Construction Opportunities (Senior Associate upwards) - Leeds

Build something that's genuinely yours — no ceiling. A rare opportunity to plant a flag in the North— with the full weight of the high‑calibre London office behind you.

The opportunity: Our client is a well-regarded firm with a prestigious track record — their work includes some of the most high-profile cases in the sector. They’re serious about building a genuine Leeds presence with their construction practice, not an outpost. This is an opportunity to be the person who makes that happen.

There’s no rigid job spec here. They want good lawyers from Senior Associate level upwards including Legal Directors and Partners — people who can stand on their own two feet, who care about the work, and who want to build something meaningful rather than slot into an existing structure. Both contentious and non-contentious lawyers are of interest.

What makes this different:

• For Senior Associates there is no partnership ceiling (and a chance to make Partner early in your career).
• A clear and genuine route to equity — salaried partner, then equity partner. No artificial barriers.
• Exceptional work: High-profile, complex matters across construction and engineering — the kind of work that builds reputations.
• Beautiful Leeds offices that had grown organically within other sectors over the past few years.
• A stunning working environment, with full support from an established London team behind you.
• Genuinely nice people: A collegiate, supportive culture — people who invested in making this work, not just filling a seat.
• Plenty of work: A strong pipeline from day one — no scratching around to build a book from nothing.
• Ownership from day one: You’ll be shaping the Leeds offering — your market, your profile, your practice.

Who they’re looking for: You could be a contentious construction specialist — someone with a background in disputes who thrives in adversarial matters. Or you could be non-contentious, advising on contracts, procurement, and project structures. What matters more than the specific mix is that you’re ambitious, self-sufficient, and excited by the idea of building something rather than maintaining it.

At Partner level, the firm would expect a following. At LD level, they would want a track record of delivering on complex construction matters. At SA level, you would be able to operate largely unsupervised, but with supervision as required. What’s non‑negotiable is quality, character, and the drive to put this firm on the map in the North.