Description About the team The specialist Property Litigation Team is one of the largest in the country and has been involved in some of the most complex and high-profile cases of recent years in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court (as well as having been involved in the largest rent review arbitration in history). Located within the Real Estate Group, we have the benefit of working with one of the largest real estate practices in the country with a diverse range of clients from house-builders to pension funds, and taking in property companies, developers and telecoms operators along the way. Ranked by the directories in the top tiers for Birmingham and for London, we also attract stand-alone clients looking for specialist help with complex or high value disputes. The team is led by Clive Chalkley, who is recognised as a leading practitioner in the field, as are fellow Partners Rob Bridgman, Paul Barker and Martin Thomas. Based in both the Birmingham and London offices we work as a single team regardless of geographical base providing a full litigation and dispute resolution service for clients in the Real Estate sector. We advise and represent clients in all types of Court and also in arbitrations, adjudications and mediations. Advocacy is not for everyone, but those with the right skills and enthusiasm are encouraged to qualify and we do, where required, provide in-house advocates. About the role The role involves a lot of independent responsibility managing a large number of cases; working independently (with a Partner) and in larger teams (depending on the size and complexity of the particular dispute); advising on and managing all stages of the litigation process from the outset to trial, dealing directly with clients; supervising and bring responsible for more junior lawyers and instructing/working alongside other professionals such as surveyors and advocates. The caseload is likely to include: Development related issues such as rights to light, vacant possession strategies and nuisance claims Contract disputes concerning land, including pre-conditions, breach and overage disputes Professional negligence issues arising from real estate transactions Landlord and tenant, especially business tenancies, including acting for clients with large portfolios on asset management issues Clearing off or enforcing rights on freehold land such as easements or restrictive covenants 1954 Act renewals Forfeiture and possession claims Dilapidations Rent/Service charge issues Rent reviews Insolvency issues impacting on real estate/leases There is also an opportunity to become a specialist in some of the more esoteric areas of our practice, for example mines and minerals disputes, rights of light issues, telecoms matters and/or disputes for our Living Sector clients. About you As a property litigator, you need to have experience of and enjoy contentious litigation and an understanding of clients, and transactions, in the Real Estate sector. We are looking for someone who is: 6 years PQE, preferably with experience in development disputes A team player A good technical lawyer Practical and commercial Flexible and positive and able to absorb a heavy caseload Good with people with a passion for developing young lawyers An ability to manage your own caseload Experience of supervising junior fee earners What we can offer you The opportunity to work for a firm which has been recognised as one of the best places to work in the UK and has been ranked by Great Place to Work® for 24 consecutive years. Excellent benefits, including: Lawyer bonus Generous annual leave, with the option to buy up to a week's extra annual leave Private medical insurance, and the option to add family members A generous pension allowance Life assurance covering four times your annual salary The chance of a three-month sabbatical every five years Maternity, paternity and adoption leave schemes A range of health and wellbeing programmes State of the art offices, in the heart of Birmingham City Centre, with an onsite restaurant Opportunities to flourish in your role through training and personal development Equal opportunities Gowling WLG is committed to promoting equality and diversity in the firm and to Equal Opportunities in employment. The firm believes in equality of opportunity regardless of race or racial group (including colour, nationality, ethnicity, national origins), religion or belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, sex, gender re-assignment and gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy, maternity and paternity. This also includes any incidents of perceptive or associative discrimination and harassment. At Gowling WLG we seek to attract and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures, to create an exciting and rewarding place to work. Our aim is to fulfil everyone's potential and together to achieve personal and business goals. Any offers we make will be conditional subject to clearance by the SRA, evidence of eligibility to work in the UK and DBS clearance. If you have any queries in relation to this position, please contact Sam Price - sam.pricegowlingwlg.com LI-SP1 LI-HYBRID