Associate / Senior Associate

Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 500 lawyers and legal professionals based in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: property, corporate services, litigation and private client advisory.

We are defined by our Next Level Law proposition. We work with our clients as a proactive partner, horizon scanning and thinking ahead to the changes, challenges or opportunities that they may face.

Next Level Law is also applied to our people. Our collegiate culture means everyone is encouraged to achieve their next level in everything they do.  RollOnFriday recently ranked us as the 5th best law firm to work at in 2024.

With our ambition to succeed, comes a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve, and we are committed to delivering the objectives set out in our ESG strategy. Diversity plays an integral part in all that we do, with female partners comprising 40% of our partnership.

The Residential Property team is a team of 60+ members operating out of six offices but working together as one team.

Within the team there are various specialist sectors. We have a vacancy to fill in the team which will involve acting on routine residential property transactions as well as property finance transactions involving specialist lenders and Limited Company borrowers.

The Chelmsford team currently comprises ten fee earners and five assistants working alongside team-wide support pools (file opening and completions).

You will provide additional fee earning support for a rapidly growing sector with a focus on technical excellence and business development.

The role will suit a candidate with a significant following and marketplace presence to be able to actively and effectively grow the practice, although this is not essential.

• Acting for high net worth individuals
• Acting for a range of clients but largely corporate entities on a diverse range of residential property finance matters
• Acting on the purchase and financing of routine and complex freehold/leasehold and high value properties
• Working alongside and developing relationships with clients and brokers
• Acting on main stream residential conveyancing to support the wider practice
• Providing technical support to the local team members including overseeing and training of junior team members as the need arises
• Being actively involved with developing and implementing the Chelmsford team business development plan
• Instil the Birketts’ culture and brand signatures and values throughout the team

• Solicitor/Legal Exec/Licensed Conveyancer with 3+ years' PQE
• Experience of all aspects of work as outlined in this profile is required
• An ability to actively market within this specialist sector and to focus on growing new relationships
• To be competent in using Microsoft Word, Excel, time recording software, case management, Outlook and digital dictation

We are committed to recruiting individuals on merits of suitability for each role, on the basis of qualifications and experience. All applications are treated fairly and equally regardless of sexual orientation, race, disability, religious beliefs and any other protected characteristic, ensuring that there are equal opportunities at all stages of the recruitment process.

Benefits 

·       25 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays rising with service / promotion

·       Long Service holiday award – 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service

·       Private Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed)

·       Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% employer / 5% Employee)

·       Staff Profit Share / Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)

·       Life Assurance   - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance

·       Paid ESG day (Environmental, Social and Governance)

·       Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave

·       Subsidised gym membership

·       Electric car scheme

·       Eye Care Voucher

·       Agile Working Policy

·       Dress for your Day Policy

Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model where our colleagues enjoy a mix of home and office working. We welcome applications from people looking for flexible, agile and part time roles and we are happy to explore your preferred working patterns as part of your application.