Associate

Boodle Hatfield LLP is a highly successful London law firm with a heritage spanning almost 300 years advising wealthy families, property investors, landed estates, entrepreneurs and family businesses. Today, much of our work has an international dimension as many internationally mobile clients turn to us to help them structure and preserve their wealth or to advise them on their property investments and business activities in the UK. 

The Firm operates through five departments - private wealth, property, corporate, litigation and family – and has a strong focus on key sectors including Arts and Luxury assets; Middle East, Family Offices, Family Businesses and Entrepreneurs from offices in London (Bankside and Mayfair) and Oxford. 

We have a modern and agile approach which enables us to balance maintaining long standing relationships with clients and an entrepreneurial attitude to attracting new clients.

The team acts for high net worth individuals and a number of established and high profile urban and rural estate clients.  The team aims to provide a highly organised, efficient and cost effective service to our existing clients and to build on this reputation to further grow the practice.  The successful candidate will have the opportunity to play a key part in achieving this aim.

The primary role will be to assist the team with transactional assistance alongside the management of large urban and rural estates.  Particular responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Direct dealing with important clients of the Firm, including attending and contributing in client meetings as well as direct liaison with clients and their agents via telephone and email;
• Responsibility for own files and caseload;
• Management work for urban and rural estate landlords holding mixed use portfolios comprising of retail, office residential and other properties;
• Sales and purchases of residential properties (both freehold and leasehold) with an element of financing;
• Drafting letters / emails as part of a transaction or when giving advice to clients;
• Drafting / negotiating transaction documents;
• Preparation of SDLT forms and registrations;
• Managing own file administration;
• Generally assisting on due diligence for large-scale investment projects;
• The role may also involve assisting with marketing materials and pitch documentation.

The Residential team is based in London and consists of 4 Partners and 5 Fee Earners.  This position will report directly into the Head of the Residential team in the Property Department.  We are looking for an Associate to join the Residential team to further their career on a full-time basis.

Our clients are generally long-established repeat clients based either in the UK or abroad.

The purpose of this role is primarily to deal with a broad range of transactional work and to assist/deal with management transactions including lettings, licences to assign, underlet and alter, (which includes the preparation of draft documentation), deeds of variation etc. for both private clients and for urban and rural estate clients. 

The successful candidate will encounter a wide variety of transactional work alongside property portfolio management matters across mixed use rural and urban portfolios. The candidate must be able to deal with buying, selling and financing for private clients.   Responsibilities will include drafting and negotiating documents as well as running a significant number of their own files.  There can be an element of commercial work especially when dealing with agricultural property or large estates but experience in commercial work is not a pre-requisite for the role.

Whilst the position sits within the Property department they will work closely with our Private Client department. 

The role will be pressurised from time to time and candidates will need to be grounded and able to use their own initiative and be quick-thinking and flexible in their approach to their work.  We are looking for someone who will be able to deal with clients, their advisers and others, in a professional and courteous manner.  This will include meeting such individuals face-to-face on occasions.

• NQ or 1 year PQE who gained experience of residential leasehold property management experience during their training contract or after qualification;
• Residential experience, including dealing with letting transactions and mortgages on houses and flats.  Commercial and/or agricultural experience is not required, however, an ability to learn and be willing to undertake this work is important;
• A good team player with a willingness to pick up work and support colleagues during busy periods; 
• Ability to manage multiple files and meet deadlines whilst maintaining exceptional attention to detail;
• Ability to understand and deal with complex title structures;
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with both team members and clients;
• Excellent client handling skills;
• Confidence in giving advice, listening to clients and being commercial;
• Self-starter with plenty of drive and initiative;
• The work can be fast paced and it is varied. The role requires someone with a lively and analytical mind with good common sense and an understanding of commercial issues;
• Works in a highly organised manner;
• Ability to utilise the appropriate IT systems;
• Strong academic background with a minimum, A levels or equivalent;
• Experience must have been gained in a reputable London or regional firm.

If you would like further details about any positions we are currently recruiting for, please contact a member of the Recruitment team on recruitment@boodlehatfield.com.

Boodle Hatfield can offer you a competitive rewards package and excellent development opportunities in an inclusive and supportive environment.  We are fully committed to creating a working environment in which all people can excel.

Boodle Hatfield is committed to providing equal opportunities in employment through its inclusive and supportive environment. This means that everyone who either applies to or works for the Firm is treated equally, whatever their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.  We are fully committed to a working environment in which all people can excel.