Real Estate Finance Senior Associate

Finance

Job Reference

4943

Function

Finance

Category

Lawyers

Location

London, United Kingdom

Schedule

None

The role

DLA Piper’s Finance Group is one of the largest dedicated global practices. We provide pragmatic and actionable solutions to the most pressing challenges for our clients.
Our Global Real Estate Finance (REF) and Sports Finance team has a proven track record of advising both lenders and borrowers in finance transactions throughout the real estate industry. We are an award-winning team and have recently celebrated being recognised as ‘Law Firm of the Year 2024’ at Real Estate Capital Europe Awards, recognising our successes in advising on some of Europe’s most significant financings.  

We are internationally recognised for our representation of lenders and borrowers in complex structured finance transactions; including the EUR1.45bn financing of Futbol Club Barcelona for the renovation of the Spotify Camp Nou; the £243m funding by ICG Real Estate for a landmark build-to-rent project in London; a EUR200m residential refinancing in Spain for CaixaBank; and a EUR145m office refinancing in Poland for Globalworth.  We are recognised as a market leading Sports Finance Team including representing Goldman Sachs on the groundbreaking Barcelona securitisation deal.

We also provide a cross-border service through our global network of offices, representing lenders and investors in all financing elements relating to the acquisition, sale, and development; classes of real estate including commercial, stadium, industrial, retail, hotel, residential, care facilities and student accommodation.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

By joining one of the largest teams of dedicated finance lawyers in the world, you will receive support from Partners devoted to developing and achieving your goals. Candidates will enjoy a uniquely dynamic range of work.  Responsibilities will include, but not be limited to: 

  • Working collaboratively with matter Partners on leading Real Estate Finance and Sports Finance deals
  • Running negotiation of main deal documentation including facility agreements
  • Representing lenders and borrowers in complex structured finance transactions
  • Advising on cross border deals
  • Representing lenders and investors in all financing elements relating to the acquisition, sale, and development; classes of real estate including commercial, stadiums, industrial, retail, hotel, residential, care facilities and student accommodation.

ABOUT YOU

We do not set upper or lower limits of PQE for any of our vacancies.  We have however given an indicative PQE as an approximate guide for applicants. Candidates who have at least 5 years’  PQE, gained at a leading international finance firm, are likely to have the right level of knowledge and have gained the right level of experience needed to be able to successfully undertake this role.

The ideal candidate will: 

  • Be a Solicitor, ideally qualified in England & Wales or a Commonwealth jurisdiction
  • Be an experienced REF and/or Sports Finance lawyer
  • Demonstrate strong technical skills in finance work, with an international awareness and focus to their work
  • Knowledge of drafting Loan Market Association debt facility agreements to be able to produce a first draft from a term sheet and require minimal input from the supervising partner other than to discuss and review headline issues
  • Take the lead associate support role to a partner on complex and high value transactions where the debt size would typically be in the range of £50-300m
  • Working knowledge of lender and borrower requirements and approaches to transactions
  • Experience of multi-jurisdictional transactions would be preferable but is not essential
  • Be able to handle multiple priorities, working to sometimes conflicting timescales in a fast-paced and challenging environment
  • Be able to build trust and rapport to develop effective relationships, internally and externally
  • Be keen to get involved in business development
  • Comply with professional standards and all relevant regulatory obligations
  • Comply with the firm’s systems, policies and procedures in all matters, including compliance, financial systems and time recording
  • Manage and lead teams of Associate Lawyers

ABOUT US

DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers and business service professionals located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Our global reach ensures that we can help businesses with their legal needs anywhere in the world. We strive to be the leading global business law firm by delivering quality, service excellence and value to our clients and offering practical and innovative legal solutions to help them succeed. Our clients range from multinational, Global 1000, and Fortune 500 enterprises to emerging companies developing industry-leading technologies, as well as government and public sector bodies.

OUR VALUES

In everything we do connected with our People, our Clients and our Communities, we live by these values:

  • Be Supportive – we are compassionate and inclusive, valuing diversity and acting thoughtfully
  • Be Collaborative – we are proactive, passionate team players investing in our relationships
  • Be Bold – we are fearless and inquisitive, challenging ourselves to think big and find creative new solutions
  • Be Exceptional – we are strategic and driven, exceeding standards and expectations

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

At DLA Piper, diversity and inclusion underpins how we live our values and everything we do. We believe that everyone has a voice, and that everyone’s voice counts. We know that the rich diversity across our firm makes us stronger, more innovative and creative, which helps us to better serve our clients and communities. We are committed to providing an inclusive working environment and culture across our global firm, where everyone can bring their authentic self to work.

Diversity of perspective, thought, background and culture combine to make us the leading global law firm; that’s why we actively seek to build balanced teams. We welcome the unique contribution that you will bring to our firm and actively encourage applications from all talented people – however your talent is packaged, whatever your background or circumstance and regardless of how you identify.

HYBRID WORKING

We recognise that people have responsibilities and interests outside of their career and that as a business, we all benefit from working flexibly. That’s why we are open to discussing with candidates the different ways in which we are able to support requests for agile working arrangements.

PRE-ENGAGEMENT SCREENING

In the event that we make an offer to you, and where local legislation permits and where relevant, we will conduct pre-engagement screening checks that may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, your eligibility to work in the relevant jurisdiction, any criminal records, your financial stability and work-related references.