Principal Associate - Housing Development & Regeneration - Leeds

We are looking for a Principal Associate to join our Housing Development and Regeneration (HDR) team based in Leeds.
Main Purpose of the Role
The purpose of this role is to provide cutting edge specialist advice on all aspects of residential development and housing led work, to develop and maintain strong client relationships and to become immersed in the residential development market.
The role covers work streams involving title due diligence, land acquisition (both short and long term) and some of the more nuanced elements of residential development work whereby we add real value to client relationships and projects. The role presents the opportunity for an experienced solicitor long looking to develop their career in residential development, working as part of one of the biggest residential development teams in the country and for some of the top house builders and residential developers in the market.
The role envisages the successful candidate contributing to the growth of our business in the north and there are significant opportunities to develop a leadership career path in our Leeds office. Initiative, ambition and new ideas are welcomed and encouraged.
As Principal Associate (6 PQE) you will be encouraged to lead on complex transactions, supervising and developing junior staff and coordinating multi specialist teams.
About the team
The Housing Development and Regeneration team, one of the top teams in the country, sits within our Real Estate Group, the third largest Real Estate practice in the UK.
The team comprises 12 partners, supported by a team of lawyers and paralegals, advising on all aspects of residential development and housing led regeneration.
This role is based in our recently established Leeds office that spearheads our Housing Development and Regeneration team's operations across the north. Our Leeds team is the regional leader in all aspects of residential development across the north and is headed up by Partner Julia Field supported by eight other fee earners.
We act for house builders, mixed use developers, affordable housing providers, landowners (public and private) and investors in the residential sector. The housing sector continues to be a key area of investment for the government, supported by opposition parties, and demographic demand requires a continuing increase in supply. Our large, experienced team and excellent client base has a proven track record of resilience in times of market downturn which has enabled us to capitalise on housing sector growth during stable market periods.
About you
Applications are welcomed from experienced and ambitious residential lawyers with strong technical skills, commercial awareness, and a collaborative approach. The role will be wide ranging but key skills will include:
- Managing your own caseload to tight deadlines, remain calm under pressure and prioritise your workload effectively
- Working in a team environment (which may involve working as part of a larger project team) and support your colleagues
- Supervising and developing junior colleagues
- Giving clear, practical advice with sound commercial judgment and swift accurate implementation of instructions
- Negotiating effectively and deliver commercial solutions for our clients
- Communicating appropriately at all levels within the team and the wider business as well as with clients, agents and other parties
- Working closely and collaboratively with Gowling WLG team members, clients, and other professionals (e.g. local authorities, agents, surveyors, consultants, accountants and others)
- Contributing to business development and marketing
- Assisting on tenders to prospective clients including potential to take part in the pitch teams
- Taking responsibility for management functions and projects within the business appropriate to your experience
Our people help shape Gowling WLG. Through regular listening and feedback, we learn what's working well and where we can do better.
What We Can Offer You:
The opportunity to build your career at a firm where people have a voice, feedback is valued and we're committed to making the experience of working here better.
Excellent benefits, including:
- A hybrid approach to office and remote working.
- Generous annual leave, with the option to buy up to a week's extra annual leave
- Free private medical insurance, and the option to add family members
- A generous pension allowance
- Life assurance covering four times your annual salary
- The chance of a three-month sabbatical every five years
- Maternity, paternity and adoption leave schemes
- A range of health and wellbeing programmes
- State of the art offices, in the heart of Birmingham City Centre, with an onsite restaurant
- Opportunities to flourish in your role through training and personal development.
Many of our people work flexibly in some way. If you would like to explore your own flexible working arrangements with us, we are happy to discuss this during the recruitment process.
Equal Opportunities:
There’s no one type of person who belongs at Gowling WLG
We all bring something different, and we believe our different backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and ways of thinking make us stronger.
We want everyone at Gowling WLG to feel they belong, be valued for who they are and have the opportunity to thrive. That means welcoming difference, treating people fairly and working to remove the barriers that can get in the way.
We want to attract and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures, and would love to discover how your skills, experience and perspectives could contribute to Gowling WLG.
We want our recruitment process to work for you - if you need an adjustment or support at any stage let us know. We’ll listen, work with you to understand what you need, and treat the conversation confidentially.
If you have any queries in relation to this position or would like to see a full job description, please contact Arun Kainth Arun.Kainth@gowlingwlg.com