NQ - Real Estate

Real Estate x 3 – Cambridge

We are looking for three NQs to join our Real Estate team based in Cambridge.

You will work with partners and senior lawyers focused on providing a top tier service on high-profile real estate led transactions. Our clients are institutional investors, property companies, developers, family offices, Universities and Oxbridge Colleges and corporate occupiers. You will be offered the chance to work on a wide range of commercial property matters. You would gain experience, and training, to cover the full spectrum of property transactions and develop a sector specialism in Real Estate Investment. The nature of our work and our clients encourages the development of long lasting and fulfilling relationships with both clients and their agents and other advisors.

You will be involved in:

• investment sales/purchases and development projects for REI clients e.g. real estate funds and family offices;
• landlord and tenant matters for clients with significant portfolios (office, retail, science and technology, mixed-use, hotels);
• corporate real estate transactions and assisting with acquisitions and disposals structured using corporate vehicles;
• real estate finance projects, supporting our team in banking on the property aspects of secured lending transactions.

The caseload will be varied and challenging, offering a diverse mixture of work with direct contact to clients and agents from the start. You would benefit from close supervision, mentoring and development from other team members, and you will be a critical part of key client teams.

The Cambridge Real Estate team works both regionally and nationally and so in addition to working with the Cambridge partners, there is the opportunity to work with other NSLs, offices and our international network of law firms. We encourage and support our fee earners to play an active role in marketing and business development which is a key element of this team’s role within the Real Estate Investment sector.

Planning & Environment – Manchester

We are looking for a newly qualified solicitor to join our Planning & Environment team, based in Manchester.

You will be working with partners Peter Seaborn, Claire Gregory, Melanie Grimshaw, Consultant, Beverley Firth and other members of the Planning & Environment team on a national basis.

The role will cover the full range of planning and environmental work, including:

• strategic planning advice
• legal review of planning applications
• drafting planning obligations
• advice on infrastructure schemes
• environmental advisory work
• contentious / regulatory environmental work
• transactional support

This position will give you the chance to work cross office and with other NSLs regularly. We encourage and support our fee earners to play an active role in marketing and business development, which is a key element of this team’s role.

Real Estate x 2 - Manchester

We are looking for two highly motivated solicitors at NQ level to join our growing Real Estate team.

You will be based in Manchester working with partners Mike Edge, Rachel Pitman and Caroline Hanratty and their team. The Manchester Real Estate Team is one of the fastest growing in the region, moving up the rankings in the Legal Directories and having been in the shortlist for NW Business Insider Property Law Firm in each of the last three years. We have an enviable client list for whom we work in Manchester including, Bruntwood, Tritax Symmetry, Homes England, Urban & Civic, Rowlands Pharmacy, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council and Langtree Group. We also have strong presence in the Health and Education sectors.

The Manchester Real Estate team works both regionally and nationally and so in addition to Mike, Caroline, and Rachel, you will also be working with other partners who are based in other offices.

Therefore, the role will involve working for a range of local and national clients with the opportunity to learn and develop your skills and knowledge with a view to you running your own transactions, with appropriate supervision and training, as well as working as part of a team on large transactions.

We will provide you with the opportunity to be involved and develop your skills in all areas of Real Estate work: landlord and tenant, asset management, freehold and leasehold acquisitions and disposals, development agreements, investment work, corporate Real Estate, and due diligence reporting on corporate acquisitions.

You will be able to demonstrate a pro-active approach, have good attention to detail, possess lateral thinking and problem-solving skills.  You will have effective time and matter management abilities and a systematic approach to work, demonstrating flexibility to work with several partners and team members.  This will require excellent communication skills including the ability to influence and persuade.

Finally, you will also be able to build good working relationships with clients and potential clients. In Manchester, we would wish you to be involved in business development from the outset and we would work with you to help you develop your own networking skills and contacts.

Real Estate – Norwich

We are looking for a highly motivated solicitor at NQ level to join our Real Estate team in Norwich which is a Band 1 team in Chambers and Legal 500.

You will be based in Norwich working with partners Carina Davis and Caroline Dean and their team.  We have an enviable client list for whom we work in Norwich including, Urban&Civic, R G Carter, Norwich City Football Club, VetPartners, Ernst & Young, Jarrolds and work on a number of key strategic development sites in the region and nationally.

The Norwich Real Estate team works both regionally and nationally and so in addition to Carina and Caroline, you will also be working with other partners who are based in other offices.  Therefore, the role will involve working for a range of local and national clients with the opportunity to learn and develop your skills and knowledge with a view to you running your own transactions, with appropriate supervision and training, as well as working as part of a team on large transactions.

We will provide you with the opportunity to be involved and develop your skills in all areas of Real Estate work: landlord and tenant, asset management, freehold and leasehold acquisitions and disposals, development agreements, investment work, corporate Real Estate, and due diligence reporting on corporate acquisitions.

You will be able to demonstrate a pro-active approach, have good attention to detail, possess lateral thinking and problem-solving skills.  You will have effective time and matter management abilities and a systematic approach to work, demonstrating flexibility to work with several partners and team members.  This will require excellent communication skills including the ability to influence and persuade.

Finally, you will also be able to build good working relationships with clients and potential clients.  In Norwich, we would wish you to be involved in business development from the outset and we would work with you to help you develop your own networking skills and contacts.

Real Estate Disputes x 2 – One vacancy in Cambridge or Norwich, the other is national 

We are looking for two NQs to join the Real Estate Disputes team. One role is to be based in either Cambridge or Norwich and the other is a national vacancy.  Working under supervision from partner Richard New but being part of the national RED team, you will:

• Undertake a stimulating combination of property advice / consultancy and active litigation in a variety of complicated leasehold and freehold matters. Your work will involve everything from strategic interpretation for the avoidance of future disputes to preparing for trial.
• Be key to building the business rates practice within the team, providing assistance in cases and on strategic advice concerning rating challenges and appeals and in areas of mitigation of rates liability. This area of work is a key differentiator for the firm and Richard is one of the UK’s leading practitioners.
• Work with non-contentious real estate fee earners (both commercial and private client), giving advice to them and/or clients on property issues where an advantage is to be gained or a problem avoided or on issues that may become disputes or in order to avoid disputes.
• Take contentious matters to settlement or trial.  The aim is to give practical but quality advice on property issues informed by the knowledge / experience of litigating them, as well as being able to take them through the litigation process where necessary.

The team gets involved with commercial, residential and agricultural disputes with issues such as possession and forfeiture, lease renewal, rent reviews, adverse possession, rights of way and anti-social behaviour.  The client base is equally wide – any client of the firm who has property is a potential client for the team.  A significant proportion of the work is for RE funds, property investors, College/HE institutions and landed estates but the team also acts for developers and handles claims for legal title indemnity insurers.

You will work on your own matters as well as assist more senior fee earners on larger matters. You will be expected to get involved in the team’s marketing and seminar activities.