We have an exciting opportunity for a Legal Director to join our London business. As we commence our journey in the UK, the scope is open to really enhance your career development and be part of the business from the start.
As a senior-level legal leader, you will spearhead the full-cycle M&A and disposal of real estate projects, overseeing everything from complex due diligence and transaction structuring to the negotiation of SPAs and post-completion integration. You will be responsible for establishing a robust UK compliance framework, encompassing planning law, SDLT, and construction contracts while providing high-level strategic counsel to the managements to safeguard investment initiatives. Beyond technical expertise, you will build your in-house legal team, manage external counsel, and drive dispute resolution strategies to mitigate risk across the project lifecycle.
Job Responsibilities
Full-cycle M&A Management
* Lead the M&A and disposal of real estate projects; oversee legal due diligence, title verification, and transaction structure design; draft and negotiate Share Purchase Agreements (SPA), asset transfer agreements, as well as ancillary documents related to leasing and financing; drive transaction completion and post-completion integration.
Legal Risk & Compliance
* Establish a UK real estate compliance framework covering planning law, environmental regulations, Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) rules, leasehold legislation, and construction contracts (e.g., JCT/NEC contracts); identify legal risks throughout the project lifecycle and provide tailored solutions.
Team & External Resource Management
* Build and lead an in-house legal team and formulate training and career development plans; manage external law firms, control legal costs and service quality; handle communication and liaison with regulatory authorities and government bodies.
Dispute Resolution
* Lead real estate-related litigation, arbitration, and mediation (e.g., lease disputes, construction claims, title disputes); develop dispute resolution strategies and safeguard the company’s legitimate rights and interests.
Strategic Support
* Provide legal advice on M&A, investment, and development initiatives to the board of directors to ensure the legality and feasibility of decision-making; participate in commercial negotiations and offer legal protection.
Job Requirements
* Qualified as a Solicitor in the UK; hold a bachelor’s degree or above in law; possess a thorough understanding of the UK real estate and corporate law framework.
* Have 8–10+ years of Post-Qualification Experience (PQE) with combined experience in law firms and in-house legal departments; have led large-scale UK real estate M&A transactions (including cross-border deals), with a proven track record of successful completions and expertise in complex transaction due diligence.
* Demonstrate expert knowledge of UK real estate M&A, leasehold regulations, planning laws, construction legislation, and tax rules; be proficient in drafting legal documents and skilled in negotiation;
* Understand the full lifecycle of UK real estate development, investment, and operation; be familiar with the commercial logic and risk points of developers, investors, tenants, and lenders.
* Be proficient in English as a working language, capable of seamless communication with UK regulatory authorities and law firms; Proficiency in Mandarin is a plus.
* Be skilled in using legal databases and project management tools.
* Have solid experience in team management and cross-functional collaboration.
Why Join Us?
We are an ethical and progressive employer which encourages a culture of openness, creativity and continuous professional development and which rewards the effectiveness and loyalty of our employees as an equal opportunities employer. You will be part of a passionate, collaborative and innovative team that values your expertise and contributions. With exciting growth plans, now is a great time to be part of our history.
If you are a proactive and results-driven professional ready to take your career to the next level, we would love to hear from you!
As a UK start-up business, the role is very much hands on, diverse and variable and therefore the above responsibilities are not exhaustive and are likely to change as the business develops, offering exceptional experiences for the right person. We are reliant upon all individuals assisting in the successful growth of the UK Business.
If you are applying to work within Y.T. Realty Group, we will ask you to supply us with sufficient personal information to help us process your application. To learn more about what personal information we will need to process and why, please ask for our privacy notice.
Discover more about our work and vision at: https://www.ytrealtygroup.com.hk/en/
Disclaimer: We are not employing any Recruitment Consultants or Agencies for this role and therefore will not accept any unsolicited approaches from Recruitment Companies or their Employees. Any candidate information sent will be considered a gift, and we will not be liable for any introduction/placement fee.