skills.

• Strong client focus and ability to lead client relationships.

• Outgoing, team player with enthusiasm for business development.

• Committed to mentoring junior team members.

About Pinsent Masons

Pinsent Masons is a global top 100 law firm with over 3,800 employees across 28 locations worldwide. Recognized for innovation, sustainability, and diversity, the firm offers outstanding career development and a supportive, inclusive culture. The Environment team is part of the market-leading Planning & Environment group, involved in diverse major projects and regulatory work across the UK and internationally.

Benefits & Development

• Market-leading training and career development programme.

• Early responsibility with client relationship-building opportunities.

• Regular career reviews, 1-2-1s, and appraisals.

• Commitment to diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing.

• Recognized for LGBT+ inclusion and working family support.