Solicitor / Associate (NQ - 4 years PQE)

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Real Estate Solicitor/Associate (ideally NQ-4 years' PQE) to join our highly regarded Bristol-based team on a permanent, full-time basis. Ranked Band 1 in Legal 500 South West 2026, our Real Estate team advises a diverse client base including institutional investors, developers, lenders, local authorities and private clients. We work across key sectors including Investment, Real Estate Finance, Housebuilding and Development, Energy and Infrastructure, and Commercial Development.

Working closely with the Partners and an experienced team of real estate specialists, you'll play a key role in advising on a broad range of landlord and tenant matters, with a particular focus on retail leasing and property acquisitions for pension schemes. Our client base includes a fantastic mix of national and household-name businesses, including Subway, Taco Bell and Curtis Banks. You'll have the opportunity to work on high-quality matters, develop strong client relationships and take on significant responsibility from an early stage in your career. With direct access to experienced partners and senior lawyers, you'll benefit from excellent mentoring and support, alongside genuine opportunities for progression as part of a successful and expanding practice.

You'll also be encouraged to get involved in business development activities, helping to strengthen existing client relationships, develop new opportunities and support the continued growth of Ashfords' Real Estate practice.

What you'll do

As an excellent communicator with strong technical and organisational skills, you’ll be comfortable managing competing priorities and working to deadlines. Ideally, you'll have a solid grounding in real estate work, with experience gained at a national, regional or City firm, and exposure to either retail property or SIPP/SSAS transactions. With a keen eye for detail and a commercial approach, you'll be confident advising a range of clients and delivering an exceptional client experience. Building strong, long‑term relationships is central to our success, so you'll be able to demonstrate a genuine commitment to understanding clients' objectives and supporting their wider business needs.

We're looking for someone who is ambitious, self‑motivated and keen to continue developing their technical expertise and market knowledge. You'll have a genuine interest in the real estate sector, keeping up to date with market trends and developments to help provide practical, commercially focused advice to clients.

In return, we'll support you in building your professional profile, expanding your network and developing your business development skills through access to industry events, conferences and client‑facing opportunities.

At Ashfords, we believe in more than just doing great work - we believe in building a great place to work. When you join us, you become part of a team where everything we do is underpinned by our four core values: Be Open, Think Team, Make a Difference and Always Grow. These values shape who we are and how we work - they guide our decisions, influence our culture, and drive the way we support our people, clients and communities.

With a clear focus on innovation, community involvement, and supporting a healthy work‑life balance, we are committed to building an environment where our people can have a rewarding and meaningful career. Whilst we recognise that every career journey is unique, we will be ambitious for you, giving you the tools, trust, and opportunities to develop your career, your way. Our goal? To help you realise your full potential as part of a forward‑thinking team.

Our offer

We know that our people are at the heart of everything we do – and that’s why we’re committed to supporting your wellbeing, growth and work‑life balance. Beyond our benefits package, you’ll be encouraged, no matter what your role or career level, to get involved in our Responsible Business programme, where you’ll support initiatives such as charity fundraising, environmental causes and our employee led diversity and inclusion groups.

What’s next? Our recruitment process typically involves two stages, which are designed not only to explore your skills and experience but also to give you a real insight into what it’s like to work at Ashfords. Throughout the process, our dedicated Talent Attraction team will be here to support you every step of the way.

We believe that building a firm with a wide range of perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences drives innovation and strengthens our teams, and we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds. To support your growth, we offer ongoing training and development opportunities to help you reach your full potential – so even if you don’t feel you match all the requirements of the job role, we’d still love to hear from you.

At Ashfords, we’re committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and empowered to succeed. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process or would like to discuss anything regarding your application, please contact us at talentattraction@ashfords.co.uk.

For an informal and confidential discussion about this opportunity, please contact Toby Tompkins, Talent Attraction Manager - t.tompkins@ashfords.co.uk.