Assistant Lawyer

The National Trust; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 19,000 - 24,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension up to 10%

Free entry to National Trust places

Season ticket loan

EV car lease scheme

Discounts (gym, shopping, cinema)

Holiday entitlement up to 32 days

Flexible working

Employee assistance programme

Free parking

Job summary

The National Trust is seeking a part‑time Assistant Lawyer to join our Legal team in Swindon. You will handle property law matters across residential, agricultural and commercial estates, advise on acquisitions and boundary disputes, and review various agreements.

We value a qualified lawyer with PQE in property law and a collaborative spirit. The role includes two days at head office with some flexible, remote working as discussed at interview.

Qualifications

• Post-qualification experience in property law such as estates, leases, easements.
• Willingness to learn new areas of law and practice.
• Able to analyse issues quickly and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Cover property transactions, land and tenancy management across estates.
• Advise on acquisitions, boundary disputes, and review agreements.
• Assess risk and deliver practical, solutions‑focused advice.

Skills

Qualified lawyer

Property law

Post-qualification experience

Communication skills

Job description

Assistant Lawyer

Ref: IRC179251

£21,500 pa

Permanent p/t (22.5 hrs pw)

Swindon

We’re looking for a part-time Assistant Lawyer to join our Legal team. You’ll be helping us deliver our strategic ambitions and working closely with other professional advisers to carry out legal work relating to our diverse let estate, collections and thriving visitor experiences.

Property law at the National Trust is truly unique, combining the full range of land law with the responsibilities of a charity and the National Trust Acts. This role may be of interest to someone looking to branch out in into the charitable sector or someone returning to the legal profession after a period away from work.

What it's like to work here

Working as part of an in-house team for a charity provides a unique and interesting caseload, a real sense of contributing to a cause you believe in and job satisfaction. It’s a team full of expertise with a strong culture of collaboration, supporting each other and sharing knowledge. We recognise the value that comes with supporting each other and building trusted and positive relationships.

Your contractual location will be our head office in Swindon. There will be an expectation for you to attend this office twice a week. However, there is flexibility on where you are based at other times. This will be discussed in more detail at interview.

What you'll be doing

You’ll cover a broad range of matters including property transactions, land and tenancy management across residential, agricultural and commercial estates, and related non‑property issues. You’ll be advising on acquisitions and boundary disputes as well as reviewing collaboration agreements, event contracts and legislative consultations. You’ll help clients assess risk and opportunity and deliver practical, solutions focused advice across a diverse caseload.

You can view the full role profile for this role in the document attached. Whilst being a qualified property lawyer is essential, you don't need to have all of the other knowledge, skills and experience listed in the role profile; this is just to provide a full picture of what’s possible in this role.

Who we’re looking for

• A qualified lawyer (Solicitor, Barrister or Fellow of CILEX- Conveyancing Practitioner) with post‑qualification experience in one or more areas of property law, such as estate management, leases (agricultural, commercial or residential), easements, covenants, commons, or property acquisitions.
• Curious and motivated, with a willingness to learn new areas of law and practice.
• Able to analyse issues quickly, deliver high‑quality work, and meet deadlines.
• A confident communicator who builds strong, positive working relationships.
• An ability to work collaboratively as well as independently.
• Enthusiasm for working within the charitable sector and supporting our work

The package

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

• Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary
• Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)
• Rental deposit loan scheme
• Season ticket loan
• EV car lease scheme (for roles that meet the salary criteria)
• Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships, shopping discount codes, cinema discounts
• Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria.
• Flexible working whenever possible
• Employee assistance programme
• Free parking at most Trust places

Closing Date: 20 September 2026

Interview Date: 30 September 2026

Equal Opportunities Statement

The National Trust celebrates diversity and is committed to creating a fair and equal society, free from discrimination. You can read more about our commitment to inclusion and diversity.

Safeguarding Statement

The National Trust is committed to a safe recruitment processes to help the organisation attract and appoint the right staff/volunteer for the role and responsibilities as set out in the vacancy advert. We will not accept applicants who are not suitable to work with children, young people or adults at risk. If you have any questions around your suitability for this vacancy, please contact the people service centre.