Real Estate - Senior Associate (Development)

Job title

Senior Associate

Department

Real Estate

Our Purpose

To forge long-term relationships that have a positive impact on our people, our clients, our business partners, and our communities.

Our Commitment to Our People

We do not think there is a magic formula to the Higgs culture. The key is to listen to and respect our people. If we take care of our people and our people take care of our clients, then everything we want as a firm will take care of itself. We are friendly and open to new ideas.

Our Core Values

Higgs core values are “CLEAR” – Care, Legacy, Excellence, Authenticity, Relationships

Role Purpose

Due to the continued success and growth of the Real Estate Department, the firm is looking for an ambitious candidate with development experience to join the team and play a key role in the exciting growth phase of the firm. The development team specialises in delivering high-quality legal advice and support across a broad range of residential and commercial development matters. We act for landowners, developers, funders and end-user tenants on a broad range of transactions.

The role is particularly suitable for a candidate who is ambitious, confident in their abilities and keen to grow and develop their own relationships. You will work on key client relationships of the firm, acting as a trusted adviser to clients, and running your own transactions, including high value and complex projects. You will have responsibilities for client relationships undertaking a key account management role in some cases. You will also have supervision and management responsibilities for less experienced team members.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide commercially focused, pragmatic, and strategic legal advice, demonstrating strong technical and interpersonal skills

• Confidently manage direct client relationships and front-line responsibilities while handling a busy and prioritised caseload

• Draft, negotiate, and advise on a wide range of complex transactional documentation across residential and commercial property matters

• Advise on residential, commercial, mixed-use, and strategic land development schemes

• Conduct legal due diligence, title investigations, lender reporting, and produce certificates of title

• Handle high-value and complex matters, including financial management (WIP, debt recovery, and time recording) and client reporting across key accounts

• Support business growth and team development through mentoring junior lawyers and contributing to business development, networking, and marketing initiatives

Person Specification

We use a set of criteria to ensure our recruitment process is fair and consistent. These criteria describe the skills, behaviours and attributes that are essential for success in this role.

The criteria below will be assessed via application (A), interview (I), Test (T) or multiple i.e. (A/I/T).

Essential Criteria

• Demonstrates initiative by staying informed of developments in their practice area and wider sector. Actively applies this knowledge to deliver high-quality outcomes and supports shared learning within the team through clear communication and collaboration. (A/I)

• Applies knowledge of the firm’s policies, regulatory, and accreditation requirements. Demonstrates commercial awareness by supporting efficient working practices, identifying risks, and contributing to the overall financial health of the team and matters. (A/I)

• Delivers excellent client service by producing accurate, timely work and anticipating client needs. Acts as a brand advocate by building strong relationships, representing the firm professionally and contributing to business development initiatives that enhance the firm’s reputation and growth. (A/I)

• Supports the smooth running and performance of the team by planning and allocating work effectively, responding positively to change, and assisting with performance improvement. Builds strong working relationships and encourages a consistent, collaborative approach across the team. (A/I)

• Takes responsibility for delivering high standards of work. Remains positive and professional during periods of change or challenge, contributes constructively to team initiatives, and seeks ongoing development to enhance performance. (A/I)

Technical Knowledge

Property development law knowledge, including but not limited to:-

• Land acquisition and disposal processes

• Development agreements, joint ventures and collaboration agreements

• Infrastructure agreements and wayleaves

• Fundamentals of construction law and its role in development agreements

• Option and Promotion Agreements

What We Offer You

We offer more than just a job. Our benefits reflect our commitment to your development, wellbeing and work-life balance. Click here to discover more

Higgs offers hybrid working wherever possible. Our Higgs’ Best FIT (flexible, inclusive, together) principles are designed to ensure that people can complete their best work from the most appropriate location. If you are looking to work flexibly then let us know and we will do what we can to accommodate your request.

We also encourage a ‘dress for your diary’ approach which means dressing in a manner appropriate for your schedule or the specific appointments you have on any given day.

Equal Opportunities

Higgs LLP is proud to be a signatory of The Law Society’s Diversity, Inclusion Charter and a Disability Confident Committed Employer. These commitments reflect our dedication to building a workplace that is inclusive, accessible, and welcoming to all. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities.

As part of our Disability Confident commitment, we offer a guaranteed interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role and choose to opt into the Disability Confident Interview Scheme.

We are also committed to ensuring that all applicants can fully participate in the recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments, please let us know by contacting us at recruitment@higgsllp.co.uk

We recognise that inclusion is an ongoing journey, and we regularly review and publish our diversity data, which can be accessed here.

People Driven. Legal Excellence.