Solicitor - Dispute Resolution, Real Estate Dispute Resolution
The role
We have an excellent opportunity for a Solicitor to join our growing collegiate and well regarded Real Estate Dispute Resolution team. The team advise funders, landlords, tenants, developers, investors, high net worth individuals, hoteliers and retailers on a wide range of commercial and residential issues.
The team's strategy rests on 4 workstreams:
- Development and Neighbourly rights - Party Wall etc. Act 1996, Boundary disputes, trespass and adverse possession, Rights of Light, Access to Neighbouring Land Act, Restrictive covenants, Easements and interruption/diversion, Defective Premises Act 1972, Nuisance, Utilities
- Residential - Individual enfranchisement, Collective enfranchisement, Right to manage, Right of first refusal, Breach of user covenants, Landlord possession claims, Chargee possession claims and exercising power of sale, Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996, Residential service charge disputes and dispensations, Consumer rights and protections, Co-ownership and estoppel, Enforcement of residential tenancies and leaseholds, Compliance with residential tenancy regulation
- Commercial asset management - Business lease renewal, Forfeiture and relief from forfeiture, Dilapidations claims, Site clearance and vacant possession, Break notices, Contested alienation (assignment and underletting), Contested alterations and improvements, Rent review arbitrations, Property insolvency (inc. CVAs, administrations, liquidations, disclaimer, dissolution and bona vacantia), Commercial service charge disputes, Guarantees and AGAs, Commercial rent arrears recovery (CRAR)
- Property Contract Disputes - Contested completion and deposit disputes, Specific performance, Injunctions, Building defects claims, Professional negligence, Misrepresentation, Mistake and rectification, Rectification of the Register
This role will span each of the work-streams to gain a breadth of expertise as well as exposure to lots of different types of client.
You will be responsible for assisting the Partners, Senior Associates, Associates and Solicitors in the department, as well as taking a role (which will be limited at first) in supervising more junior members of staff and assisting in the development of those staff, including Trainee Solicitors and Paralegals. In addition, you will also handle cases on your own (with the supervision of more Senior members of the team).
Role responsibility
You will be involved in tasks including but not limited to;
- Assisting the team in responding to a wide range of urgent and time critical queries from clients;
- Assisting with all stages of the life-cycle of a contentious matter from the review of initial information upon first instruction to the conclusion of a matter, including the preparation of pre-action correspondence, issuing of court proceedings where necessary, preparation of witness evidence and all other work required on a matter to bring it to trial or to settlement;
- Instructing and liaising with Counsel and other experts where necessary;
- Attending meetings with clients, Counsel or opposing parties;
- Assisting with tasks relating to costs and fees, including preparing fee estimates for clients, preparing costs schedules during proceedings, and liaising with costs draftsmen and ATE insurers; and
- Contributing to sector and focus groups as required.
The team and wider Dispute Resolution Department has a very open and collegiate team structure and you will be encouraged to be involved in business development initiatives and also to assist in training and development. You will be an integral member of the team and your opinions and insights will be valued.
About you
Ideally you will be able to demonstrate;
- A demonstrable interest in and previous post qualification experience of Real Estate Dispute Resolution and the type of work carried out.
- Sound judgement with the ability to deal with complex problems.
- A commercial approach to problem solving and providing innovative solutions.
- Excellent organisational skills: working to tight deadlines where the input of others is often required, keeping a diary, organising files and carrying out all necessary administrative tasks.
- The ability to manage and prioritise workloads.
- Thoroughness and attention to detail.
- A confident and effective advocacy/communication style, acting as facilitator but also be able to take the lead when required.
- The ability to build relationships with clients and other colleagues at all levels.
- The ability to see matters as a whole and to be able to identify what it takes to get the job done/consider settlement/best solutions for client.
- Excellent attention to detail with the ability to perform in a high volume, deadline-orientated role.
Benefits
- Competitive salary
- 25 days annual holiday
- Permanent Health Insurance
- Life Assurance
- Interest free Season Ticket Loan
- Private Healthcare
- Pension Scheme
- Staff Introductory Scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
About us
We are a London based, full-service law firm, specialising in providing straightforward advice to entrepreneurial businesses and individuals on domestic and international matters.
We have grown substantially in recent years, including two mergers and an office move. We’ve also matured in terms of our approach to providing advice to our clients, seeking to simplify and improve the experience of working with a modern, independent law firm.
We’re proud of our journey. Without losing sight of where we’ve come from, we are focused on where we’re going. We are evolving and growing every day. And just like our clients, we are ambitious and moving forward. Many of our clients are entrepreneurial, ambitious enterprises who are often privately or family owned, or private equity backed. We are one of the only London based law firms with a large private wealth offering alongside significant business law capability.
The firm also advises major corporates on particular specialist legal matters who find our straightforward approach a compelling alternative to larger, less personal firms.