Real Estate Finance Senior Associate

The role

THE OPPORTUNITY

Our Global Real Estate Finance team has a proven track record of advising both lenders and borrowers in finance transactions throughout the real estate industry and forms part of the International Finance, Projects and Restructuring Group led by Partner David Trott.  

As a Senior Associate you will join a renowned and specialist Real Estate Finance team with the opportunity to lead and support on both UK and cross-border transactions, through our global network of offices.  Led by Partner and UK Head, Toby Barker, the core team is 5 Partner strong with a wealth of experience and is internationally recognised for our representation of lenders and borrowers in complex structured finance transactions.

In addition to core real estate, the team has a market leading sports finance practice advising top tier lenders (such as Goldman Sachs) and deals on all aspects of sports finance, including stadium financing.

Supported by a sizeable team of Senior Associates and Associates the Real Estate Finance team works cohesively from Partner through to trainee, to support across the wide breadth of deals both UK and internationally.  The team being regularly instructed on multi-jurisdictional transactions, across continental Europe in particular.

The Real Estate Finance team works collaboratively with the Real Estate, Tax and Corporate Groups to pull together a strong offering to our clients, who know they can rely on us at all stages of the transaction.  From term sheet and structuring stage, through closing, tranching, syndication and securitisation, administration, servicing and, if required, restructuring. Over the last two years, the team has implemented a number of high profile and high value transactions including:

• Acting for Aareal Bank AG in relation to the funding provided by it to Raag Westminster Holdings Limited (and others) for the £239,900,000 refinancing of a Tristan Capital Partners backed acquisition of a group of companies owning and operating a portfolio of nine Point A Hotels based in London and Scotland
• Acting for a Harrison Street/Eagle Street joint venture in relation to a €204,500,000 facility made available by Apollo to assist with the development of a scheme comprising 554 build to rent units in Dublin, Ireland
• Acting for Aareal Bank AG and PBB  in its lending of multi-currency facilities of up to EUR 470,000,000 to a European logistics fund, which financed the acquisition of over twenty prime logistics properties mainly in continental Europe 

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 and specialist range of work, acting for borrowers and creditors at all levels of the capital structure. Responsibilities will include, but not be limited to: 

• Representing lenders and borrowers in complex structured finance transactions
• Advising on cross border services including high profile sports finance deals
• Representing lenders and investors in all financing elements relating to the acquisition, sale, and development, classes of real estate including commercial, industrial, retail, hotel, residential, care facilities and student accommodation
• Advising on complex portfolio financing, often multi-jurisdictional

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 7 years’ PQE 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:

• Solicitor or Barrister, ideally qualified in England & Wales or a Commonwealth jurisdiction
• An experienced Real Estate Finance lawyer, having gained experienced in a core Banking and Finance team
• Be able to demonstrate strong technical skills in finance work, with an international awareness and focus to their work
• To have a good working knowledge of real estate
• To have sufficient 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
• To take a lead role to a Partner on complex and high value transactions where the debt size would typically be in the range of £50-300m
• To have a working knowledge of lender and borrower requirements and approaches to transactions
• Experience of multi-jurisdictional transactions would be preferable but is not essential, however a keen interest is a must
• 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 supporting the Partners 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.

ABOUT US

DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers 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.

We support anyone with a disability or long term health condition to ensure they have the opportunity to perform at their best. If you have not done so already, please let us know if you require any support so we can make the right adjustments and considerations should they be required.

AGILE WORKING

We know 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.