Real Estate Finance Associate

A market-leading Real Estate Finance and Structured Debt team at a Magic Circle firm is seeking an ambitious associate to join a practice that is actively investing in its next phase of growth. This opportunity comes at a particularly compelling moment for the team, which has a clear strategic mandate to expand its associate bench following recent successful lateral hires and sustained growth in both transaction volume and client demand. For lawyers seeking access to sophisticated real estate finance work within a collaborative Magic Circle environment, this represents a strong opportunity to join a team with genuine momentum and exceptional deal flow.

The Opportunity

This hire forms part of a broader expansion strategy within the London Real Estate Finance and Structured Debt group. The team has experienced sustained growth and is looking to strengthen its associate bench to support an increasingly active pipeline of work. Associates joining the team can expect exposure to a broad range of sophisticated real estate finance matters, working alongside highly regarded partners on some of the most significant transactions in the market. The practice combines the scale and resources of a Magic Circle platform with a culture that is widely regarded as collaborative, accessible, and less hierarchical than many competing firms.

The Team

The Real Estate Finance and Structured Debt practice is one of the most established in the market, operating as part of a highly regarded global finance platform. The group comprises 13 partners globally, including 6 dedicated real estate finance partners, approximately 45 lawyers, and 16 trainees. Partners are actively involved in matters and maintain close working relationships with associates, creating an environment where junior and mid-level lawyers receive meaningful responsibility and direct client exposure from an early stage. The practice has a strong track record of developing talent internally while also successfully integrating lateral hires into the wider team structure.

The Role

The team's work spans the full spectrum of real estate finance and structured debt transactions, acting for a broad range of lenders, investors, financial institutions, private equity sponsors, debt funds, and real estate market participants. Associates can expect exposure to investment and acquisition finance, development finance, refinancings, structured debt transactions, cross-border real estate finance matters, and complex financing arrangements involving both institutional lenders and alternative capital providers.

The nature of the work is consistently technically demanding and commercially sophisticated, requiring lawyers to navigate complex financing structures, multiple stakeholder groups, and significant transaction values. Given the team's position in the market, associates regularly work on headline transactions and gain exposure to some of the most prominent participants in the real estate and financial sectors.

Why This Role Stands Out

This is one of the most respected real estate finance practices in the market, and the timing of this hire reflects a genuine growth mandate rather than straightforward backfill. The deal pipeline is strong, the partner group is highly regarded, and the team has a demonstrable commitment to integrating and developing lateral hires over the long term. One of the most distinctive aspects of the role is the working culture while the team operates at the highest level of the market on complex and demanding transactions, the environment is widely regarded as more balanced and sustainable than many competing US platforms.

Hybrid working arrangements allow approximately 50% home working across a two-week period, and the emphasis on collaboration, mentorship, and long-term career development is genuine rather than aspirational. Compensation is highly competitive and aligned with the upper end of the London market, with a performance-linked bonus structure in addition.

Candidate Requirements

The team is seeking candidates with approximately 3–8 PQE, with a particular interest in lawyers around the 4–6 PQE level. Exceptional candidates at 3 PQE will be considered where they can demonstrate strong technical capability and relevant transaction experience. Strong real estate finance experience is essential, as is excellent technical grounding across financing transactions, the ability to manage workstreams with increasing independence, and strong commercial awareness and client management skills. While lawyers from Magic Circle, elite US, and leading international firms are likely to be well aligned with the practice, the team is taking a deliberately flexible and open-minded approach to background, focused on quality, capability, and potential rather than firm label.

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