Commercial Property Senior/Principal Associate

Job title

Senior/Principal Associate

Department

Property

About Higgs

Our vision is to be the independent regional law firm of choice, recognised for having a positive long-term impact upon its people, its clients, its business partners and its community.

When it comes to our people, the team is everything at Higgs – an environment of sharing and collaboration, and a real sense of loyalty to each other and the firm.  That is coupled with a desire for everyone to learn and develop.  We are always striving to be better.  We enjoy what we do. We are genuinely interested in our clients and want them to feel a part of the firm too.

Our approach to our people draws on enjoyment, health & wellbeing, developing talent, technical excellence, training, reward and recognition.

When recruiting, we:

• Value enthusiasm and personality
• Want to be an employer of choice for talented, driven and client-focused people
• Are always looking for the very best to strengthen our team and bring new skills and ideas
• Integrate new people to realise their potential
• With over two hundred employees and Members we offer a flexible and unique environment for people to grow their careers.

Together we grow.

Role purpose

We are looking for an experienced transactional property lawyer to join our thriving Property Team.  Our team is well known for being one of the most active and well-respected in the region, with a fantastic bank of diverse and interesting clients.  No two days are the same!

We offer an exciting breadth of work, advising international corporates, owner managed businesses, individuals and landed estates on all manner of property transactions, including disposals, acquisitions, commercial and residential development, property finance, corporate support, landlord and tenant/asset management, renewable energy and residential conveyancing.  We are proactive in the industrial and logistics and healthcare/childcare sectors, working with a number of key clients to grow and manage their property portfolios.

We are seeking to grow the team even further and are looking for an experienced transactional lawyer to join us. This is an exciting opportunity to join one of the most dynamic, energetic and successful teams in the region and work with the likes of The Old Station Nursery Ltd, Palletline, AF Blakemore, London & Cambridge Properties, Urban Splash and many more brilliant clients.  The ideal candidate will be currently operating at Associate or Senior Associate level.

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 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 junior team members.

Dependent on experience and appetite there is also opportunity for you to undertake corporate support work alongside our award-winning Corporate team and take on commercial and residential development transactions.

Key responsibilities

In line with policies and procedures key responsibilities include:

• Good commercial awareness and excellent technical and interpersonal skills with an ability to provide commercial, pragmatic and strategic advice to clients
• Ability to draft and negotiate legal documentation relating to varied transactional work including contracts, agreements for lease, leases, licences, deeds, transfers, options and overage agreements
• Ability to manage a busy caseload and prioritise effectively
• Deal with file opening, compliance and anti-money laundering matters and understanding ethics and professionalism in a legal context
• Confidence when dealing with and managing clients with whom you will have direct contact and front-line responsibilities
• Excellent financial hygiene on matters including WIP and debt management and time recording practices
• Undertake legal due diligence and title investigations and reporting to clients and producing certificates of title for lenders
• Manage client reporting processes across key client accounts
• Handle high value and complex legal matters in support of the Partners in the team
• Opportunity to supervise and lead our developing lawyers

Personal qualities

• Proactivity and self-management
• Good communication, organisational and team skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Eagerness to learn new skills
• Flexible and dependable, able to take the initiative
• Able to remain calm under pressure and work to tight deadlines and prioritise effectively
• Conscientious, approachable and enthusiastic
• Able to quickly build confidence, respect and trust with others

Technical knowledge

Given the strength and depth of our client base, the ideal candidate will have already established a strong technical foundation to their practice, with broad experiences across a variety of transactions and sectors.  Experience in landlord and tenant, property finance, corporate support and renewable energy transactions will be particularly useful.  In addition, there will be ample opportunity for further professional and technical development given the broad and diverse range of work we already offer to our clients.  It is a really exciting time to be joining the team, as we continue to grow together!

Other information

The firm offers hybrid working wherever possible. Our Higgs’ Best FIT (flexible, inclusive, together) principles are designed to ensure that people are able to complete their best work from the most appropriate location.

We also encourage a ‘dress for your diary’ approach.

Equal opportunities

As charter signatories to The Law Society’s Diversity and Inclusion Charter, Higgs LLP are committed to developing a diverse business by engaging with the widest pool of talent and promoting equality of opportunity for everyone. Our mission is to ensure that everyone is empowered to be the best version of themselves and to have a voice which can be shared, heard and respected.