Senior Lawyer – Enforcement and Prosecution

Join Environment Agency as a Senior Lawyer to pursue environmental enforcement and prosecution.

Job Description

The diverse nature of environmental crime provides ever-evolving challenges for our legal teams. Our Enforcement and Prosecution teams provide advice and conduct enforcement and prosecution cases, which may involve relevant alternative disposals such as civil sanctions and formal cautions. They also provide training to staff on disclosure requirements and the use of various statutory enforcement powers. Join them and you will have the opportunity to own an interesting caseload, protect the environment and make your mark in a national organisation that promises a good work-life balance, salary pension scheme and great professional development.

Responsibilities

• Provide high level, accurate, timely legal advice and support to relevant parts of the organisation.
• Deliver good quality effective legal casework and progress procedural issues.
• Manage your own caseload and work with a high degree of autonomy on complex/sensitive advice, criminal and/or civil proceedings, transactional and other matters, including representing the Environment Agency.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor, barrister or equivalent (FILEX with rights of audience in criminal proceedings).
• Ideally experience as a prosecutor or defence lawyer handling complex criminal cases concerning breaches of environmental legislation or other complex areas of criminal and regulatory law.
• Sound knowledge generally of criminal law, practice and procedure and be an experienced criminal advocate with trial experience in the Magistrates’ Court and experience preparing complex cases for trial and sentence in the Crown Court.
• Understanding of the Environment Agency’s ability to use civil sanctions in place of criminal proceedings and ability to advise upon the right regulatory response to environmental offending.

Benefits & Location

Senior Lawyer roles receive a G6 Market Forces Factor allowance of £5,250 per annum. As with all roles in Legal Services, we combine home working with attendance at the contractual office base, subject to meeting business needs. The roles can be based at any of our main hub locations. There will be travel to court and other locations as required.

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.

Interview will be held January 2026. For any queries relating to the role please contact LASrecruitment@environment-agency.gov.uk.

EEO statement: The Environment Agency is an equal‑employer and committed to an inclusive workforce.