Overview
The role: Principal Associate / Legal Director (8 years+ PQE upwards) to join our Real Estate team in Leeds. We are looking for someone with a broad range of experience, with a focus on development and investment work. Our development team provides expert advice to clients across the UK on projects including industrial, office, logistics, retail and living sectors. We support every stage of the development lifecycle from conditional land acquisition and securing pre-lets, to forward funding, construction contracting, and disposal of completed investments.
With specialists in planning, environmental law, real estate tax, construction and banking, we deliver comprehensive guidance to help clients manage risk and navigate complex development challenges. As a people-centric firm, we invest in developing our people by providing a supportive work culture in an innovative and flexible environment, giving you opportunities to develop your career here for the future.
Responsibilities
* Provide motivated, driven commercial real estate advice with deep expertise in advising on complex property development and investment work across the sectors mentioned.
* Demonstrate a strong understanding of the full development lifecycle from conditional land acquisition and securing pre-let agreements with occupiers, through to structuring forward funding arrangements, supporting the borrowing process and managing the purchase/disposal of completed investments.
* Apply a solid foundation in real estate law to deliver strategic, commercially sound, and legally robust outcomes with excellent communication and negotiation skills.
Qualifications
* 8+ years’ PQE (or equivalent) in real estate, with a focus on development and investment work.
* Strong grounding in real estate law and ability to manage complex property matters across multiple sectors.
* Excellent communication, negotiation, and proactive problem-solving capabilities.
The Team
Our Real Estate Division is a central pillar of the firm’s strategy and one of the largest and most respected in the UK, operating nationally across 13 locations with over 460 professionals and 50+ Partners. The Division is structured into five specialist teams: Construction, Core Real Estate, Planning, Property Litigation, and Swiitch, enabling delivery of comprehensive and sector-leading advice across the full real estate lifecycle. We advise developers, investors, funders, occupiers and public sector bodies, with a focus on deep sector knowledge, technical excellence and a commitment to an outstanding client experience. The Leeds real estate group has seen significant growth in recent years, and is recognized in Legal 500 and Chambers directories.
The Firm
Shoosmiths is the law firm clients choose for excellent service, incisive thinking and a focus on what matters. From offices across the UK and Brussels, we support some of the world’s most exciting and ambitious businesses, empowering our people to be their authentic selves and to collaborate in supportive teams committed to excellence and innovation. We are the first top 50 law firm to achieve Platinum Standard Investors in People; our values and culture reflect this commitment.
We offer an outstanding benefits package to complement our competitive remuneration, high-quality work, and supportive environment. For details about our benefits, please visit: Benefits Package.
Equal opportunities
Our approach to diversity, inclusion and well-being underpins how we work. We aim to build a diverse and ambitious workforce that reflects all backgrounds and talents, and a workplace that is supportive and inclusive, recognises and nurtures talent, and fosters a strong sense of community. This means everyone who applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, whatever their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.
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