Introducing Diana
Diana is the Principal Solicitor for Property, Planning, Regeneration and Contracts at the London Borough of Enfield. She is currently focusing on large regeneration projects (Housing, Property and Regeneration), which involves planning and contracts. She shares her enthusiasm for leading on key commercial projects like Meridian Water and Housing Estate Regeneration Projects such as Joyce and Snells in this interview. She talks about how she brings her expertise in planning and property and general regeneration work to the council. She also shares how she manages her workday, and the advice she provides to future property and contract lawyers.
What inspired you to get into your job?
I started doing Right to Buy work at the council before I qualified and loved the complexity of property work and the fact that I was assisting council tenants towards better lives by getting on to the property ladder.
I actually qualified while working at Enfield and started to be involved in ever more complex property transactions and regeneration work. This type of work is project based team work with the vision to transform a run down site into a new development with new social housing, shops, roads and leisure/play areas. It involves knowledge of a variety of legal areas such as property, planning, contracts and highways including local government law and is very interesting and rewarding work, particularly as it is not only place making but improving the lives of our tenants and leaseholders as well as the residents of the local area.
How does a typical workday morning start for you?
I like to start early to review my diary reminders and urgent emails but then the day is usually filled with project meetings to move forward large projects. The average project heavily depends on teamwork (surveyors, planners, lawyers etc.), and can take 5-10 years to complete. I also have a team of about 20 lawyers who I support and assist with the help of the Assistant Principal lawyers. I am also always consulting, informing and seeking guidance from our Director of Law and Governance who is very supportive of us all in the Legal Department.
What advice would you have liked to have had about your profession if you were just starting out now?
I would have liked more career advice at school or a mentor when choosing a career in law and local government. It would have been good to have someone to have given me more insight on what it’s like to work at a local authority, particularly the political aspects and what was expected of me early on in terms of the fact that a local authority is a creature of statute and has limited powers and many duties.
I am therefore supportive of work experience and trainee schemes at the council.
The message must be don’t hesitate to go into Local Government if you enjoy teamwork and want to help to make a difference in the community of a particular local authority.
I discovered Local Government accidentally but now I would say everyone should try working at the council if only for a short period. It is interesting work, rewarding in terms of job satisfaction and it’s great for your CV, especially if starting out on your career.
What is the highlight of your role so far and what is has been your biggest learn to date?
I have worked in both private practice and local government and the work at the council is the most interesting and rewarding in terms of job satisfaction and assisting the community.
The highlight of my role is seeing a project progress and to know our tenants and leaseholders are getting great new homes. A successful new housing project affects people’s lives not only in relation to new homes but in terms of safety, green surroundings and amenities such as schools and leisure centres.
Fortunately, I haven’t had any big issues but my biggest learn to date is to ensure that the council proceeds with minimal reputational and financial risk and to always raise concerns at a very senior level in the council so that the risks can be dealt with. At the end of the day, we are accountable to the residents of the borough and need to ensure we are meeting all financial and legal requirements.
What are your future professional aspirations?
I am very happy in my current role but want to make a difference so that my team and I work better and more efficiently so we can deliver more permanent homes and temporary accommodation for the homeless.