Associate - Real Estate

We have an opportunity for a Corporate Real Estate Associate with transactional experience from a leading practice to join our highly regarded, award-winning London Real Estate group in London. We are part of an international team with leading real estate practices in each of the main European and global jurisdictions. We advise European and global private equity real estate sponsors, institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds and pension funds on the full lifecycle of complex real estate transactions. The department and the firm place great emphasis on developing and supporting your career. Our training and know-how support is very highly regarded.

Key Responsibilities

• Advising on and managing UK and multi-jurisdictional real estate M&A, corporate wrapper transactions, joint ventures, co-investments and consortium arrangements across all real estate asset classes.
• Structuring and advising on corporate and joint venture holding structures, including Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), limited partnerships, unit trusts, private equity real estate funds, and bespoke open- and closed-ended fund structures.
• Leading on major real estate asset acquisitions, lettings and disposals, portfolio transactions, sale-and-leasebacks, and operational real estate transactions.
• Advising on complex development and regeneration projects, including site acquisition, development agreements, forward funding and forward sales.
• Collaborating with Corporate/M&A, Finance, Tax and Disputes teams on the property aspects of major corporate transactions, public M&A, financings, flotations and restructurings.
• Taking a proactive role in business development, client relationship management, knowledge management and pitching for new mandates.

Competencies

• Qualified as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales, or holding an equivalent qualification from a recognised common law jurisdiction.
• Ideally 2-4 years post-qualification experience (PQE) at a leading corporate real estate practice, covering all aspects of transactional real estate work, ideally with significant cross-border experience and with experience acting for private equity real estate, SWF and pension funds.
• High-calibre lawyer with proven technical drafting, structuring and negotiation skills, coupled with sound commercial judgement.
• Proven experience and proactive interest in business development, client engagement and sector initiatives.
• Excellent academic record.
• Excellent technical and commercial abilities, with the acumen to deliver pragmatic solutions tailored to institutional and private equity clients, together with a willingness to learn and operate outside of your comfort zone.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively within diverse teams and effectively mentor, supervise and develop junior lawyers and trainees.
• Highly effective communicator (both orally and in writing), able to articulate complex legal structures clearly to commercial stakeholders.
• Able to take on a high degree of responsibility, manage competing priorities and deliver under challenging deadlines.
• Deeply committed to delivering exceptional client service and upholding the highest professional standards.
• Proactive engagement in practice development, client relationship management and knowledge sharing.

The Individual

Excellent technical and commercial abilities, with the acumen to deliver pragmatic solutions tailored to institutional and private equity clients, together with a willingness to learn and operate outside of your comfort zone. Proven ability to work collaboratively within diverse teams and effectively mentor, supervise and develop junior lawyers and trainees. Highly effective communicator (both orally and in writing), able to articulate complex legal structures clearly to commercial stakeholders. Able to take on a high degree of responsibility, manage competing priorities and deliver under challenging deadlines. Deeply committed to delivering exceptional client service and upholding the highest professional standards. Proactive engagement in practice development, client relationship management and knowledge sharing.

Inclusion & Equal Opportunities

Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered on the basis of merit, skills and qualifications alone. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate holding or obtaining the valid right to work in the UK and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing. Freshfields is an A-rated licensed sponsor under the UK points-based immigration system and considers sponsorship eligibility where applicable. Please let our recruitment team know if you require any additional support or reasonable adjustments to be made at any stage of the application or recruitment process. The department and the firm place great emphasis on developing and supporting your career. Our training and know-how support is very highly regarded. Freshfields is a global law firm with a long-standing track record of successfully supporting the world’s leading national and multinational corporations, financial institutions, and governments on ground-breaking and business critical mandates. At Freshfields we seek to create a better future for our clients, our people and the communities in which we work. Our global teams bring together individuals with different experiences, skills and strengths in a culture where we support all to belong, engage and excel.

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