Residential Development Solicitor / Legal Exec in Manchester

Job Description

Residential Development Solicitor / Legal Exec

Location: Manchester

Salary: £55,000 to £75,000 plus bonus and benefits

Experience: 3 to 5 years’ PQE (guideline)

If you enjoy the pace and structure of residential development work, like being close to developer clients, and want a role where you can run matters with real autonomy, this is a strong opportunity to join a highly successful residential property team within a full-service commercial law firm.

Our client is a well-established firm with a strong regional reputation and a significant client base across the North West and wider UK. They are looking to appoint an ambitious Solicitor or Legal Executive to take on a mixed caseload of residential matters, with a clear focus on residential development and plot sales.

This role is ideal for someone who is confident working independently with minimal supervision and who enjoys advising housebuilders, SME developers, property traders and investors. You will manage plot sale transactions for developer clients, with day-to-day progression supported by a small paralegal team, and you will play a key part in keeping transactions moving to meet developer deadlines.

Alongside development work, you will also handle a broader range of residential property matters including sales, purchases and refinance.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Managing plot sales and residential development schemes

• Supporting on site assembly, including drafting and preparing precedent documentation and legal packs

• Running plot sale transactions on behalf of developer clients, with day-to-day progression supported by a small paralegal team

• Ensuring developer deadlines and targets are met across volume unit completions

• Handling refinance matters on behalf of developers

• Managing a varied residential caseload alongside development work, including:

• Freehold and leasehold sales and purchases

• Refinance matters

• Buy-to-let and property investment transactions

• Acting as a day-to-day contact for key clients and building long-term relationships

• Supporting business development activity, networking, and contributing to team growth

• Providing support on drafting queries from junior fee earners

What We’re Looking For

• Solicitor or Legal Executive, broadly 3 to 5 years’ PQE (applications considered outside this range with the right experience)

• Essential experience in residential development, unit sales and/or new build plot sales

• Comfortable managing a varied caseload including sales, purchases and refinance

• Experience dealing directly with SME and developer clients, efficiently and commercially

• Confident drafting and advising with minimal supervision

• Experience of estate documentation drafting is preferred

• Commercial property drafting experience is beneficial but not essential

• Supervisory or management experience is preferred but not essential

• Strong organisation, attention to detail, and the ability to perform under pressure in a busy environment

What’s On Offer

• A key role within a successful residential property team, with strong developer client relationships

• High-volume, high-quality development work with real responsibility and autonomy

• Support from a small paralegal team on day-to-day progression

• Opportunity to contribute to business development and the continued growth of the development team

• Salary £55,000 to £75,000 plus bonus and benefits (dependent on level and experience)

Working Arrangements

• Manchester-based role

• Working arrangements to be confirmed at interview

Next Steps (How to Apply)

Apply online or send your CV to lee.hawthorne-finch@h-fts.com or call 0333 996 2882 for more information.

All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence. We will always obtain your express permission before sharing your details with our client.