Senior Associate - Construction

A&O Shearman; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Occupational pension scheme

Group income protection cover

Private medical insurance

Mental health resources and free apps

Health and wellbeing services with an:

Job summary

A&O Shearman in London seeks a Senior Associate to join the Construction team within the Real Estate group. You will lead on complex real estate deals, draft and negotiate construction documents, and manage cross-border projects with clients and colleagues.

The role requires 6 PQE+, strong technical knowledge of construction procurement, and excellent client-facing skills. This hybrid role offers high‑level exposure and opportunities to develop through the firm’s network.

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer with 6 PQE+ or above for Senior Associate.
• Experience in construction on real estate transactions and development funding.
• Strong technical knowledge of procurement methods and JCT/FIDIC documents.
• Excellent client management and cross-border collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Drafting and negotiating construction documents for real estate transactions.
• Managing construction workstreams on real estate, financing and corporate deals.
• Project management of construction elements and supervising junior lawyers.
• Providing contract management advice on construction projects.
• Liaising with colleagues across the A&O Shearman network.
• Advising clients on meetings, calls and emails, managing expectations.
• Training junior members and leading know-how within the practice.

Job description

We are recruiting for a Construction lawyer to join our Real Estate team in London as Senior Associate.

DEPARTMENT PURPOSE

Real estate is the world's largest asset class and our work for organisations active in the sector, whether they're investors, developers occupiers or lenders, gives us a deep understanding of the industry and the way it operates. We are at the heart of the global real estate sector offering cutting‑edge and intelligent advice that complements the way our clients work.

ROLE PURPOSE

We are recruiting for a Senior Associate (6 PQE+) to join the Construction team within A&O Shearman's award‑winning Real Estate group in London. This is an exciting opportunity in a vibrant stand alone practice which also provides "go to" expertise for our Real Estate, Banking and Corporate lawyers, alongside their own pitches and client management.

ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Drafting and negotiating construction documents for all types of real estate asset based transactions, and data center deals, in the UK and providing assistance as required in other parts of the network.
• Managing the construction workstream on real estate, financing and corporate transactions and working seamlessly with other A&O Shearman teams and clients.
• Project management of the overall smooth running of the construction elements of a transaction, including competently leading such a transaction and supervising junior lawyers
• Providing contract management advice in respect of construction projects.
• Being an integral part of the "go to team" in relation to all real estate related construction matters and liaising with colleagues throughout the A&O Shearman network (particularly in Europe).
• Strategically advising clients in meetings, on the phone and by email, managing client expectations and project delivery appropriately.
• Building relationships with clients (both on and off deal) and assisting with and implementing business development initiatives - including a strong enthusiasm for growing the practice through client training and networking.
• Training and developing junior members of the team and leading on know‑how for the practice.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Qualified lawyer - 6 PQE+ or above for Senior Associate
• Driven, enthusiastic associate with strong academics and experience of working on major construction deals. The successful candidate will have had experience at a senior level of a variety of aspects of construction in a number of sectors and involving a number of different real estate asset classes.
• Strong technical knowledge of all construction procurement methods.
• Detailed knowledge of the documents (e.g. JCT and FIDIC contract forms, appointments, warranties, TPRs etc) used in construction procurement transactions with the ability to comfortably draft and negotiate these.
• Familiarity with forward funding / development funding agreements, development agreements, development management agreements, agreements for lease and related documents.
• Extensive experience of the construction and development elements of financing, real estate and corporate transactions.
• Experience of cross jurisdictional issues is an advantage but is not essential.
• Keen interest in AI and technology and passionate about using the firm's extensive capabilities in this area to help drive initiatives within the Real Estate team.
• Intellectual curiosity and versatility.
• Self‑starter with the desire and ability to continuously acquire, build upon and share knowledge internally in the team.
• Detail‑focused and self‑motivated approach.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple transactions and deadlines.
• Excellent client relationship skills.
• Sound experience of operating at senior associate level within a complex international organisation.
• Strong commercial/business acumen with the ability to deliver creative and pragmatic solutions and advice.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interface at all levels and particularly to win the respect of the partner and fee‑earner community, building strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborative team player with the ability to develop and work in a fast paced, intellectually rigorous environment.
• A person of sound judgement, able to establish a high level of credibility.

Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our recruitment team who will work with you to provide any adjustments as required.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

• our occupational pension scheme
• group income protection cover
• private medical insurance
• mental health resources and free apps
• health and wellbeing services encompassing an onsite gym
• wellbeing centre and GP service
• emergency back‑up care support
• parental and special leave
• holiday entitlement increasing with length of service
• holiday trading
• season ticket loans
• online discounts and lifestyle management services

Our approach to hybrid working seeks to combine and maximise the benefits of effective remote working with the benefits of being in the office. Our current hybrid working arrangements require office based working for a minimum of 60% of your time (i.e. three days per week for a full time role) in accordance with our hybrid working policy.