Senior Associate/Legal Director - Leasehold Enfranchisement - Exeter

Trowers & Hamlins LLP; Exeter; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Pension scheme (GPP Aviva)

Private medical insurance

Job summary

Trowers & Hamlins LLP in Exeter seeks a Senior Associate/Legal Director to lead and support the Leasehold Enfranchisement team within the Property Disputes group. You will advise landlords and leaseholders on extensions, collective enfranchisement and RTM, while negotiating settlements and managing complex timetables.

The role requires strong technical and communication skills, a client-focused approach, and an ability to handle high-value disputes for public and private sector clients.

Qualifications

• Candidates with at least 5+ years relevant post qualification experience, or equivalent, gained from a reputable firm.
• Strong knowledge of freehold and leasehold enfranchisement is essential.
• Drive and enthusiasm and client focus.
• Commercial awareness;
• Ability to work to deadlines.
• Strong technical and communication skills (both spoken and written) including the ability to write in plain English.
• Good interpersonal skills, presenting and client facing skills.

Responsibilities

• Statutory lease extension claims
• Collective enfranchisement claims
• Right to Manage claims
• Tenants' rights of first refusal
• Enfranchisement reform
• Advising a mixed client base from both the public and private sector on enfranchisement issues
• Managing statutory lease extension and enfranchisement claims, acting for both landlords and leaseholders
• Negotiate settlements with opposing parties and advising clients on any proposed terms in enfranchisement claims
• Building and maintaining effective client relationships
• Active participation in marketing initiatives
• Participating in firm-wide, office and departmental training sessions
• Preparing reports to clients
• Ensuring files are managed in compliance with Lexcel procedures

Skills

Leasehold enfranchisement

Post-qualification experience

Commercial awareness

Deadline-driven

Client facing

Job description

Senior Associate/Legal Director - Leasehold Enfranchisement - Exeter

Department: Dispute Resolution and Litigation

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Exeter

Description

The Property Disputes Team

We provide a fully integrated real estate dispute resolution legal service for clients which works closely alongside our national projects, real estate, construction and litigation teams.

Our practice has extensive experience of acting for public and private sector commercial clients on a wide range of real estate disputes in principal areas such as residential leasehold management, development, institutional investment and commercial landlord and tenant.

We have established a leading, national real estate litigation practice, which delivers high quality, practical and commercial real estate dispute resolution services. The practice combines work for clients generated within the group as well as for wider clients of the firm. Intra team collaboration at Trowers is a key part of our culture and the approach taken within the property litigation team is no exception.

The opportunity

The leasehold enfranchisement team currently comprises two Partners, two Associates, three Paralegals, and the support of a Trainee Solicitor, Solicitor Apprentice and Legal Assistant.

We act for a wide range of landlords on lease extension, collective enfranchisement and right to manage (RTM) claims as well as advising on the application of the legislation on regeneration and development schemes and on the rights of first refusal legislation. Statutory claims by leaseholders are often subject to strict timetables making it essential that there is an awareness of the rights being exercised, responses required and effect on value.

We also act for leaseholders – individually and collectively – on lease extensions, collective enfranchisement and right to manage claims.

Having experience of acting for both sides in this area ensures that we understand how best to achieve our clients' objectives in the most cost effective and timely manner.

Key Responsibilities

An experienced Senior Associate is required to support the enfranchisement team which sits within Property Disputes. Work will involve acting for large estate landlords, investors, developers and tenants in respect of:

• Statutory lease extension claims
• Collective enfranchisement claims
• Right to Manage claims
• Tenants' rights of first refusal
• Enfranchisement reform
• Advising a mixed client base from both the public and private sector on enfranchisement issues;
• Managing statutory lease extension and enfranchisement claims, acting for both landlords and leaseholders;
• Negotiate settlements with opposing parties and advising clients on any proposed terms in enfranchisement claims;
• Building and maintaining effective client relationships;
• Active participation in marketing initiatives;
• Participating in firm-wide, office and departmental training sessions;
• Preparing reports to clients;
• Participating in firm-wide, office and departmental training sessions;
• Ensuring files are managed in compliance with Lexcel procedures;

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

The firm has a competency framework for Senior Associates and in particular for this role we require:

• Candidates with at least 5+ years relevant post qualification experience, or equivalent, gained from a reputable firm;
• Strong knowledge of freehold and leasehold enfranchisement is essential;
• Drive and enthusiasm and client focus.
• Commercial awareness;
• Ability to work to deadlines;
• Strong technical and communication skills (both spoken and written) including the ability to write in plain English;
• Good interpersonal skills, presenting and client facing skills.

Benefits

Our benefits include, an annual bonus scheme, GPP Pension Scheme with Aviva. We also offer Private Medical Insurance, (currently with Vitality Health) upon joining the firm, which include discounted gym memberships, free cinema tickets, health assessments and much more.

Trowers & Hamlins is an equal opportunities employer and values equity, diversity and inclusion. All applications will be considered on merit and the applicant's suitability to meet the requirements of the role and will be treated equally irrespective of Ethnicity, Gender (including Trans and non-binary) Race, Disability, Religion and sexual orientation.

As part of our firm recruitment policy our candidates are subject to employment screening background checks. These checks include personal details, education and employment history, professional qualifications and credit and criminal checks as appropriate.