Senior Associate

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The firm

Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: Real Estate, Corporate Services, Dispute Resolution and Private Client.

We are defined by our Next Level Law proposition. We work with our clients as a proactive partner, horizon scanning and thinking ahead to the changes, challenges or opportunities that they may face.

Next Level Law is also applied to our people. Our collegiate culture means everyone is encouraged to achieve their next level in everything they do. RollOnFriday recently ranked us as the 5th best law firm to work at in 2024.

With our ambition to succeed, comes a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve, and we are committed to delivering the objectives set out in our ESG strategy. Diversity plays an integral part in all that we do, with female partners comprising 40% of our partnership.

The department

Our Plot Sale Team has a long-standing track record of managing plot sales for a diverse range of clients, including national and regional developers, local authorities, and registered providers. We currently successfully handle approximately 3,500 plot sales, demonstrating our capacity and commitment to providing an excellent and efficient service.

Our team is widely recognised for their exceptional service, and we are proud to have been recently crowned as the 'New Build Conveyancing Team of the Year' at the British Conveyancing Awards 2024 and highly recommended in 2025.

Our commitment to providing high-quality service and our proven track record in commercial real estate matters make us a reliable partner for all plot sales needs.

We also deal with various affordable disposals including but not limited to RTA, RTB, Resales & Assignments, Staircasing and Final Staircasing transactions throughout the team.

Purpose of job

You will provide additional fee earning support alongside the Head of Plot Sale Team for a rapidly growing sector with a focus on technical excellence and business development.

The role will suit a candidate with a significant following and marketplace presence to be able to actively and effectively grow the practice, although this is not essential.

Accountabilities

• Dealing with the preparation of site set up paperwork for use in connection with the various schemes including the preparation of packs or bundles to be issued or producing starting point precedents or versions of Sale Contracts, Transfers and Leases.
• Dealing with infrastructure agreements and all aspects of legal work associated with these arrangements for new build properties and developments
• Acting for a range of clients from individuals to corporate entities on a diverse range of residential property matters
• Acting on the sale and financing of routine and complex freehold/leasehold and high value properties
• Working alongside and developing relationships with local agents including high end property finders and estate agents
• Acting on main stream residential conveyancing to support the wider practice
• Providing technical support to the local team members including overseeing and training of junior team members as the need arises
• Being actively involved with developing and implementing the Plot Sale Team business development plan
• Instil the Birketts' culture and brand signatures and values throughout the team
• Working with the Head of the Plot Sale Team to explore new work types and opportunities for diversification
• Assiting in managing a caseload of other residential conveyancing transactions including not limited to sales, purchases, remortgages, transfer of equity's, resales, shared ownership, RTA and RTB disposals
• Assisting in managing mortgage approvals for affordable products and all associated matters relating to mortgage compliance.
• Assisting in managing the acquisition and resale of properties under any Part Exchange scheme run by the development clients

The candidate

• Solicitor/Legal Exec/Licensed Conveyancer with at least four to six years' PQE gained at a strong regional or City firm
• Experience of all aspects of work as outlined in this profile is required
• A proven ability to meet the demands of high value conveyancing including enhanced accessibility
• An ability to actively market within this specialist sector and to focus on growing new relationships
• To be competent in using Microsoft Word, Excel, time recording software, case management, Outlook and digital dictation

Equal opportunities

At Birketts, our culture is driven by ambition and a commitment to positively impact all the communities we serve. We are dedicated to the success, development, and wellbeing of our colleagues, helping them achieve their goals and seize the opportunities that come with our growth. Alongside a flexible and inclusive work environment, we offer the following core benefits:

• 25 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays
• Long Service holiday award - 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service
• Private Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed)
• Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% employer / 5% Employee)
• Staff Profit Share and Individual Performance Bonus Scheme
• Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)
• Life Assurance - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance
• Paid CSR Day
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Subsidised gym membership
• Electric car scheme
• Agile/Hybrid Working Policy
• Dress for your Day Policy

https://www.birketts.co.uk/recognition-reward-benefits/

Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model where our colleagues enjoy a mix of home and office working. We welcome applications from people looking for flexible, agile, and part-time roles and we are happy to explore your preferred working patterns as part of your application.

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

Birketts is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or sexual orientation.

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.