Associate/Senior Associate – Housing Development & Regeneration
Gowling WLG – Leeds office
About the Team
The Housing Development and Regeneration team is one of the top teams in the country, sitting within our Real Estate Group, the third largest Real Estate practice in the UK. The team comprises 12 partners, supported by lawyers and paralegals, advising on all aspects of residential development and housing‑led regeneration. This role is based in our recently established Leeds office.
Operational Areas of Expertise
- Acquisitions, disposals and exchanges of land and property, including serviced parcels
- Overage arrangements and security
- Strategic work – option agreements, promotion agreements and hybrids
- Collaboration, consortium and joint venture arrangements, with related site assembly
- Planning and infrastructure agreements
- Building licences and development agreements
- Development management agreements
- Mixed use schemes, with related structuring advice
- Private rented sector
- Public sector led development schemes including regeneration
- Institutional investment in the residential sector
- Investor acquisitions and disposals of residential portfolios
- Funding agreements
Types of Clients
- Major housebuilders such as Barratt, Taylor Wimpey, Vistry, Persimmon, Bloor, Miller, Crest Nicholson, Bellway, Avant and more
- High profile developers such as Harworth and Muse
- Major public sector bodies including Leeds City Council, Kirklees Council, London Borough of Barnet and West Yorkshire Combined Authority
- Landowners selling to residential/mixed use developers
Role Overview
The purpose of the role is to provide cutting‑edge specialist advice on all aspects of residential development and housing‑led work, develop and maintain strong client relationships and become immersed in the residential development market. The role covers work streams involving title due diligence, land acquisition (both short and long term) and some of the more nuanced elements of residential development work.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead on transactions appropriate to experience and support larger/more complex deals
- Coordinate multi‑disciplinary teams and supervise junior staff (Senior Associate level)
- Provide title due diligence, land acquisition, and other specialist advice
- Develop and maintain strong client relationships
- Support team’s business development and marketing activities
- Contribute to business development and marketing and assist on tenders to prospective clients
- Manage caseload to tight deadlines, remain calm under pressure and prioritise workload effectively
- Negotiate effectively and deliver commercial solutions for clients
- Communicate appropriately at all levels within the team, the wider business and with clients, agents and other parties
- Work closely with local authorities, agents, surveyors, consultants, accountants and others
- Take responsibility for management functions and projects within the business appropriate to experience
Qualifications and Experience
- Qualified solicitor (at least 1 PQE) with experience in residential development and/or a real interest in this sector
- Ability to learn, work hard and reap the benefits of a well‑established residential development practice
- Enjoy a dynamic, informal and fast‑paced environment with enthusiasm for developing relationships
- Commitment to high levels of client service and long‑term client relationships
- Aspiration for developing management and leadership skills
- Desire to grow career with a national practice focusing on Yorkshire and Northern region
What We Offer
- A hybrid approach to office and remote working
- 25 days annual leave, with option to purchase up to a week's extra leave
- Private medical insurance (family add‑on option)
- Generous pension allowance
- Life assurance covering four times annual salary
- Three‑month sabbatical every five years
- Maternity, paternity and adoption leave schemes
- Health and wellbeing programmes
- Opportunities for training and personal development
Equal Opportunities
Gowling WLG is committed to equal opportunities and diversity. We believe in equality of opportunity regardless of race, nationality, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, sex, gender re‑assignment, gender identity, marriage, civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity. All offers are conditional upon SRA clearance, evidence of UK work eligibility and DBS clearance.
Contact
For more information on the role please get in touch with Sam Price – sam.price@gowlingwlg.com
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