City/Town
Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, Leeds, Peterborough, Reading, Warrington
Region
East of England, North West, South East, South West, West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber
Vacancies
1
Salary Minimum
£43,198
Post Type
Permanent
Job ID
34674
Closing date
17 May 2026
Published date
16 Apr 2026
Grade
Staff Grade 5
Role type
Legal Services
Post type
Full Time, Part Time/Job Share
Security check
Basic Check
Job description
We’re looking for lawyers with the right skills and experience to make a key contribution to the Environment Agency’s work in regulating permitted industry, notably waste and installations, and dealing with the civil aspects of illegal waste activity and more. You’ll provide timely, high-quality advice and support to operational teams based in Areas. You’ll deal with civil enforcement action and may liaise with partner bodies in local and national government. You’ll handle challenges in the courts, including by judicial review, and statutory appeals, working with Legal Services colleagues and operational clients across the country.
We are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share, so please include clearly any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application. We also welcome those on return from a career break.
You will be joining of one of 3 teams, led by experienced regulatory lawyers, which together provide essential legal support to officers across England. The 3 teams also work closely with colleagues across the Environment Agency’s Legal Services, whose work includes prosecutions, flood risk and other specialisms.
You will work with colleagues who share a commitment to the environment and people. Our established, supportive team will help you settle into your new role.
You will be a fully qualified lawyer (solicitor, barrister or legal executive), entitled to practise in England and Wales. You will have excellent communication and drafting skills, with experience of advising laypersons on statutory and case-law and confidence in handling contentious matters. You will be customer-focussed with good organisational skills as well as being a strong team-player with lawyers and clients. Experience of environmental law and working for a regulatory body or local authority is desirable.
Our roles at Grade 5 are generally suitable for lawyers who have recently qualified or are considering a move into a new area of law, and would involve working closely with, and some supervision by, more experienced colleagues in the team.
We offer the option to combine home working with attendance at one of our legal office hubs, subject to meeting business needs. Travel is occasionally required to other offices or to attend courts or appeal hearings in different locations as work demands.
We welcome applications from candidates seeking full time or flexible working patterns including part-time or job-share as well as those returning to work following a career break. Please highlight preferred flexible working arrangements in your application.
We will hold interviews at the end of May/June 2026.
For any queries relating to the role please contact [email protected]
Prioritises and organises tasks and resources to ensure timely achievement of results.
Please describe how you prioritise and organise tasks and resources to ensure the timely achievement of results.
Please give an example of how you have addressed the needs of internal and external customers and describe any challenges encountered in order to provide an effective response.
Please give an example of when you have applied your knowledge of environmental or public law in your work, that illustrates how you would be able to use your knowledge and experience in order to protect the Environment Agency and the environment.
If you are applying from the Civil Service please note that the Environment Agency is not a part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of being appointed. Therefore, you will not be eligible for continuous service. For applicants who currently work in local government or other bodies listed in the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc) (Modification) Order 1999, you may be eligible for continuous service for the purpose of calculating any future redundancy payment. If you are unsure of your status then you should contact your own HR Team.
We are fully committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share, so please include clearly any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.
We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability who are seeking employment. We have committed to guaranteeing an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
The Environment Agency, as a Non-Departmental Public Body, is committed to providing value for money and utilises Central Government frameworks and contracts for all external recruitment needs. For this reason, we are unable to engage with the market directly through post, email or phone calls . Should you wish to become a support supplier on one of these frameworks or contracts please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/become-a-crown-commercial-service-supplier/becoming-a-supplier-through-the-crown-commercial-service-what-you-need-to-know for more information.
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Although the Environment Agency is a non-departmental public body sponsored by Defra, we subscribe to and align with the candidate guidance on the use of artificial intelligence found on the Civil Service Careers website. Please review for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.