Rachel McKoy

As a senior leader with substantial governance and commercial experience, I possess a practical appreciation of local government law, the nuance of working within a political environment, and the general public sector context. I am immensely passionate about promoting and supporting the work of the lawyers in our sector, which I unapologetically champion through my current roles as the Director, Vice President and National Expert for Planning, Highways and Environmental Law for Lawyers in Local Government and Non-Executive Director to the Solace Board. This has built upon my former role of Chief Projects Assessor for the Diploma in Local Government Law and Practice (2016-19) and current Law Society Academic Board Member positions. Throughout my career, I have both led, developed, and curated in-house legal teams with a strong focus upon on complex strategic schemes, estate regeneration, capital delivery and infrastructure projects. This has provided a clear insight into the pressures and requirements for strong governance arrangements and importance of the Monitoring Officer function. I have also acquired significant technical expertise in advising upon public law issues including: planning appeals; s288 challenges and judicial reviews; compulsory purchase; contractual issues; planning policy (Local and Neighbourhood Plans, SPD’s, and CIL), strategic planning and regeneration projects such as: Westferry Printworks Development (Northern Shell) ; Ailsa Wharf (Country Garden); London Chest Hospital (Crest Nicholson), Whitechapel Bell Foundry; London Bridge Quarter; Herne Hill Flood Alleviation Project; Crisp Street Market, Aylesbury, Heygate and Elmington Estates CPOs; Bracknell Town Centre regeneration; Warfield and Blue Mountain Urban extensions. Further, in the central government space, I have acquired experience of advising on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects and TWAO’s (on behalf of the Secretary of State and objecting authorities) including: drafting statutory instruments (HS2); dealing with petitions; advising Ministers; dealing with Select Committees; drafting safeguarding directions; advising on land safeguarding issues; compulsory purchase matters; judicial reviews; statutory and generalised blight issues; non-statutory discretionary compensation schemes and securing mitigation packages - (HS2 (Phase 1, 2 a & 2b); East West Rail; OxCam Arc; Thames Tunnel; Northern Line Extension and various Highways England TWA Orders.