Practice Development Lawyer - Real Estate

Irwin Mitchell; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading national law firm is seeking a talented Real Estate Practice Development Lawyer to support their Real Estate team in Birmingham. The role focuses on knowledge management, training delivery, and innovation within the firm. Key responsibilities include driving Practice Development initiatives, contributing to firm-wide projects, and enhancing lawyer capabilities with AI tools. Candidates should have a strong background in commercial Real Estate Law and good communication skills. The firm offers flexible work options, generous holiday, and various well-being initiatives.

Benefits

25 days holidays plus bank holidays

Generous pension schemes

Volunteering days

Health membership

Qualifications

• Strong background in commercial, transactional Real Estate Law.
• Proactive in handling legal queries effectively.
• Experience in delivering technical training.

Responsibilities

• Drive Practice Development initiatives for the Real Estate team.
• Participate in firm-wide knowledge projects.
• Deliver training and empower lawyers with AI tools.

Skills

Knowledge management

Training delivery

Commercial Real Estate Law

Communication skills

Proactive problem solving

Job description

Your Role

and What You'll Be Doing

We’re looking for a talented Real Estate Practice Development Lawyer (PDL) to support our national Real Estate team. This is a pivotal role focused on knowledge management, training delivery, innovation, and providing expert support to fee‑earners across all our offices. Depending on your experience, we’re open to appointing at Practice Development Lawyer or Senior Practice Development Lawyer level.

Our national transactional Real Estate team advises on everything from strategic land and regeneration to acquisitions, funding and leasing. Our clients include institutional investors, developers, housebuilders, landlords and occupiers.

In this role, you’ll work alongside an experienced Real Estate PDL and our highly collaborative wider Practice Development team of 16 PDLs to :

• Drive Practice Development initiatives, ensuring our teams have access to accurate, up‑to‑date legal resources to support day‑to‑day work, strengthen client relationships, and contribute to business development.
• Play an active part in firm‑wide knowledge projects, representing the Real Estate practice, shaping processes and services, and helping implement our Practice Development strategy.
• Deliver training and innovation that empowers our lawyers and enhances client service, including helping embed our AI tools into our ways of working.
• Horizon‑scan legal and market developments, as well as new innovations, helping our fee earners to stay on top of legal change, reduce risk, and work efficiently.

We offer flexibility on location, with travel to our offices as needed. Full‑time is preferred, but we welcome part‑time applications.

About You

• An experienced PDL or a fee‑earner seeking a first move into a PDL role
• Have a strong background in commercial, transactional Real Estate Law
• Proactive in handling a high volume of technical, legal queries
• Have a keen interest in knowledge management, technology, and innovation, including AI.
• Experienced in arranging and delivering technical training and helping to draft articles and communications to be shared with clients and the wider market
• Proven experience to effectively communicate and collaborate with a diverse range of people and job functions
• Excellent verbal, written and listening skills and the ability to articulate positions / opinions clearly, effectively and objectively

Our Benefits - What We Can Offer You

• Excellent support from PDL paralegals
• 25 days holidays as standard plus bank holidays - you can 'buy' up to 35hrs of extra holiday too.
• Generous and flexible pension schemes.
• Volunteering days – Two days of volunteering every year for a cause of your choice (fully paid)
• Westfield Health membership, offering refunds on medical services alongside our Aviva Digital GP services.

We also offer a wide range of well‑being initiatives to encourage positive mental health both in and out of the workplace and to make sure you’re fully supported. This includes our Flexible by Choice programme which gives our colleagues more choice over a hybrid way of working subject to role, team and client requirements.

We have been ranked in the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing for Organisations for 2025!

Our responsible business programmes are fundamental to who we are and our purpose. We’re committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace where our colleagues can flourish, and we have established a number of inclusion network groups across our business to support this aim.

Our commitment to Social Responsibility, community investment activity and tackling climate change is a fundamental part of who we are. It’s made up of four strands : Our People, Our Community, Our Environment and Our Pro Bono.