Corporate Real Estate Associate

About the role

Freshfields is recruiting a Corporate Real Estate Associate with transactional experience to join its London Real Estate group. The firm advises European and global private equity real estate sponsors, institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds and pension funds on complex real estate transactions across the full lifecycle, and is part of an international team of real estate practices.

Key responsibilities

• Advise on and manage UK and multi-jurisdictional real estate M&A, corporate wrapper transactions, joint ventures, co-investments and consortium arrangements across all asset classes.
• Structure and advise on corporate and joint venture holding structures, including REITs, limited partnerships, unit trusts, private equity real estate funds and bespoke open- and closed-ended fund structures.
• Lead major real estate asset acquisitions, lettings and disposals, portfolio transactions, sale-and-leasebacks and operational real estate transactions.
• Advise on complex development and regeneration projects, including site acquisition, development agreements, forward funding and forward sales.
• Work with Corporate/M&A, Finance, Tax and Disputes teams on the property aspects of major corporate transactions, public M&A, financings, flotations and restructurings.
• Contribute to business development, client relationship management, knowledge management and pitching for new mandates.

Required profile

• Solicitor or barrister in England and Wales, or equivalent qualification from a recognised common law jurisdiction.
• Ideally 2-4 years post-qualification experience at a leading corporate real estate practice, with significant cross-border experience and experience acting for private equity real estate, SWF and pension funds.
• Excellent academic record.
• Valid right to work in the UK, or willingness to obtain it; Freshfields is an A-rated licensed sponsor under the points-based immigration system.

Required skills

• Technical drafting, structuring and negotiation skills, with sound commercial judgement.
• Ability to mentor, supervise and develop junior lawyers and trainees.
• Clear oral and written communication of complex legal structures to commercial stakeholders.
• Ability to handle competing priorities and tight deadlines, and to engage proactively in practice development and knowledge sharing.