Real Estate Finance Associate

Baker McKenzie; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global law firm in the United Kingdom is seeking an Associate in Real Estate Finance to join its dynamic Banking Group. The role involves advising clients on a variety of real estate finance matters and developing relationships within a collegiate and supportive team. Ideal candidates will have current experience in real estate finance at a top firm, strong technical skills, and excellent communication abilities. You will have opportunities for business development, with regular client contact in a vibrant office environment.

Qualifications

• Current experience in real-estate finance at a leading firm.
• First-rate technical skills for supporting client work.
• Strong communication skills and ability to adapt style.

Responsibilities

• Advise clients on real-estate finance and non-real-estate matters.
• Develop relationships with clients and understand their businesses.
• Engage in business development and promote the firm.

Skills

Real estate finance expertise

Excellent written communication skills

Client relationship development

Maturity and gravitas

Strong service orientation

Initiative and proactivity

Education

Qualified lawyer with excellent academic credentials

Job description

Associate – Real Estate Finance

Our Banking Group is seeking an Associate with a strong real estate finance background to join their real‑estate finance sub‑group within their banking and finance team currently led by 3 partners. The broader banking and finance team currently comprises 10 partners, 2 knowledge lawyers and 25 associates and trainees. Duties include:

Responsibilities

• Advising clients on a mix of real‑estate finance related matters, real‑estate related special situations and also a wide range of non‑real‑estate related matters. Transactions in the team are mostly cross‑border involving multiple jurisdictions but will also involve some UK focused transactions. Associates work in a collegiate environment and can expect a good variety of work.
• Associates are given regular and direct contact with clients, with a culture based on associates being given the level of responsibility they are ready for, rather than a PQE based method of work allocation.
• Developing relationships with clients including gaining a good knowledge of the client’s businesses, economic drivers, market and sector requirements in order to ensure advice is relevant and commercial.
• There are regular opportunities for secondments with clients. Posting to other offices under the firm’s associate transfer programme is also a possibility.
• Engaging in business development activities and being active in the promotion of the firm and seeking opportunities for new work.
• Working as part of a team and taking an active role in sharing knowledge and experience with the team.

Qualifications

• A qualified lawyer with excellent academic credentials
• Current experience in the real‑estate finance team of the banking department of a leading firm
• Experience focused in real‑estate finance
• First‑rate technical skills needed to support the client work of the department
• Commerciality and demonstrable business development experience
• Excellent written communication and drafting skills
• Initiative and proactivity
• Maturity and gravitas
• Strong service orientation – a “client first” culture
• Ability to develop strong relationships with clients and to take responsibility for this relationship
• High work standards
• Outstanding communication skills and the ability to adapt style as required
• Ability to work well in both a team and individually
• A keenness to learn
• Respects and enjoys the diversity of cultural, social and academic backgrounds found in the Firm

About Our Real Estate Finance Team

Real Estate Finance sits within the firm’s broader Banking & Finance Practice serving our global client base. Our Real Estate Finance team blends real‑estate, finance, corporate and tax expertise to create a fully coordinated service. We assist arrangers, financial institutions as well as borrowers including developers, funds, REITs, sponsors and other institutional investors with respect to complex domestic and cross‑border property and portfolio financing transactions. Our ability to offer genuine cross‑border in‑depth expertise in the real‑estate finance world is what truly differentiates us from other firms. We are able to advise financial institutions and other lenders, sponsors, borrowers and other corporate entities on all aspects of financing transactions – from origination, negotiation and documentation to closing. We also advise clients on enforcement situations, workouts and reorganisations and the full breadth of structured and capital markets offerings. As a firm, we are noted for our expertise in acquisition finance, securitisation, bank lending, financial regulatory work and project finance, especially advising on bespoke complex transactions and those involving emerging markets. The London team are an integrated part of the Firm’s Global Finance group of over 500 lawyers who cover the world’s key financial money sites, many of whom are regularly featured in the top tier of rankings in both Legal 500 and Chambers for Banking and Finance.

Why Join us? Baker McKenzie is a truly global law firm. Founded in 1949, we advise many of the world’s most dynamic and successful business organisations through our 13,200 people in 74 offices in 45 countries. Yet big does not mean impersonal. We work hard to ensure that everyone knows their role and has the support they need to perform it to the highest standard. Our culture encourages this – how we work, think and behave in a collaborative and fulfilling way. In London you will be part of a 950 person office, which is also our largest office globally. Originally opened in 1961, Baker McKenzie London is well established in the UK as a leading international law firm and is regularly involved in some of the country’s most high‑profile legal matters. We can offer you the work, pride and experience of being part of a leading law firm but in a local office environment that is hardworking, yet friendly and supportive.