Real Estate Associate (Finance) | Leeds | NQ - 4 PQE

Think Legal Recruitment; Leeds; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Think Legal Recruitment is supporting a leading national law firm in Leeds to recruit a Real Estate Associate (Finance) at NQ-4 PQE. The role sits in the Housing and Transition Finance team and focuses on funders on social housing financings.

You'll bring property expertise into finance, handling due diligence, drafting security documents, reviewing leases, and managing the real estate workstream to completion, with a focus on building strong funder relationships and cross‑team collaboration.

Qualifications

• NQ to 3 years' PQE in real estate
• Strong real estate fundamentals and commercial awareness
• Confident handling complex transactions
• Proactive, ambitious and collaborative with network development
• Comfortable with technology
• Social housing experience is helpful but not essential

Responsibilities

• Carry out due diligence on large property portfolios, including certificates of title
• Spot title and property risks and propose practical solutions
• Coordinate real estate requirements across multiple funders and tranches
• Draft and negotiate security and transaction documents
• Review leases, development agreements and other property documents, and report clearly to clients
• Manage the real estate workstream through to completion
• Build strong relationships with funders and in-house teams

Skills

Real estate

Due diligence

Commercial awareness

Transaction management

Legal drafting

Tech-friendly

Job description

Real Estate Associate (Finance) | Leeds | NQ - 4 PQE

The opportunity

I'm working with a leading national law firm that is growing its Leeds Housing and Transition Finance team following a run of new client wins. They are looking for a real estate lawyer to join as an additional Associate.

The team

This is a well-established, market-leading team that is consistently recognised by Chambers and The Legal 500 for its social housing work. In Leeds, it includes Partners, a Legal Director, a Managing Associate, Associates, Knowledge Lawyers and trainees. It acts for banks, institutional funders, housing associations, developers and investors on high-value transactions across the UK.

The role

You'll bring your property expertise into a finance setting, acting mainly for funders on major social housing financings, some worth over £1bn. Day to day, you will:

• Carry out due diligence on large property portfolios, including preparing and reviewing certificates of title
• Spot title and property risks and suggest practical, commercial solutions
• Coordinate real estate requirements across multiple funders and tranches
• Draft and negotiate security and transaction documents
• Review leases, development agreements and other property documents, and report clearly to clients
• Manage the real estate workstream through to completion
• Build strong relationships with funders and in-house legal teams

About you

• NQ to 3 years' PQE in real estate (4 PQE may be considered, but the preference is for the more junior end)
• Strong real estate fundamentals and commercial awareness
• Confident managing complex transactions
• Proactive, ambitious and collaborative, with a real interest in developing your own network
• Comfortable with technology
• Social housing experience is helpful but not essential

What's on offer

• Competitive salary
• Permanent, full-time role in Leeds
• Excellent exposure to complex, high-profile deals
• A supportive, inclusive culture with real focus on professional development