At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the development of a lender-side back-leverage practice in real estate finance.
- Company: Top UK law firm with a strong reputation in real estate finance.
- Benefits: Competitive salary up to £850,000 and access to a substantial client network.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth and to influence the future direction of the practice.
- Why this job: Join a successful team and shape a new specialist practice in a growing market.
- Qualifications: Experience in back-leverage transactions and strong relationships with financial institutions.
This leading UK law firm has built one of the most respected real estate finance platforms in the London market. The wider finance practice is well resourced, profitable and deeply embedded within the institutional lending community, with longstanding relationships across the banking sector. The firm has invested consistently in real estate, private capital and finance over a prolonged period and is recognised for combining a substantial client base with a commercially realistic growth strategy. This is not a speculative expansion but a targeted investment into a clearly identified market opportunity.
The real estate finance team acts on a broad spectrum of complex financing transactions and enjoys strong relationships with many of the key lenders active in the market. Alongside this, the firm's structured finance capability has established meaningful credentials advising borrowers on back-leverage transactions and related structures. What is currently missing is dedicated lender-side expertise. The result is a highly unusual platform. There is already a substantial flow of relevant work, an established client base and existing relationships that can be leveraged immediately, but the firm is seeking a senior lawyer capable of building a genuinely differentiated lender-side back-leverage offering.
The structured finance and real estate finance teams are expected to work closely together, allowing the practice to provide comprehensive coverage across the back-leverage market while broadening the capabilities of both groups.
The firm has identified back-leverage as a strategically important growth area. While it already advises on the borrower side of these transactions, it currently lacks a lender-side track record despite having relationships with a number of financial institutions active in this market. Accordingly, the firm is keen to recruit a partner capable of establishing and developing a dedicated back‑leverage practice within the real estate finance group.
The successful lawyer will inherit a platform with strong institutional relationships, a recognised brand in finance and real estate, and a partnership that understands both the opportunity and the investment required to build the practice properly. As the team grows, there will be scope to recruit additional specialists and integrate back‑leverage expertise more broadly across the wider real estate finance offering.
The ideal candidate is likely to be a partner or senior lawyer from a leading US, Magic Circle or Silver Circle firm with an established reputation in back‑leverage transactions. Of particular interest are lawyers with strong lender‑side experience advising financial institutions participating in complex real estate finance structures. You will be expected to play a leading role in building both lender and borrower‑side back‑leverage capabilities, while working closely with colleagues across real estate finance and structured finance.
The role combines practice‑building responsibility with access to an existing platform capable of generating immediate opportunities. You are likely to have experience in:
- Advising lenders and borrowers on complex back‑leverage structures within real estate finance transactions.
- Senior, mezzanine, whole loan and other structured real estate finance arrangements.
- Drafting and negotiating facility agreements, intercreditor arrangements and security documentation.
- Advising on risk allocation, enforcement, restructuring considerations and market developments.
- Building and developing institutional client relationships.
- Supervising junior lawyers and helping to shape the future direction of a growing practice.
This role should appeal to ambitious lawyers seeking more than another lateral move. For the right individual, it offers the chance to establish a specialist practice within an already successful real estate finance team, supported by a substantial client network, strong institutional relationships and a firm that has made a clear strategic commitment to this area of the market.
Real Estate Finance lawyer - Back-Leverage focus – Leading UK Firm – London to £850,000 employer: Edwards Gibson
Edwards Gibson stands out as an exceptional employer, offering a unique day-one partnership path for senior associates in the dynamic field of real estate tax law. Located in London, the firm fosters a collaborative work culture that prioritises professional growth and development, providing employees with diverse opportunities to engage in both transactional and advisory work for a varied client base. With a bespoke approach to client matters, the firm not only values its employees but also empowers them to shape their careers in a supportive environment.
