Role: Solicitor
Salary: Negotiable
Department: Agriculture & Estates
Locations: Chelmsford
PQE: 1-3
Our client is a UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, they have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals based in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks.
They 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.
The Department:
The Agriculture and Estates team is one of the largest specialist legal units in the UK operating in this niche area of the law.
The team advises both UK and international clients on all aspects of UK legislation affecting rural real estate investment – including farm acquisitions and disposals, renewable energy projects, planning issues, natural capital, investment in equestrian and rural estate, rights of way and environmental liabilities.
The team is ranked ‘Tier 1’ in Legal 500 for 2024 and ‘Band 1’ Chambers 2024. The firm was awarded ‘Private Client Regional Law Firm of the Year 2018 and 2017’.
Main Responsibilities:
- Drafting, negotiating and agreeing documentation for property sales and purchases, deeds of easement and other property-related documents
- Managing your own smaller transactions and liaising with other team members on larger transactions
- Attending meetings with clients and other law firms
- Attending business development events
- Sales and acquisitions of agricultural property and land (including options, overages and pre-emption agreements)
- Agricultural tenancies
- Sporting and fishing rights
- Banking and re-financing agricultural properties
- Residential conveyancing and tenancy advice for farming and estate clients
- Business structures and joint venture/collaborative agreements
- Diversification issues
- Succession planning
- Working with the wider Private Client and tax teams advising on
- Wills, trust planning and probate matters
- Tax Advice in relation to IHT, SDLT, BADR, CGT and VAT
- Renewable Energy and Natural Capital Schemes
- Basic payment scheme, Agri environment and ELMS scheme issues.
Key Skills/Experience Needed:
- We are seeking an ambitious, driven and forward-thinking Solicitor, with 1 – 3 years PQE
- Passion for rural matters and an interest in Agricultural law
- You will need to demonstrate strong attention to detail in order to produce work/ documentation which is consistently of a high standard.
- You will have a flexible approach to work to ensure client deadlines are always met and clients are communicated with on a consistent and regular basis and an interest in and aptitude for business development.
- Prior experience of Agricultural law is not essential, but candidates must be able to demonstrate a genuine interest in becoming a specialist within this area.
- Candidates with good quality experience of either Private Client or Property who have a desire to specialise in Agriculture and Estates would be highly suited.
Benefits:
- Starting at 25 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays (rising with service up to a maximum of 30 days)
- 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 and Individual Performance Bonus Scheme
- Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)
- Life Assurance – 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance
- Paid CSR Day
- Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave
- Subsidised gym membership
- Electric car scheme
- Agile/Hybrid Working Policy
- Dress for your Day Policy