Job Description

Real Estate Associate (Dedicated Client Team)

Location: Manchester (flexible, office-based or primarily home-based with travel to the Manchester office at least twice per month)

Salary: £50,000 to £70,000 plus bonus (dependent on experience)

Experience: 3+ years’ PQE

If you’re a Real Estate Associate who enjoys high-quality transactional work but wants a role with more certainty and flexibility, this is a rare opportunity to join a dedicated client delivery team in Manchester.

You’ll focus on one major institutional landlord client within a structured team model, building deep client knowledge while still benefiting from the support, training and resources of a full-service practice.

The Opportunity

This role is designed for lawyers who like working at pace, following clear processes, and delivering consistently high standards. The working model offers genuine flexibility, including a reduced chargeable hours target and the option to be primarily home-based with regular Manchester office attendance.

• Work as a dedicated resource for a major institutional landlord client within a structured delivery model

• Reduced chargeable hours target of 1,400 hours per year

• Flexible working: office-based or primarily home-based, with travel to Manchester at least twice per month

• Additional attendance initially for training, plus occasional visits to London to meet the client

The Role

Core transactional work

• Draft and negotiate commercial leases (including new, renewal and reversionary leases)

• Draft and negotiate ancillary lettings documents (for example, licences to alter and rent deposit deeds)

• Create and maintain letting due diligence packs (including title, CPSE and property-specific documents)

• Respond to tenant due diligence enquiries and liaise with relevant professional advisers

• Deal with letting and management applications during the term of leases (for example, licences to assign, underlet and deeds of variation)

• Manage completion processes, deeds administration, collection of completion monies, and post-completion administration and billing

Supervision and team support

• Supervise work carried out by junior lawyers and paralegals supporting lettings and management matters

• Work closely with the wider client account team to ensure consistency of approach and share best practice

• Help maintain precedents and client processes

Client contact and matter management

• Take responsibility for your own caseload and compliance with firm policies and processes (with appropriate supervision)

• Maintain clear worklogs and status updates for each matter

• Follow client-specific administrative requirements and agreed processes

• Manage personal financials including WIP, billing and write-offs

About You

Essential

• Qualified solicitor in England and Wales

• Ideally 3+ years’ PQE in commercial property matters

• Strong technical knowledge of commercial property law, particularly commercial leases and lettings

• Experience drafting and negotiating commercial leases

• Experience with ancillary lettings documents and letting or management applications

• Strong understanding of landlord and tenant law

• Excellent drafting and negotiation skills

• Strong organisation and ability to manage your own caseload

• Client-focused with strong communication and relationship-building skills

• Proactive, commercially minded approach to risk and problem solving

• Comfortable working as part of a wider team and following agreed processes

• Strong attention to detail and accuracy

Desirable

• Experience acting for institutional landlords

• Experience managing high-volume, fast-paced workloads

• Experience with CPSE enquiries and due diligence processes

• Experience supervising junior lawyers and paralegals

• Experience with legal technology tools and innovative ways of working

• Experience in a dedicated client team or secondment-style environment

What’s On Offer

• Salary of £50,000 to £70,000 plus bonus (dependent on experience)

• Bonus scheme

• Reduced chargeable hours target of 1,400 hours per year

• Flexible working: office-based or primarily home-based, with travel to Manchester at least twice per month

• Additional attendance initially for training, plus occasional visits to London to meet the client

• High-quality transactional real estate work within a structured delivery model

• Opportunity to develop deep client knowledge and long-term client relationships

• Comprehensive support, training and career development

• Collaborative team environment with a focus on innovation and continuous improvement

About Our Client

Our client is a large, international, full-service law firm with a significant real estate practice and a strong focus on innovation and process-led delivery. The firm supports major organisations across multiple jurisdictions and is known for combining technical excellence with a commercial, solutions-led approach.

Location & Working Arrangements

Manchester, with flexible working arrangements. The role can be office-based or primarily home-based with travel to the Manchester office at least twice per month (to be agreed depending on experience). Additional attendance is required initially for training, and occasional visits to London may be required.

Next Steps

Apply online or send your CV to lee.hawthorne-finch@h-fts.com or call 0333 996 2882 for more information.

All applications will be handled in strict confidence. Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions is committed to ethical recruitment and the highest standards of confidentiality for all applicants.