InHouse Lawyer (Real Estate & Planning) in Newcastle upon Tyne

We are growing our core permanent team of WBD Advance InHouse Lawyers and are also open to those who prefer the flexibility of a fixed‑term contract. We are keen to speak with Real Estate or Planning Lawyers with 3‑8 years' PQE, ideally with experience gained in‑house or through secondments, though we also welcome applications from private practice lawyers looking to broaden their experience in an in‑house environment.

You will bring strong technical expertise in real estate and/or planning matters, alongside a pragmatic, commercial mindset. The ability to quickly integrate into new environments and build strong relationships with stakeholders across our clients' businesses is essential. You will be curious, collaborative and comfortable representing WBD within client teams. Part of the role involves strengthening client relationships and working with relevant WBD Partners to identify opportunities for growth with the clients you support.

To Be Successful, You Will Need:

• A minimum of 3 years' PQE as a Solicitor qualified in England & Wales, Scotland or another common law jurisdiction
• Experience advising on real estate and/or planning matters, such as:
• Commercial property transactions
• Landlord and tenant matters
• Development and regeneration projects
• Planning applications, appeals and inquiries
• Infrastructure, energy or transport‑related planning work
• Experience working in‑house, on secondment, or advising in‑house teams from private practice
• A commercial, solutions‑focused approach and the ability to work autonomously within a client environment
• Strong communication skills and the ability to build trusted relationships quickly

Why WBD InHouse?

Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) is a leading international law firm known for combining legal excellence with a genuinely collaborative, client‑focused approach. Through WBD Advance InHouse, we provide high‑calibre lawyers to work directly within our clients' legal teams, offering flexibility, variety and genuine in‑house experience backed by the strength of a top‑tier law firm.

At Womble Bond Dickinson, we have always believed great legal careers don’t follow a single path. That belief sits at the heart of WBD Advance InHouse – our flexible legal resourcing solution designed for lawyers who want high‑quality work, real variety and genuine balance. There is no “one size fits all” approach at WBD Advance InHouse. You choose how you would like to be engaged: as a permanent employee, on a fixed‑term contract, or on a consultancy basis.

WBD InHouse offers something different. You will be embedded within our clients' businesses, delivering practical, commercial advice while enjoying the support, resources and backing of a leading international law firm. As a permanent WBD Advance InHouse employee, you will be consistently seconded to our clients' legal teams, performing the role of an in‑house lawyer while remaining fully integrated into Womble Bond Dickinson, with access to the same resources, know‑how and training opportunities as our fee‑earners. This model offers both stability and variety, with secondments across a wide range of sectors. Alternatively, joining us on a fixed‑term contract for the duration of a secondment offers flexibility between assignments while still benefiting from the same resources, know‑how and training as permanent team members.

What You Will Get:

• High‑quality, meaningful in‑house work with leading organisations
• Exposure to different sectors, teams and challenges
• Continued development of your technical and soft skills
• The backing, resources and support of Womble Bond Dickinson, plus the community of the WBD Advance InHouse team
• A culture that values collaboration, innovation and doing things the right way
• Flexibility – we support full‑time and part‑time working patterns, and most secondments are fully remote or hybrid
• Access to WBD's employee benefits

We continually work hard to create an open culture that sets us apart from other firms. Our culture gives us much more of a human feel, emphasising that we are more than just suits! As signatories to the Mindful Business Charter, it is important to us that our people are able to maintain healthy and happy lives, both in and out of work. We have a number of resources and initiatives designed to support health and wellbeing and we are very happy to talk flexible working.

Through our DEI initiatives we create an environment in which difference is valued. We have a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Group, led by our Board Sponsor, which works with our colleague networks (we currently have firm‑supported networks for race, ethnicity, and cultural heritage, LGBTQ+, disabilities, neurodiversity, families, and women's career development and we are in constant dialogue with our people about how we expand our networks to better support everybody). We encourage applicants from all social backgrounds, ethnicities, disabilities, gender identities and sexual orientations.