Job title: Dispute Resolution / Public Law Solicitor

Team: Legal

Department: Department of Finance

Reporting to: General Counsel

Grade: 2

Salary: £84,955 per annum (plus car allowance)

Working pattern: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week

Base: Gravesend, Kent

Closing date: 22 May 2025

Interview date: 30 May 2025

Who we are:

We are the UK’s biggest port, central to the country’s economy and ambitions for growth. We connect the UK to the world, but we are much more than a conventional port.

We are driven by our purpose to protect and improve the 95 mile stretch of the River Thames which is tidal – from Teddington Lock on the border of Surrey, through the heart of London, Kent, Essex and out to the North Sea.

The role:

The Legal team deals with a myriad of complex and technical issues, linked to the PLA’s core duty to preserve and protect the tidal River Thames. We are looking for a Dispute Resolution / Public Law Solicitor to join our Legal team, to provide high quality, efficient, commercially focused legal advice across a variety of matters, including dispute resolution, public law, statutory enforcement and compliance/regulatory work.

Key Responsibilities:

• Deliver excellent legal solutions according to deadline and to budget
• Handle general litigation work, including property, landlord and tenant and commercial dispute work
• Advise upon and manage judicial review proceedings, and conduct/represent the PLA at dispute resolution proceedings, including advocacy, arbitrations and mediations (where applicable)
• Advise the PLA in respect of:
  • data protection legislation and best practice
  • information law, including responses to Environmental Information Requests
  • governance matters
  • statutes/statutory instruments
  • byelaws and directions under the Port of London Act 1968

What we are looking for:

You will be a qualified solicitor, with 5+ years’ experience of working in any of the following areas: Dispute Resolution legal team, Public law legal team or an in house legal team.

You will:

• be able to handle large workloads and to adapt and learn new skills
• have strong communication and analytical skills, with the ability to deliver work to a high standard when under pressure
• be commercially minded, proactive and regularly take the initiative

Benefits package:

• 30 days annual leave (plus Bank Holidays)
• Private Medical Insurance
• Generous pension
• Onsite parking with electric charging
• Access to Occupational Health, Mindfulness, Counselling and Physiotherapy
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Car-leasing scheme (Tusker Cars)
• Access to MyGymDiscounts

For further information or if you would like to have an informal discussion about the position, please contact Ashleigh Evans, General Counsel ashleigh.evans@pla.co.uk.

The PLA are not registered with the UK Home Office and do not sponsor candidates who require a visa or work permit to work in the UK, therefore an offer of employment cannot be made unless you currently hold the rights to live and work in the UK.