Associate Solicitor

IBB Law is not your usual law firm. We work hard to understand our clients and deliver the best solutions to let them get on with what matters to them most – be that personally or in their businesses.  We have one foot in the Thames Valley and the other in the thriving inward investment market of West London. Close to Heathrow, we are perfectly placed to support businesses, both regionally and across the UK.  We are a modern law business that is proud of the people we work with – both our clients and our employees.  We care about the communities we serve and take time to reach out to those in trouble through our community legal services. We provide expertise in commercial, property and private client law. 

This role is to provide senior level assistance and support to the team leader (partner) and the team of solicitors in Commercial Real Estate team. 

To provide a high-quality legal service to clients on all aspects of Commercial Real Estate including sales and purchases, property investment and management, lettings, developments, and property finance. The role will include (without limitation):  

• Negotiating agreements for the sale and purchase of land

• Investigating title to properties, identifying key issues affecting title and preparing reports to the client

• Assisting on development transactions including site assembly issues, development agreements, planning related documents and infrastructure agreements

• Drafting and negotiating leases and all leasehold documents

• Drafting and negotiating conditional agreements and option agreements

• Undertaking or assisting upon secured lending transactions

KNOWLEDGE 

• Ensuring that professional services provided by the team are of the highest quality, that client care standards are effectively maintained, and that work completed meets the appropriate standards. To ensure that the files are maintained properly and that matters are progressed in line with the firm’s standard up to and including billing and file closing. 

• Ensure efficient file management including adherence to timescales, compliance with precedents, letters or documents on the case management system with appropriate supervision. 

• Optimise the use of technology and applications to make the client experience as smooth and efficient as possible. 

• Complying with the Office Manual and immediately reporting to the partner on any areas of concern or risk to the client and/or firm. 

PRACTICE GROWTH & FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE 

• Being responsible for billing and administration processes in line with team procedures; taking responsibility for delegating work to junior solicitors, trainees, paralegals and /or the group legal administrator(s) where appropriate; providing guidance on legal issues for more junior members of the team where appropriate; managing cash and disbursement control and working on ad hoc projects as and when required.   

• Ensuring work is prioritised and progressed as efficiently as possible; new business is effectively introduced and managed into the firm; the partners in the Group are sufficiently aware of your workload and specific issues which arise on your matters and you maintain a flexible and proactive approach to work and good working relationships with external institutions including clients and any professional referrers to promote IBB’s brand in the marketplace. 

CLIENTS AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 

• Regarded as ‘Trusted Advisor’ by clients and other professional bodies. 

• Helping to develop team capability to the point it can be marketed more extensively to existing clients not yet using the service and/or new prospects. 

• Looking for ways to innovate with existing streams of ancillary work, building your own personal reputation and building eminence for the firm by; developing existing and new contacts and referrers of work; taking the lead on article writing in your team; joining relevant associations and seeking out positions of responsibility to support your personal ambitions to become or maintain your position as a leader in your field and encouraging others in the team to build the team reputation. 

PEOPLE 

• Remain professionally and technically up to date by participating in learning and development activities and recording CPD, as well as developing knowledge of the market place and client base.  

Qualifications 

• Educated to degree level (with a 2:1 or above) with a strong LPC pass or equivalent and hold a current unencumbered practising certificate from the SRA. 

Skills and Experiences  

• Indicatively, 4 + years post qualification experience in this area of legal work  

• Good technical grounding in this area of law. 

• Any following/ local connections (an advantage). 

• A passion for this practice area. 

• Flexible with the ability to work to tight deadlines whilst maintaining the highest quality standards and attention to details. 

• IT literate and self-sufficient in using document management systems, MS Office and the internet as a business tool. A candidate that demonstrates embracing technology. 

• A clear awareness of the need to develop business with past experience in marketing and promoting expertise in order to attract work and further opportunities.