Senior Legal Counsel - Real Estate

Legal & General (L&G) is a leading UK financial services group and major global investor. 

We’ve been safeguarding people’s financial futures since 1836, and strive to build a better society, while improving the lives of our customers and creating value for shareholders. 

We are one of the world’s largest asset managers and provide powerful asset origination capabilities. Together, these underpin our retirement and protection solutions: we are an international player in pension risk transfer, in UK and US life insurance, and in UK workplace pensions and retirement income. 

Our global asset management business provides our clients and partners with complex, responsible investment solutions, working internationally across public and private markets. 

Who we are 

We are one of Europe’s largest asset managers and a major global investor across public and private markets.

Asset Management is a critical driver of our Group strategy. The business aims to work synergistically with our Institutional Retirement and Retail divisions to benefit our clients and customers, and deliver enhanced shareholder returns.  

Our investment philosophy and processes are focused on creating value over the long term. We believe that incorporating financially material sustainability criteria, when relevant to our clients, can create value and drive positive change. 

We’re looking for an experienced real estate lawyer to join our growing Private Markets legal team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a central role in supporting our residential housing investment strategy across Build to Rent, Purpose Built Student Accommodation and Affordable Housing. You’ll work closely with investment teams and senior leaders, helping shape transactions that deliver long‑term value while protecting the Group’s legal and reputational interests.

What you’ll be doing:

• Providing high‑quality legal advice on real estate equity transactions and supporting the delivery of strategic investment objectives
• Negotiating, executing and managing real estate transaction documents in collaboration with external counsel
• Supporting deal teams with due diligence, governance processes and internal approvals
• Advising on legal matters relating to existing investments and general real estate issues
• Developing and maintaining standard documents, policies and procedures to ensure consistency and best practice
• Keeping up to date with developments in property law and sharing knowledge across the legal team
• Building strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external legal advisers
• Managing external legal spend and ensuring advice received is commercially focused and aligned with business needs

Who we’re looking for:

• A qualified solicitor (UK or equivalent) with at least five years’ post‑qualification experience in real estate law
• Strong experience in real estate transactions, including development, construction and corporate acquisitions
• Knowledge of residential housing sectors and familiarity with fund structures such as English limited partnerships, JPUTs or REITs
• Ability to provide clear, commercially driven legal advice in a fast‑paced environment
• Strong judgement, attention to detail and the confidence to work independently when required
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to simplify complex issues for a range of audiences
• A collaborative approach, with the ability to build trusted relationships across teams and with external advisers
• A proactive mindset, with the ability to identify risks, propose solutions and support continuous improvement

Whatever your role, we reward performance and behaviour with a package that looks after all the things that are important to you. Here are some of the benefits we offer:

• The opportunity to participate in our annual, performance -related bonus plan and valuable share schemes
• Generous pension contribution
• Life assurance
• Healthcare Plan (permanent employees only)
• At least 25 days holiday, plus public holidays, 26 days after 2 years’ service. There’s also the option to buy and sell holiday
• Competitive family leave
• Participate in our electric car scheme, which offers employees the option to hire a brand-new electric car through tax efficient salary sacrifice (permanent employees only)
• There are the many discounts we offer – both for our own products and at a range of high street stores and online
• In 2023, some of our workspaces were redesigned. Our offices are great spaces to connect and collaborate and have your wellbeing at the heart

At L&G, we believe it's possible to generate positive returns today while helping to build a better future for all. 

If you join us, you’ll be part of a welcoming, inclusive culture, with opportunities to collaborate with people of diverse backgrounds, views, and experiences. Guided by leaders with integrity who care about your future and wellbeing. Empowered through initiatives which support people to develop their careers and excel.

We care passionately about outcomes rather than attendance and are therefore open to discussing all kinds of flexible working options including part-time, term-time and job shares. Although some roles have limited flexibility due to customer demand, we accommodate requests when we can. 

It doesn’t matter if you don’t meet every single criterion in this advert. Instead, think about what you excel at and what else you can bring in terms of strengths, potential and connection to our purpose.