Real Estate Finance Solicitor

JMC Legal Recruitment; Bournemouth; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Mentoring and progression

Exposure to major banks and lenders

Friendly working culture

Job summary

JMC Legal Recruitment is seeking a Real Estate Finance Solicitor (NQ-3 PQE) to join a respected Bournemouth team. You will handle lender and borrower matters, advise on property security, and progress complex transactions from day one.

You’ll gain hands-on experience drafting finance documents, managing a busy caseload, and developing client relationships with lenders, borrowers, and developers, within a supportive, mentoring culture.

Qualifications

• NQ to 3 years PQE in real estate or property matters.
• Experience in residential and/or commercial property desirable.
• Strong drafting, negotiation and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Advise lenders and borrowers on commercial funding and property security.
• Manage a caseload of secured lending transactions across property types.
• Draft and negotiate finance documents for property deals.
• Advise on planning and security considerations in property-backed finance.
• Oversee post-completion loan management and security amendments.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships with lenders, borrowers and developers.

Skills

Real estate finance

Drafting

Negotiation

Communication

Client management

Job description

Real Estate Finance Solicitor | NQ-3 PQE | Bournemouth, Dorset

Start your career in real estate finance within a multi-disciplinary, nationally recognised team in Bournemouth, working on diverse transactions from commercial development funding to buy-to-let loans, with structured support to build your expertise.

This is a long-established South of England law firm with offices across the region and a history stretching back over two centuries. With close to 400 staff, it's one of the largest firms in the region, known for delivering city-quality legal advice at regional rates. The firm works with clients across the UK and internationally, combining a professional, commercial outlook with a friendly, down-to-earth culture.

The Real Estate Finance team sits at the heart of the firm's Real Estate practice, advising lenders, borrowers, and investors on property-backed finance matters. You'll work on everything from major high street bank transactions to challenger bank secured lending. The team is highly regarded nationally and known for practical, client-focused advice.

The Opportunity

This is an ideal role for a newly qualified or recently qualified solicitor ready to build a career in real estate finance.

You'll work closely with partners and senior associates, contributing to real transactions from day one.

You can expect hands-on involvement in:

• Advising lender and borrower clients on commercial funding arrangements and property security
• Managing a caseload of secured lending transactions across commercial, residential, buy-to-let, and development funding
• Drafting and negotiating finance documents for quality property deals
• Advising on planning and security considerations in property-backed finance
• Post-completion loan management: consents to leases, deeds of priority, security amendments to protect lender interests
• Acting as a key point of contact for clients, building trusted relationships and identifying value-add opportunities

You’ll be encouraged to develop client relationships early, attending meetings and helping to deliver practical, commercially focused advice. The team is committed to your professional development, with structured mentoring and a clear pathway to grow your experience and responsibility over time.

The Work

You’ll handle a diverse, commercially focused caseload:

• Commercial funding for office, retail, student accommodation, hospitality developments
• Buy-to-let and investment lending for individual and institutional investors
• Development funding for housebuilders and developers
• High-profile real estate assets and portfolios for major financial institutions
• Investment and restructuring finance for borrowers and lenders
• Security documentation and amendments protecting lender interests throughout the loan lifecycle

This isn't repetitive template work. Each transaction has genuine complexity and genuine client stakes.

About You

• NQ to 3 years PQE (newly qualified and recently qualified solicitors equally welcome)
• Previous experience in residential and/or commercial property matters (essential)
• Strong drafting, negotiation, and communication skills
• Commercial, solutions-led mindset with ability to understand what matters to clients
• Confidence building and maintaining strong client relationships
• Proactive team player with initiative, ready to take on responsibility
• High level of attention to detail and ability to manage a busy caseload with competing deadlines
• Enthusiasm for property finance and understanding of how deals work

What's On Offer

• A broad introduction to real estate finance work within a supportive, nationally respected team
• High-quality, transaction-based work giving you a strong foundation for your career
• Structured mentoring, training, and clear progression path as you develop
• Exposure to quality clients: major banks, building societies, institutional investors, developers
• Work across both lender and borrower sides of real estate finance
• Friendly, pragmatic working culture where work-life balance is taken seriously
• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Hybrid working and a prime South Coast location
• A hub of expertise and teamwork making it ideal for professional development and long-term growth

Why This Works

This firm has built something genuine: two centuries of heritage, city-quality advice, and a culture that's genuinely supportive. Real Estate Finance teams like this one develop specialists, not just processors.

The emphasis on structured mentoring and clear progression reflects that they genuinely invest in developing junior lawyers. You'll have responsibility early, but with proper support and experienced lawyers you can learn from.

The breadth of work, lender and borrower side, commercial and development funding, post-completion management means you'll develop genuine, broad expertise. That's how real careers develop.

If you want to build a career in real estate finance with proper mentorship, genuine responsibility, and quality transactions, this is it.