Paralegal - Real Estate (HDR)
About Gowling WLG
We have more than 1,400 legal professionals working around the world. Our offices span across 19 cities in Canada, the UK, Continental Europe, Asia and the Middle East. There's strength in our global presence, we embrace our differing cultures and work together as one team. We also understand the importance of investing in relationships that build knowledge and trust, while we provide legal advice that's tailored to our clients' world.
'Our people and distinct culture are what makes us different. We know this through client and employee feedback and this drives everything we do'' Chris Oglethorpe, HR Director.
There are great opportunities for all our people to flourish. Through training and personal development they can grow in their role. Our people are the cornerstone of our success, across legal, business support and early talent. We care about their happiness and believe in the power of teamwork.
We want them to feel empowered and recognise that by supporting, respecting and embracing everyone's different contributions we achieve more.
Working flexibly, working fairly
Agile working offers people more freedom and flexibility in where, when, and how they work. As technology advances and our workforce becomes more diverse, and with clients often working to a 24/7 rhythm, having extra flexibility is key to helping us balance work and other commitments sensibly and productively.
By supporting people to choose where and when they get their work done, we help them to make a full and fair contribution to their team, while maintaining that all important work-life balance.
Where possible and depending on business needs, we will consider all flexible working options such as part-time working, job sharing, working from home and staggered hours.
If in considering a role with Gowling WLG you favour flexibility in your working arrangements, please discuss this with the recruitment team in the early stages of the application process.
About the Team:
The Housing Development and Regeneration Team work alongside top 10 residential property developers including The Miller Group, Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey, Bloor and Gleeson Developments. It is among the best known names for residential development legal work and plots sales in the UK. With more than 40 experts dedicated entirely to this discipline, it is also one of the biggest.
The areas of residential development expertise within the team include: serviced and un-serviced parcels of land and property, overage, strategic work such as complex and simple options, planning and infrastructure agreements and site assembly, joint ventures, large scale consortium developments, building licences and development management agreements, with a separate sub-team providing plot sales and part exchange transactions.
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
The role will have a housing development focus. You will be managing your own varied caseload of volume instructions using a case management system in relation to:
managing your own caseload of plot sales to housing associations (with supervision from a Senior Associate);
investigating and reporting on title;
carrying out due diligence, including searches, and reporting on the results;
preparing draft legal reports on due diligence and, in some cases, reporting on purchase or sale documentation;
dealing with infrastructure agreements and straightforward contracts and transfers (such as affordable housing sales and transfers of public open space, electricity substations and similar facilities), with some client contact as appropriate, and running some individual matters;
drafting documents, preparing Land Registry applications and SDLT returns and dealing with post completion formalities;
and any other reasonable duties delegated by any Partner, Director or Associate within the team.
The team also has a very strong offering to affordable housing providers such as Sanctuary, has market-leading expertise in private rented sector investment, and advises on some of the largest and most complex regeneration and transport projects in the UK (such as Brent Cross).
Qualifications
Key Skills and Experience:
Working in an inclusive, sharing and collaborative culture you will be expected to play your part in ensuring the continuing success and growth of the team. Experience of working in a legal environment is essential.
You should be able to:
Manage your own caseload from instruction through to file closure, to tight deadlines, in accordance with client's agreed procedures and any service level agreement.
Remain calm under pressure and prioritise your workload effectively.
Work in a team environment (this may include working as part of a bigger project team) and support your colleagues.
Give clear, practical advice with sound commercial judgment and swift accurate implementation of instructions.
Understand property related deeds and documents.
Investigate title, carry out title reviews and prepare reports on title.
Carry out searches, do research and analysis, deal with enquiries.
Communicate appropriately and confidently at all levels within the team and the wider business as well as with clients, agents and other parties in person, by phone, letter, email or other communication means.
Use your initiative to solve problems, resolve queries and be proactive.
Manage financial hygiene.
You should have:
Previous experience of working in a housing development or conveyancing role ideally - however any candidate with experience in the residential property sector, having worked in a similar role, who can meet the other criteria in this specification, is encouraged to apply.
Strong organisation and communication skills.
Attention to detail and numeracy skills.
Good interpersonal skills and confidence in liaising with others
Effective Time management skills.
Excellent Keyboard, IT and data entry skills.
Problem solving abilities.
Enthusiasm.
We have more than 1,400 legal professionals working around the world. Our offices span across 19 cities in Canada, the UK, Continental Europe, Asia and the Middle East. There's strength in our global presence, we embrace our differing cultures and work together as one team. We also understand the importance of investing in relationships that build knowledge and trust, while we provide legal advice that's tailored to our clients' world.
'Our people and distinct culture are what makes us different. We know this through client and employee feedback and this drives everything we do'' Chris Oglethorpe, HR Director.
There are great opportunities for all our people to flourish. Through training and personal development they can grow in their role. Our people are the cornerstone of our success, across legal, business support and early talent. We care about their happiness and believe in the power of teamwork.
We want them to feel empowered and recognise that by supporting, respecting and embracing everyone's different contributions we achieve more.
Working flexibly, working fairly
Agile working offers people more freedom and flexibility in where, when, and how they work. As technology advances and our workforce becomes more diverse, and with clients often working to a 24/7 rhythm, having extra flexibility is key to helping us balance work and other commitments sensibly and productively.
By supporting people to choose where and when they get their work done, we help them to make a full and fair contribution to their team, while maintaining that all important work-life balance.
Where possible and depending on business needs, we will consider all flexible working options such as part-time working, job sharing, working from home and staggered hours.
If in considering a role with Gowling WLG you favour flexibility in your working arrangements, please discuss this with the recruitment team in the early stages of the application process.
About the Team:
The Housing Development and Regeneration Team work alongside top 10 residential property developers including The Miller Group, Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey, Bloor and Gleeson Developments. It is among the best known names for residential development legal work and plots sales in the UK. With more than 40 experts dedicated entirely to this discipline, it is also one of the biggest.
The areas of residential development expertise within the team include: serviced and un-serviced parcels of land and property, overage, strategic work such as complex and simple options, planning and infrastructure agreements and site assembly, joint ventures, large scale consortium developments, building licences and development management agreements, with a separate sub-team providing plot sales and part exchange transactions.
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
The role will have a housing development focus. You will be managing your own varied caseload of volume instructions using a case management system in relation to:
managing your own caseload of plot sales to housing associations (with supervision from a Senior Associate);
investigating and reporting on title;
carrying out due diligence, including searches, and reporting on the results;
preparing draft legal reports on due diligence and, in some cases, reporting on purchase or sale documentation;
dealing with infrastructure agreements and straightforward contracts and transfers (such as affordable housing sales and transfers of public open space, electricity substations and similar facilities), with some client contact as appropriate, and running some individual matters;
drafting documents, preparing Land Registry applications and SDLT returns and dealing with post completion formalities;
and any other reasonable duties delegated by any Partner, Director or Associate within the team.
The team also has a very strong offering to affordable housing providers such as Sanctuary, has market-leading expertise in private rented sector investment, and advises on some of the largest and most complex regeneration and transport projects in the UK (such as Brent Cross).
Qualifications
Key Skills and Experience:
Working in an inclusive, sharing and collaborative culture you will be expected to play your part in ensuring the continuing success and growth of the team. Experience of working in a legal environment is essential.
You should be able to:
Manage your own caseload from instruction through to file closure, to tight deadlines, in accordance with client's agreed procedures and any service level agreement.
Remain calm under pressure and prioritise your workload effectively.
Work in a team environment (this may include working as part of a bigger project team) and support your colleagues.
Give clear, practical advice with sound commercial judgment and swift accurate implementation of instructions.
Understand property related deeds and documents.
Investigate title, carry out title reviews and prepare reports on title.
Carry out searches, do research and analysis, deal with enquiries.
Communicate appropriately and confidently at all levels within the team and the wider business as well as with clients, agents and other parties in person, by phone, letter, email or other communication means.
Use your initiative to solve problems, resolve queries and be proactive.
Manage financial hygiene.
You should have:
Previous experience of working in a housing development or conveyancing role ideally - however any candidate with experience in the residential property sector, having worked in a similar role, who can meet the other criteria in this specification, is encouraged to apply.
Strong organisation and communication skills.
Attention to detail and numeracy skills.
Good interpersonal skills and confidence in liaising with others
Effective Time management skills.
Excellent Keyboard, IT and data entry skills.
Problem solving abilities.
Enthusiasm.