Job Description
Senior Associate – Property / Commercial Property
Salary: c. £55,000–£70,000 + bonus)
Location: Essex / North East London Area
Clear route to Director
Our client is a well-established, community-focused law firm with a strong pipeline of repeat local business clients. This is a genuinely rare opportunity to inherit and grow a warm caseload, become the trusted “first call” adviser for business owners, and progress into Director-level leadership as part of a planned succession.
The Opportunity
You will join a busy, high-quality property/commercial property offering supporting local businesses and individuals with their wider commercial needs. The role has arisen due to long-term succession planning, with the expectation that you will gradually take ownership of key client relationships and files.
You will be supported through the transition by senior leadership, with continuity and guidance built in.
Key Responsibilities
Client Relationship & Matter Management
- Acting as a primary point of contact for established clients, handling day-to-day legal queries with confidence
- Managing matters from instruction through to completion with appropriate supervision where needed
- Building long-term relationships and becoming a trusted adviser to local business owners
Property / Commercial Property Work (Typical Matters)
- Commercial property sales, purchases, lettings, lease renewals and terminations
- Advising on supplier contracts and commercial queries
- Supporting clients with personal property portfolios
- Development agreements, refinancing and restructuring
- Business sales and purchases, with occasional share sales/purchases
Recent Work Examples (to give a flavour)
- Acquisition of restaurant franchises
- Sale of a company
- Purchase of multiple development sites
- Landlord and tenant lease work for high street shops and restaurants
- Joint venture advice for investors funding construction of new premises
- Freehold purchase by tenants and set-up of a management company
- Advising a landlord of 100s of apartments on obligations under the Building Safety Act
Requirements
To be considered, you should have:
- 5+ years’ PQE (guideline) with strong UK private practice experience in property/commercial property
- Confidence handling a varied caseload and advising pragmatically, including where matters sit at the edges of your core expertise
- Commercial awareness and business sense (you enjoy understanding how clients operate)
- Strong drafting, negotiation and matter management skills
- A client-first approach, with the credibility to build trust quickly
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Location & Working Arrangement
- Office base: Romford area
- This role will suit someone living East / North East London or Essex (e.g., east of the North Circular towards Chelmsford/Southend) who wants a sustainable long-term commute and local client base.
Salary & Benefits
- Salary: c. £55,000–£70,000+ basic (depending on experience)
- Bonus: performance-related bonus (annual or staged, subject to agreement)
- A realistic opportunity to increase earnings where you deliver strong fee performance
Additional benefits will be confirmed with shortlisted candidates, but the firm is focused on offering a package that supports long-term retention, stability and progression.
Career Progression
This is a role with a genuine pathway to Director. Progression timeline will depend on performance, cultural fit and readiness, but the intention is clear: hire with leadership succession in mind.
Apply / Enquire (confidentially)
For a confidential conversation, contact:
David Hawthorne-FinchManaging Director, Legal Recruitment – Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions Ltd (H-FTS)Email: d.hawthorne-finch@h-fts.com
If you’d like to be considered, please send your CV (or a brief summary of your current role and PQE) and we will take it from there.
Confidentiality: All applications and enquiries will be handled in strict confidence.