Associate – Real Estate

Overview

In this role you will support Freshfields’ London Real Estate practice by handling complex real estate transactions for institutional and private equity clients. You will work on cross-border M&A, joint ventures, and fund structures, collaborating with corporate, tax, and disputes teams. The opportunity emphasizes career development and training within a respected, international real estate group. You will help shape major assets, development projects, and portfolio transactions while delivering high standards of client service.

Responsibilities

• Advising on UK and multi-jurisdictional real estate M&A, corporate wrapper transactions, joint ventures, co-investments and consortium arrangements across asset classes
• Structuring and advising on corporate and joint venture holding structures (REITs, LPs, unit trusts, private equity real estate funds, open- and closed-ended funds)
• Leading on real estate asset acquisitions, lettings and disposals, portfolio transactions, sale-and-leasebacks, and operational real estate transactions
• Advising on complex development and regeneration projects (site acquisition, development agreements, forward funding, forward sales)
• Collaborating with Corporate/M&A, Finance, Tax and Disputes on property aspects of major corporate transactions, financings, flotations, restructurings
• Proactive business development, client relationship management, knowledge management and pitching for new mandates

Key requirements

• Qualified solicitor or barrister in England and Wales, or equivalent from a recognised common law jurisdiction
• Ideally 2–4 years PQE at a leading corporate real estate practice with cross-border exposure
• Experience acting for private equity real estate, SWF and pension funds, with strong drafting, structuring and negotiation skills
• Proven ability to develop client relationships and contribute to business development
• Excellent academic record

• Strong communication skills (oral and written)
• Team collaboration and mentoring能力
• Commercial judgment
• Transactional real estate drafting
• Structuring real estate investments (REITs, LPs, funds)
• Negotiation and deal structuring

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