Real Estate Dispute Resolution Senior Associate

Gateley Legal; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Gateley Legal is seeking a Real Estate Dispute Resolution Senior Associate to join our Birmingham/Manchester team. You will handle a wide range of contentious property matters, advising on landlord and tenant disputes, development issues, and possession actions, while drafting pleadings and supporting senior colleagues.

You will work with a friendly, commercially focused group led by Dawn Reynolds, with opportunities to mentor juniors, contribute to marketing, and develop client relationships

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor in England & Wales with 5+ PQE in property litigation.
• Strong knowledge of real estate law and dispute resolution processes.
• Experience in County Court and First-tier Tribunal proceedings.
• Organised, methodical, and able to manage own caseload with supervision.

Responsibilities

• Advise on landlord and tenant disputes including lease renewals and forfeiture.
• Handle development-related issues such as rights of light and restrictive covenants.
• Manage possession claims and trespass actions and support insolvency work.
• Draft pleadings, statements and instructions to counsel; attend hearings.
• Contribute to training, mentoring juniors and business development.

Skills

Real estate dispute resolution

Court proceedings experience

Attention to detail

Excellent communication

Organised and methodical

Education

Qualified solicitor in England & Wales (5+ PQE in property litigation)

Job description

About The Role

A Real Estate Dispute Resolution Senior Associate role has arisen in our Manchester / Birmingham Real Estate team, working on a wide variety of contentious property matters.

Role responsibilities include:

• Advising on landlord and tenant disputes (lease renewals, dilapidations, forfeiture)
• Handling development‑related issues (rights of light, restrictive covenants, boundary disputes)
• Managing possession claims and trespass actions
• Supporting property insolvency and enforcement work
• Drafting pleadings, witness statements and instructions to counsel
• Attending court hearings, mediations and client meetings
• Managing your own caseload with appropriate supervision
• Supporting senior colleagues on complex litigation and ADR matters
• Contributing to team training, knowledge sharing and mentoring junior team members
• Getting involved in marketing and business development initiatives

You’ll be supporting Dawn and her senior fee earners, making this a fantastic opportunity to learn and network with highly experienced professionals.

About The Team

Our Real Estate Dispute Resolution team, led by Partner Dawn Reynolds, is a specialist group within Gateley Legal’s wider Property division. We are known for our straight‑talking, commercially focused advice and our ability to resolve complex property disputes with clarity and confidence.

Dawn and the team act for a broad range of clients including developers, investors, landlords, tenants and public sector bodies. We pride ourselves on being approachable, proactive and genuinely collaborative, working closely with clients to understand their goals and deliver practical solutions that make a difference.

Desired candidate attributes

• Qualification as a solicitor in England & Wales (5 years' PQE+ in property litigation preferred)
• Strong technical knowledge of real estate law and dispute resolution processes
• Experience in County Court and First‑tier Tribunal proceedings
• An organised and methodical approach
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Enthusiasm to learn and develop

About Us & Benefits

We offer a competitive remuneration package and an opportunity to receive an annual bonus. Additionally, we provide a wide range of learning and development opportunities via our Learn platform, and a comprehensive rewards package (My Flex) covering annual leave, cycle‑to‑work, critical illness benefit, employee assistance programme, group personal pension, health care, season‑ticket loan and many more benefits (grade dependent). We also offer Perks At Work/Home and a Community Online Academy with free courses.

Diversity, Inclusion & Well‑Being

Gateley is committed to diversity, inclusion and well‑being. We recruit talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures, providing equal opportunities for all regardless of age, sex, race, sexual orientation, disability or culture. We are proud to have been recognised by The Law Society as a gold standard for our Diversity and Inclusion Charter and are Stonewall Diversity Champions.

Additional Information

Successful candidates will undergo pre‑employment screening checks, including eligibility to work, academic qualifications, criminal record checks, financial stability and references from previous employers, as relevant to the role.