Land Rights Specialist (Team Leader) (ref 1196)

Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich, Sevenoaks and Bristol. We 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.

We are defined by our Next Level Law proposition. We work with our clients as a proactive partner, horizon scanning and thinking ahead to the changes, challenges or opportunities that they may face.

Next Level Law is also applied to our people. Our collegiate culture means everyone is encouraged to achieve their next level in everything they do. RollOnFriday recently ranked us as the 5th best law firm to work at in 2024.

With our ambition to succeed, comes a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve, and we are committed to delivering the objectives set out in our ESG strategy. Diversity plays an integral part in all that we do, with female partners comprising 40% of our partnership.

The department

Birketts is recruiting for an ambitious, driven and forward thinking Land Rights Specialist, with previous experience conducting land rights transactions for network operators of gas electric fibre and water networks; to join our growing team in our spacious Ipswich town centre office. You will join the highly successful Utilities Team which has nationwide clients throughout the UK. They are a driving force behind the firms recent success, and are looking to extend and recruit additional fee earners to take forward our ambitious plans for the future. This role would suit an ambitious go-getter who wants to be part of a highly successful team and willing to help them continue their progress to become of the leading industry experts in the country.

You will join a niche team who deal with conveyancing transactions for utility network operator clients. The team specialise in high volume, time-critical property transactions for IDNOs/DNOs, gas transporters, fibre providers, water incumbents, EV providers as well as assisting developer clients with their utility transactions.

As well as freehold and leasehold acquisitions of substations, gas governors, fibre cabinets and water pumping stations, the team deal with easements, variations and surrenders to actively manage their clients networks.

Accountabilities

• Manage and progress your own matters autonomously after a period of training.
• Handle a large volume of enquiries each day.
• Undertake fee-earning work under supervision.
• Draft and negotiate transfers, deeds, and leases.
• Update and report to clients and intermediaries on transactional progress.
• Conduct Land Registry searches, applications, and requisitions.
• Conduct title investigations.
• Submit searches and review search results.
• Review replies to a standard set of enquiries.
• Check planning permission is correct for the asset.
• Complete registration checks before file closure.
• Complete transactions and deal with post-completion requirements.
• Provide an efficient and friendly service to clients.
• Obtain draft indemnity policies.
• Approve restriction certificates/consents and RX4/RX3s.
• Produce reports on documents for the client.
• Produce and send out engrossments.
• Issue and complete documents via DocuSign.
• Perform some administrative duties as required.

The candidate

We are ideally seeking a candidate with experience in land rights for network operators. A law degree is preferred but not essential. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work alongside a leading Partner and a team with a wealth of knowledge and expertise in this area of law. Birketts offers great career progression opportunities and a flexible, hybrid working model.

Equal opportunities

At Birketts, our culture is driven by ambition and a commitment to positively impact all the communities we serve. We are dedicated to the success, development, and wellbeing of our colleagues, helping them achieve their goals and seize the opportunities that come with our growth.

Alongside a flexible and inclusive work environment, we offer the following core benefits:

• Starting with 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

https://www.birketts.co.uk/recognition-reward-benefits/

Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model where our colleagues enjoy a mix of home and office working. We welcome applications from people looking for flexible, agile, and part-time roles and we are happy to explore your preferred working patterns as part of your application.

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

Birketts is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or sexual orientation.

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.