Professional Support Lawyer (Building Safety Act) in Birmingham

We are seeking a Professional Support Lawyer to join our team and support our Building Safety Act related work. This role involves coordinating information sharing and know-how across the Real Estate Dispute Resolution, Construction and Regulatory teams. The PSL will keep the teams updated on developments, produce Insight pieces, and support the delivery of services. Additionally, the PSL will cover other Real Estate Dispute Resolution work, such as Telecoms, by staying abreast of new developments and communicating our capabilities in the sector. Working with the Construction unit, the PSL will also enhance understanding of technical defects issues as they apply to recovery actions, create case precedents, and utilise generative AI solutions.

Since the Grenfell Tower tragedy, fire cladding issues have significantly impacted the construction industry and residential property sector. Many parties have been caught up in legal disputes, changing Government guidance, and complex arguments about external wall fire safety compliance. Individual leaseholders are generally liable to pay the cost of remediating their buildings and are often unable to sell or re-mortgage properties pending completion of remedial works. Original developers face significant legal, commercial, and political pressures to cover repair costs. The potential for personal liability and corporate manslaughter in the event of a worst-case scenario fire adds to the complexity, making it challenging for developers to achieve consistency and control over their responses.

As a professional services group, we have both legal and consulting specialists who advise across a range of fire safety and cladding issues, both proactively and reactively, depending on what support our clients need and their specific situations. This element of the role will involve working across three units: Real Estate Dispute Resolution, Construction, and Regulatory. Our combined legal and construction experts work together seamlessly to deliver rectification, protection, and compensation services, particularly advising on:

• The Building Safety Fund
• Portfolio Reviews
• Recovery Actions
• Cladding remediation
• Regulatory requirements
• Business defence and personal risk management

Real estate disputes are complex by nature. Our team excels in securing results for clients using technical knowledge, commercial acumen, and expert insight. We handle a wide range of property-related disputes, including landlord and tenant issues, easement disputes, nuisance, restrictive covenants, boundary and title issues, trespass, and beneficial interest claims. We also advise on agricultural tenancies and matters related to the Electronic Communications Code.

We aim to find practical solutions that meet our clients' objectives, understanding that litigation is often a last resort. However, if necessary, we are forceful in representing our clients' interests. Our expertise includes break notices, dilapidations, rent review, forfeiture, lease renewals, possession claims, rent recovery, service charge issues, property-related insolvency, wayleave disputes, property contract disputes, rights to light disputes, Party Wall Act issues, nuisance and trespass issues, adverse possession claims, boundary disputes, residential landlord and tenant disputes, agricultural tenancy issues, restrictive covenants, and land registration disputes.

The team is led by Dawn Reynolds, an expert in resolving all types of property disputes. Dawn advises clients on a wide range of matters, with a particular focus on commercial landlord and tenant disputes.

We are ideally looking for someone full time but are open to considering part time. The candidate should have contentious work experience and be able to manage information sharing and produce high-quality insight pieces for our clients. The ideal candidate may be a returner after a period of absence, seeking to work school hours during term time. Strong organisational skills, the ability to stay updated on industry developments, and experience in drafting knowledge share material are essential. Additionally, the candidate should have a good understanding of technical defects issues in construction, be capable of creating case precedents, and be proficient in utilising generative AI solutions. This role requires sensitivity in managing workloads and collaboration across multiple teams.

Diversity, inclusion and well-being is an important part of Gateley's culture and values. We recruit talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures, providing equal opportunities for all to join our team regardless of age, sex, race, sexual orientation, disability, or culture. We create an exciting and rewarding place to work that aims to fulfil everyone's potential and together to achieve personal and business goals. We offer flexible working patterns to help our staff achieve a good work/life balance and we encourage candidates seeking flexibility in their next role to apply for any of our vacancies.