Associate (NQ - 5 PQE) - Real Estate Finance

Overview

Acting for lenders and borrowers on a variety of finance transactions (predominantly real estate finance transactions).

Responsibilities

• Co-ordinating conditions precedent process.
• Drafting and negotiating finance documents. The team also works on other types of finance transactions from time to time, including corporate-based financings, art financing and sports financing.
• Exercise high standards of client care in a professional manner at all times.
• Progress client work in a timely fashion and keep the client regularly informed on progress and costs.
• Maintain confidentiality and security of all client documentation and information.
• Play a key role in the success of both the team and the wider firm.
• Develop client relationships and relationships with contacts in the industry.
• Be responsible for achieving agreed levels of billing and time recording.
• The ideal candidate will be working within real estate finance or banking and finance.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to explain complex information clearly and concisely.
• Excellent writing and drafting skills.
• Strong technical knowledge and analytical skills.
• Commercial and driven with an interest in business development and marketing activities.
• Excellent attention to detail, listening skills and organisational skills.
• Ability to effectively manage own workload.
• Ability to communicate effectively with people at all levels and develop strong relationships with clients and colleagues across the firm.
• Personable and confident, with the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Resilient and calm under pressure.
• Demonstrates a pragmatic and flexible approach.

The Team and Capabilities

We have built a transactional banking department to meet the needs of ambitious deal makers. We work with one of London\’s largest, most diverse, and most complete property teams and our corporate and private-client teams, whose clients span the worlds of corporate and private wealth. For deal makers seeking like-minded business partners, we offer insightful perspectives on the market for future deals and partnerships. We work with publicly quoted companies, private businesses or entrepreneurs, high net worth individuals or large farms and landed estates. We drive opportunities through our understanding of the complex policy landscape, the leading role we play in shaping industry discussion on regulation and technological change, and by harnessing the power of technology. Our use of tech—from automation and visualization tools to AI and structured databases—helps us work faster and more efficiently, enabling clients to make decisions in real time and extract maximum value from their assets. We supplement this with expertise from the firm’s other specialist departments and our global network to bring people, capital and opportunities together. Everything is geared to finding practical, commercial solutions that get deals done.

Team Focus

Our specialist team of finance lawyers advises on structuring financing to provide maximum security for lenders or maximum certainty for borrowers. We work with major banks and other leading property lenders, on a senior and mezzanine basis. While we handle all kinds of real estate financings, the firm’s Real Estate team provides particular strength in Real Estate Finance, advising some of the industry’s highest profile property investment and development borrowers. We engage with a new wave of real estate investors and funders who are emerging as key players in the property market. We know how to look beyond traditional property finance and to embrace new technology in a changing banking market. Whatever the underlying asset, we are well placed to protect clients’ businesses and help them capitalise on opportunities. We aim to be a key component of a client’s team and to play an active role in every aspect of a transaction. We facilitate deals through introductions of people and finance and find practical commercial solutions along the way. We bring the same know-how to multi-jurisdictional finance transactions, leveraging long-standing links with overseas practices to meet the needs of an increasingly international client base. Financial institutions, private equity funds, hedge funds, institutional funds, developers, and investors rely on our advice across all aspects of transactions including:

• Bilateral, syndicated, club, structured, senior and mezzanine finance
• Bridging finance
• Debt restructurings and refinancings
• Security enforcements and receiverships

Our banking and finance teams are supported by strong corporate, funds, real estate, tax, and regulatory offerings, resulting in a seamless client service.

The Mishcon de Reya Group is an independent, international professional services business with law at its heart, employing over 1400 people with over 650 lawyers. It includes the law firm Mishcon de Reya LLP and a collection of leading consultancy businesses that complement the firm’s legal services. Mishcon de Reya LLP is based in London, Oxford, Cambridge, Singapore and Hong Kong (through its association with Karas So LLP). The firm services an international community of clients and provides advice in situations where the constraints of geography often do not apply. Its work is cross-border, multi-jurisdictional and complex, spanning six core practice areas: Corporate; Dispute Resolution; Employment; Innovation; Private; and Real Estate. The Mishcon de Reya Group includes consultancy businesses MDR Discover, MDR Mayfair (in London, Singapore and Dubai), MDR ONE, and MDRi (in Hong Kong). The Group also includes MDR Lab, which invests in early-stage legaltech companies, as well as the Mishcon Academy, an in-house learning platform. In 2024, the Group announced its first strategic acquisition in the flexible legal resourcing market, Flex Legal. It also acquired a majority stake in Somos, a global group actions management business. We strive to create a fully diverse and inclusive workplace where all our people are empowered to fulfil their potential. We are proud of our agile working culture and are always happy to talk flexible working.