Real Estate Senior Associate

Practice Area: Commercial Real Estate
PQE: 4+ years, at genuine Senior Associate / Managing Associate level

Overview

A leading international law firm is seeking a high-performing Real Estate Senior Associate to join its core London transactional practice.

This is a priority hire for the team and is aimed at an experienced execution lawyer who can immediately take responsibility for major workstreams, lead transactions, supervise junior lawyers and operate confidently with sophisticated institutional and private equity clients.

The practice handles high-value commercial real estate work across investment, development, acquisitions and disposals, with a particularly strong corporate and private equity-backed real estate element.

What You’ll Do

• Lead significant commercial real estate transactions and workstreams.
• Advise on major investment acquisitions and disposals.
• Work on complex development matters.
• Handle corporate real estate transactions involving institutional and private equity clients.
• Manage transactions day-to-day with a high degree of independence.
• Delegate work effectively to associates and trainees.
• Supervise and develop junior lawyers.
• Advise directly on complex strategic and execution issues.
• Build and maintain relationships with sophisticated real estate clients.
• Coordinate with Corporate, Finance, Planning, Construction and Real Estate Disputes specialists.
• Work on high-value and complex matters involving major investors, sponsors and developers.
• Take an increasingly visible role within the wider practice.

About You

• Ideally 4+PQE and already operating at genuine Senior Associate or Managing Associate level.
• Significant experience in high-quality transactional commercial real estate.
• Strong exposure to investment, development, acquisitions and disposals.
• Comfortable leading major workstreams independently.
• Proven ability to manage transactions day-to-day.
• Experience supervising and delegating to junior lawyers.
• Strong client-management capability.
• Able to operate confidently with sophisticated institutional and private equity clients.
• Accustomed to high deal volumes, significant transaction values and demanding client expectations.
• Excellent technical, drafting and organisational skills.
• Strong academic record.
• England & Wales qualification preferred, although lawyers qualified elsewhere may be considered where they have substantial recent UK market experience.

Candidates are likely to be strongest where they come from a leading City, Magic Circle, Silver Circle, top UK or US practice and are already operating at a comparable level. The role is less suited to someone making a significant step up in platform for the first time.

Why Apply?

• Join one of London’s leading commercial Real Estate practices.
• Take on genuine senior execution responsibility from the outset.
• Lead matters and major workstreams rather than sitting behind multiple layers of senior lawyers.
• Work with sophisticated institutional investors, private equity sponsors and major developers.
• Gain exposure to complex investment, development, acquisition and disposal work.
• Maintain elite-quality work while increasing your visibility and responsibility.
• Work within a multidisciplinary platform spanning Corporate, Finance, Planning, Construction and Real Estate Disputes.
• Supervise and develop junior lawyers.
• Build towards further progression at Counsel or partnership level.
• Approximately 1,700 billable-hour target.
• Strong option for senior real estate lawyers seeking a market-leading platform with meaningful client and transaction ownership.