Solicitor

Our Private Client group is based across our Uxbridge, Beaconsfield, and Ascot Offices. The Group Head for Private Client is Shital Mehta. The head of the Residential Conveyancing Team is Gary Bunce.

The Private Client group is recognised as a regional heavyweight and includes a Family, Estate, Planning, and a High Net Work Residential Property team all of which are headed by partners.

Working within a team of residential conveyancers and solicitors, you will be focussing primarily on residential freehold and leasehold sales, purchases, re-mortgages and transfer of equity transactions.

In time, you will also deal with more complex transactions such as sales and purchases of part with some non-residential use, sales of development land, matrimonial transactions, charity matters, estate planning, probate and trust residential property work and other matters that may be delegated by the partner.

• Provide a high-quality legal service to clients including:
  • Managing transactions from start to finish including (but not limited to) reviewing, preparing and collating legal and title deed documentation in respect of any transaction or approving these when drafted by a Legal Administrator or generated by AI and liaising with the clients, law firms and third parties such as estate agents as required.
  • Liaising with the client and keeping them fully updated throughout the transaction.
  • Drafting contracts, leases, bespoke transfers, property information in relation to any transaction.
  • Dealing with complex matters and enquiries raised by the buyer’s solicitors on non-standard matters.
  • Reporting to clients on Contract and other legal documentation.
  • Attending or overseeing to exchange of contracts, completion and post completion registrations/formalities and file closure procedures including the release of any undertakings given.
  • Conducting legal research where applicable.
• Utilise technical knowledge and skills to ensure:
  • Information is analysed to reach sound decisions.
  • Recognition of commercial drivers behind a deal and reacting accordingly.
  • Recognition of issues and problems arising during the course of a transaction and reacting quickly and effectively.
  • Instructions are comprehended and followed appropriately.
  • Communication is succinct both verbally and in writing using plain English.

• Ensuring files are maintained properly and that matters are progressed in line with the firm’s standard up to and including billing and file closing including:
  • Maintaining good file management and ensuring file opening and closing is carried out in line with IBB procedures, Office Manual and regulatory requirements.
  • Complying with the CQS scheme and CML and Building Society Handbooks requirements as varied from time to time.
  • Preparing bills and statements of accounts in accordance with IBB procedures. Collecting and distributing client and office funds in accordance with IBB procedures.
  • Complying with the Office Manual and immediately reporting to the partner on any areas of concern or risk to the client and/or firm.
  • Ensuring all chargeable work is properly recorded on client matters.
  • Adhering to the Law Society’s client care directive, CQS requirements, CML and Building Society requirements and to the firm’s own policies as set out in the Office Manual.
• Ensure you are well organised and demonstrate strong interpersonal skills so that work is prioritised and progressed as efficiently as possible; your Team Leader and the partners in the Group are sufficiently aware of your workload and specific issues and you maintain a flexible and proactive approach to work.
• Assist the team in its marketing objectives, to include activities such as attending client events and assisting the partners in organising client events.
• Establish and maintain contact with relevant third parties and ensure good working relationships with referrers and other external contacts.
• Supervise, support and develop less experienced fee earners when agreed with the Team Leader.
• Being on hand to assist managing the wider team when the Team Leader is unavailable or has requested support.
• Remain professionally and technically up to date by participating in learning and development activities and recording CPD, as well as developing knowledge of the marketplace and client base.
• Support the Team Leader in executing aspects of the team’s business plan so evolving and growing the business generally. 

Qualifications

• You will be a Solicitor, Chartered Legal Executive or Licensed Conveyancer with strong experience of non-routine transactions.

Skills and Experiences

• A minimum of 2 years (indicative) residential conveyancing experience together with sound technical knowledge in residential property law.
• At ease and confident working on your own caseload and acting on a transaction from start to finish.
• Experience of delegating work and managing monitoring systems with the ability to provide supervision and support. 
• IT literate with good working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications including Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint and self-sufficient in using document management systems and the internet as a business tool.
• Able to take a flexible approach and work to tight deadlines whilst maintaining the highest quality standards and attention to detail.
• Experience of working under CQS scheme (desirable)