Real Estate (Housing Development) Senior Associate

BCL Legal; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A respected national law firm is seeking a Senior Associate in Birmingham to join its Housing Development team. This full-time role involves managing complex property transactions and supervising junior lawyers while delivering high-quality advice to clients. The firm offers competitive salaries, hybrid working options, and opportunities for career progression within the social housing sector. Ideal candidates should have 3-10 years of PQE and strong commercial awareness.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Comprehensive benefits package

Hybrid working

On-site café

Free gym

Training and development programme

Qualifications

• 3-10 years of PQE in real estate or housing development.
• Experience acting for Registered Providers or developers.
• Confidence in handling transactions with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Join a collaborative team supporting a diverse range of clients.
• Supervise junior lawyers and shape team strategy.
• Provide high-quality advice on complex property matters.

Skills

Real estate development

Client engagement

Supervising junior lawyers

Commercial awareness

Business development

Job description

Real Estate (Housing Development) - Senior Associate | 3-10 PQE | Leading National Practice | Birmingham/Hybrid

BCL Legal is delighted to be assisting a highly respected national law firm in its search for a Senior Associate to join its specialist Housing Development team in Birmingham. This is a full-time, permanent role offering hybrid working, excellent progression opportunities, and the chance to play a key role within one of the UK's most established social housing practices.

The Role

As a Senior Associate in the Housing Development team, you will:

• Join a collaborative and purpose-driven group of Partners and Lawyers acting for a large and expanding portfolio of Registered Providers, including several top‑tier housing associations.
• Work on a wide range of complex and impactful property matters such as:
  • Acquiring s106 affordable housing from developers
  • Land acquisition and development for new housing schemes
  • Advising on conditional/unconditional contracts, options, golden‑brick transactions, back‑to‑back sales, easements, infrastructure agreements, overages, and more
• Support clients with the delivery of affordable housing by providing high‑quality, pragmatic advice.
• Take a senior role within the team, supervising junior lawyers, helping to shape the team’s future strategy, and driving business development initiatives.
• Build long‑term relationships with clients and position yourself as a trusted adviser within the affordable housing sector.

This team prides itself on its supportive culture, strong values, and commitment to creating a nurturing environment where senior lawyers can thrive and continue progressing their careers.

About You

To succeed in this Senior Associate – Housing Development role, you will ideally have:

• 3-10 years’ PQE in real estate, development, or housing‑led work
• Experience acting for Registered Providers, developers, housebuilders, landowners or local authorities
• Confidence handling development transactions with minimal supervision
• A solid understanding of affordable housing structures and how they connect with plot sales and charging matters
• The ability to supervise junior lawyers and contribute to team development
• Strong commercial awareness, communication skills and an enthusiasm for client engagement and business development

This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious lawyer who wants to specialise further in the social housing development space while taking on meaningful leadership responsibilities.

The Offering

The successful Senior Associate will benefit from:

• A competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package
• Hybrid working and a supportive, flexible culture
• A newly refurbished Birmingham office including an on‑site café and free gym
• A highly respected training and development programme
• The opportunity to develop deep sector expertise within one of the UK's largest social housing teams

Apply Now!

To be considered for this Senior Associate – Housing Development role in Birmingham, please apply with an up‑to‑date CV or contact Angharad Warren at BCL Legal for a confidential discussion.

BCL Legal is an equal opportunities employer.