Real Estate Associate (Dedicated Client Team)
Location: Leeds (flexible, office-based or primarily home-based with travel to the Leeds office at least twice per month)
Salary: £50,000 to £70,000 plus bonus (dependent on experience)
Experience: 3+ years’ PQE
If you’re a Real Estate Associate who enjoys high-quality transactional work but wants a role with more certainty and flexibility, this is a rare opportunity to join a dedicated client delivery team in Leeds.
You’ll focus on one major institutional landlord client within a structured team model, building deep client knowledge while still benefiting from the support, training and resources of a full-service practice.
The Opportunity
This role is designed for lawyers who like working at pace, following clear processes, and delivering consistently high standards. The working model offers genuine flexibility, including a reduced chargeable hours target and the option to be primarily home-based with regular Leeds office attendance.
* Work as a dedicated resource for a major institutional landlord client within a structured delivery model
* Reduced chargeable hours target of 1,400 hours per year
* Flexible working: office-based or primarily home-based, with travel to Leeds at least twice per month
* Additional attendance initially for training, plus occasional visits to London to meet the client
The Role
Core transactional work
* Draft and negotiate commercial leases (including new, renewal and reversionary leases)
* Draft and negotiate ancillary lettings documents (for example, licences to alter and rent deposit deeds)
* Create and maintain letting due diligence packs (including title, CPSE and property-specific documents)
* Respond to tenant due diligence enquiries and liaise with relevant professional advisers
* Deal with letting and management applications during the term of leases (for example, licences to assign, underlet and deeds of variation)
* Manage completion processes, deeds administration, collection of completion monies, and post-completion administration and billing
Supervision and team support
* Supervise work carried out by junior lawyers and paralegals supporting lettings and management matters
* Work closely with the wider client account team to ensure consistency of approach and share best practice
* Help maintain precedents and client processes
Client contact and matter management
* Take responsibility for your own caseload and compliance with firm policies and processes (with appropriate supervision)
* Maintain clear worklogs and status updates for each matter
* Follow client-specific administrative requirements and agreed processes
* Manage personal financials including WIP, billing and write-offs
About You
Essential
* Qualified solicitor in England and Wales
* Ideally 3+ years’ PQE in commercial property matters
* Strong technical knowledge of commercial property law, particularly commercial leases and lettings
* Experience drafting and negotiating commercial leases
* Experience with ancillary lettings documents and letting or management applications
* Strong understanding of landlord and tenant law
* Excellent drafting and negotiation skills
* Strong organisation and ability to manage your own caseload
* Client-focused with strong communication and relationship-building skills
* Proactive, commercially minded approach to risk and problem solving
* Comfortable working as part of a wider team and following agreed processes
* Strong attention to detail and accuracy
Desirable
* Experience acting for institutional landlords
* Experience managing high-volume, fast-paced workloads
* Experience with CPSE enquiries and due diligence processes
* Experience supervising junior lawyers and paralegals
* Experience with legal technology tools and innovative ways of working
* Experience in a dedicated client team or secondment-style environment
What’s On Offer
* Salary of £50,000 to £70,000 plus bonus (dependent on experience)
* Bonus scheme
* Reduced chargeable hours target of 1,400 hours per year
* Flexible working: office-based or primarily home-based, with travel to Leeds at least twice per month
* Additional attendance initially for training, plus occasional visits to London to meet the client
* High-quality transactional real estate work within a structured delivery model
* Opportunity to develop deep client knowledge and long‑term client relationships
* Comprehensive support, training and career development
* Collaborative team environment with a focus on innovation and continuous improvement
About Our Client
Our client is a large, international, full-service law firm with a significant real estate practice and a strong focus on innovation and process-led delivery. The firm supports major organisations across multiple jurisdictions and is known for combining technical excellence with a commercial, solutions-led approach.
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