Find More Than 10K+
United Kingdom Jobs

Team: Real Estate (Core Real Estate), London
Reports to: Team Leader

Purpose of job
We are currently seeking to recruit an Associate with 2+ year post qualification experience in the real estate sector.

The Associate must have a broad knowledge of real estate as an asset class and would be involved in driving and managing complex and large scale investment transactions and projects for a wide range of clients which include PE houses, funds and debt clients.

The firm advises in a way that supports the client's strategic objectives whilst being practical and commercial and we would expect candidates to demonstrate their ability to provide advice in this way.

What’s in it for you?
Our market-leading real estate practice combines key sector knowledge, unparalleled technical ability and a commercial focus, which ensures clients receive the best possible support and guidance. We are consistently ranked number one by the legal directories (Chambers and Legal 500) across all of real estate disciplines with lawyers that are recognised as experts in their fields.

Much of the complex work we carry out requires a multi-disciplinary approach and we regularly work closely, with specialisms across the firm in our corporate, finance, tax and risk management functions. We focus on all issues relating to planning, construction and engineering, direct and indirect investment, funds, real estate & property finance, tax, development, securitisation, dispute resolution, environment and regulatory. We advise across not only on the more traditional areas of real estate such as commercial and retail, but also the “alternative” asset classes such as student accommodation, hotels, healthcare, data centres, logistics and build to rent.

Clients include: BlackRock, The Crown Estate, Tesco, Great Portland Estates, Heathrow Airport Ltd, Lendlease, Transport for London, 12 of the world’s largest Sovereign Wealth Funds, and 50% of the world’s largest real estate private equity investors.

• Acted on the three largest single asset property deals in the UK: Advised Canary Wharf Group plc and Landsec Group plc on £1.28 billion sale of 20 Fenchurch Street to LKK Health Products Group, advised CC Land on the £1.15 billion acquisition of the Cheesegrater, 122 Leadenhall, from a joint venture between British Land and Oxford Properties, and advised JP Morgan/National Pension Service on the sale of 8 Canada Square, the HSBC Tower to the Qatar Investment Authority for £1.17 billion.
• Advising The Crown Estate on the asset management of their prestigious Central London portfolio, valued at £7bn – Regent Street and St James’. We advise on the full range of real estate matters, ranging from temporary lettings to joint venture developments.
• Sole real estate adviser to the UK’s largest supermarket chain – Tesco. A client of the firm for over 30 years, we are sole adviser to Tesco for real estate legal advice in relation to their portfolio of approximately 2,500 properties across the country, which includes supermarkets, distribution centres, commercial and residential space.
• Advising Landsec, one of the UK’s largest commercial property companies, on their £2.2bn reinvention of Victoria, delivering offices, high quality apartments, high profile retail and numerous restaurants.

The team works across a number of sectors including operational real estate sectors such as BTR/Multi-family, student housing, Hotels, retirement living, data-centres as well as offices, logistics and retail. The team regularly advise on some of the largest transactions in these sectors and are undertaking more cross-border transactions as well. The strength of the development practice is such that the team are involved in some of the most prestigious urban redevelopments across the UK including Paradise Circus in Birmingham as well as Kings Cross.

Key responsibilities

• Develops specialist expertise and identifies potential legal issues arising outside own practice area
• Uses technical skills and knowledge to suggest creative, but practical solutions
• Drafts complex documents and consults where appropriate
• Manages complex files and multiple workloads, consulting when appropriate
• Conducts negotiations and adapts approach to fit client needs
• Takes client instructions and has a full understanding of the client's goals
• Gives commercially astute advice and demonstrates a thorough understanding of the commercial issues that clients face
• Monitors any changes in scope with the client and keeps the partner updated
• Manages work demands to ensure that time is available for Firm and practice management activities
• Demonstrates a full understanding of how the Firm manages its business to achieve growth and profitability
• Generates realistic fee estimates for partner review

Key relationships

• Partners and Senior Associates

Experience and knowledge

• Solid experience across the entire real estate sector, gained within a comparable environment to Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

Skills and competencies
The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Analytical and drafting skills
• Flexibility and adaptability, supporting cases across a broad range of legal issues
• Commercial focus with a knowledge of key areas of the law and able to provide clear, concise, practical advice
• A high level of client contact and responsibility for client matters
• The ability to project manage client matters, coordinating fee earners in Real Estate and other departments as required
• Delegation and supervisory skills where appropriate
• Confidence in front of clients
• Clear and concise communication skills
• The ability to work independently but also keen to work in a challenging, team-based environment
• A willingness and ability to support business development activity, creating and maintaining strong client relationships and identifying new business opportunities

Diversity, inclusion and working differently
At Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner we understand the value of a diverse workforce and we believe people perform at their best when they can truly be themselves at work. We aim to create an inclusive environment where all our employees are valued, motivated and able to be themselves. In order to provide the best possible service to our diverse client base, we are committed to recruiting, retaining, rewarding and developing our people with regard to their abilities and contributions and without reference to their background, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnic origin, age, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, political belief, disability or any other protected characteristic.
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner is a firm with an increasingly flexible workforce and is supportive of flexible working arrangements, tailored to the individual, wherever possible.
Please feel free to speak to the Recruitment Team about the flexibility we are offering for this role.

Confidentiality
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner ensure all hardcopy and electronic materials containing confidential information are securely stored and accessible only to those authorised to view such content.

Agencies
Please note: we will not accept speculative CVs sent to hiring managers or partners via email. We can only accept CVs sent via the portal from agencies that have agreed terms of business with the Recruitment team. For further information, contact [email protected].

Disclosure
As a regulated firm of solicitors, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner is required to undertake appropriate vetting of staff. In addition to completion, by applicants who accept a job offer, of a regulatory questionnaire, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner uses a specialist provider to undertake professional verification and background checks (including through electronic data sources, and directly with employers and professional bodies/regulators) on our behalf. We will also undertake certain verifications ourselves.
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner adopts a risk-based approach to its vetting procedures, which are only undertaken with consent, and in accordance with IT, legal and regulatory obligations. For further details, please see our recruitment website www.bclplaw.com