In House Counsel

Smiley & Co, Ltd.; Peterborough; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading property developer in Peterborough as an In-House Counsel. You will support the legal needs of the business, handle property transactions, and ensure regulatory compliance. This role offers the opportunity to influence legal strategies and collaborate with key stakeholders in a growing company, with competitive salary and benefits.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Discretionary Bonus Scheme

25 days holiday

Pension Scheme

Group Life Assurance

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor with 4–5 years post-qualification experience.
• Strong background in property law and residential development.
• Excellent drafting and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage legal aspects of site acquisitions and property transactions.
• Draft and negotiate commercial contracts.
• Assist with regulatory compliance and governance.

Skills

Property law

Compliance frameworks

Drafting and negotiation

Commercial awareness

Education

Qualified solicitor in England and Wales

Job description

In-House Counsel

Location: Peterborough (With hybrid/flexible working options)

Salary: Competitive

The company pride themselves on being an award-winning private housebuilder dedicated to creating beautiful homes and communities across the East of England, the East Midlands and the South West of England.

Their mission is to provide affordable yet aspirational homes to their communities, ensuring that new homes are accessible and attainable for all with a quality product suitable for everyone.

They are proud of their people, and collaboration and teamwork are key to everything they do. Their Values are at their heart and centre around Trust, Teamwork, Kindness and Passion.

The Role

They are seeking a commercially minded and experienced In-House Property Lawyer to join their legal team. This role is central to supporting the legal needs of their growing development portfolio, including land acquisition, planning, construction, corporate structuring, and financing.

You will work closely with the General Counsel and senior leadership to ensure legal compliance, manage risk, and contribute to strategic decision-making across the Group.

Key Responsibilities

Property Transactions

• Advise on and manage legal aspects of site acquisitions, disposals, and land development agreements.
• Support on planning, advise and manage infrastructure agreements including section 106, Section 278 and Section 38 agreements, and property due diligence.
• Liaise with external counsel and local authorities where necessary.
  
  

Commercial & Contractual Support

• Draft, review, and negotiate a range of commercial contracts (supplier, construction, JV agreements etc.)
• Support various departments (Sales, Construction, Procurement) on legal risk management.
  
  

Compliance & Governance

• Assist with ensuring regulatory compliance across the Group (e.g. data protection, health & safety, anti-bribery)
• Maintain and develop internal policies and procedures to support good governance.
  
  

Company Secretarial

• Support company secretarial duties, including maintaining statutory registers and assisting with board meetings, resolutions, and filings.
• Liaise with external company secretarial service providers as needed.
  
  

General Legal Support

• Provide pragmatic legal advice to senior stakeholders across the business.
• Manage and coordinate with external counsel on more complex or specialist matters.
• Support financing activities including loan agreements, security documentation, and investor relations.
  
  

Skills And Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor in England and Wales.
• They anticipate the successful candidate will have experience equivalent to around 4–5 years post-qualification, though they welcome applications from candidates with more or less experience who can demonstrate the required skills and knowledge.
• Strong background in property law, with experience of advising on residential property development and affordable developments.
• exposure to corporate and finance matters.
• Demonstrated understanding of compliance frameworks, including AML, anti-bribery, and UK sanctions regulations.
• Excellent drafting and negotiation skills.
• Commercially aware, with the ability to align legal advice with business strategy.
• Proactive, self-sufficient, and capable of managing a varied workload independently.
  
  

Benefits

• Direct influence on legal strategy and business decisions.
• A collaborative, entrepreneurial team environment.
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression.
• Exposure to a wide range of legal and commercial matters
• Opportunity to be part of a growing and ambitious business.
• Discretionary Bonus Scheme.
• Competitive salary and benefits package, to include:
• 25 days holiday (extending to 27 days holiday after two years of continuous service).
• Pension Scheme.
• Group Life Assurance.
• Group Income Protection Scheme.
• Smart Health Employee Assistance Programme.
• Opt in - Simply Health Cash Plan.
• Company purchase discount scheme.
• Option to join the company salary sacrifice car scheme, T&Cs apply.
  

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for this reputable company, please do not hesitate to apply.

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