Real Estate Solicitor (NQ - 2 years PQE)

What you’ll do

We are seeking to recruit a Solicitor (NQ – 2 years) specialising in Real Estate law, to join our busy and highly regarded team based in our Exeter office.

Our Real Estate team provide a full spectrum of legal services to a diverse client base, including major institutional investors, developers, lenders, local authorities, and private clients. The department is highly regarded for its work in development and investment, consistently acting on high-profile, complex transactions across the UK and internationally.

Our team works with major clients across sectors such as Investment, Real Estate Finance, Housebuilding and Development, Energy and Infrastructure, and Commercial Development. As such, you’ll benefit from a varied and stimulating workload, and be encouraged to develop your expertise in areas of particular interest. As such, you can expect to be exposed to a broad range of work, including acquisitions and disposals, landlord and tenant matters, real estate finance, and development projects.

This is a fantastic opportunity to become part of a collaborative and forward-thinking team and to play a key role in supporting the delivery of high-quality legal advice, as part of a friendly and supportive team.

Who you are

Having trained and qualified (or soon to be approaching qualification) with a respected city, national or regional law firm, you will have experience in real estate transactions, ideally including exposure to development, investment, or finance work.

You will be a confident communicator with strong technical and analytical skills, capable of managing your time effectively to meet client expectations and project deadlines. With a proactive and pragmatic approach, you'll be eager to take ownership of matters (with appropriate supervision), and to provide clear, concise advice that reflects a strong commercial understanding of your clients’ objectives.

You will also demonstrate a genuine enthusiasm for real estate law and an interest in the wider issues affecting the sector, such as planning, ESG considerations, market trends, and policy developments.

Our clients value our commercial acumen and commitment to long-term relationships, so you will be personable, responsive, and motivated by building trusted connections with clients and colleagues alike.

You’ll be encouraged to build your profile internally and externally, with access to client engagement opportunities, industry events, and thought leadership initiatives that will enhance both your experience and professional reputation. As such, an appetite for ongoing learning and a commitment to professional development are key, as is a collaborative mindset and the drive to contribute to the team’s continued success.

In return, you will be supported in developing your career within a high-performing and supportive team.

Your Career. Our Commitment.

At Ashfords, we believe in more than just doing great work - we believe in building a great place to work.

When you join us, you become part of a team where everything we do is underpinned by our four core values: Be Open, Think Team, Make a Difference and Always Grow. These values shape who we are and how we work - they guide our decisions, influence our culture, and drive the way we support our people, clients and communities.

With a clear focus on innovation, community involvement, and supporting a healthy work-life balance, we are committed to building an environment where our people can have a rewarding and meaningful career.

Whilst we recognise that every career journey is unique, we will be ambitious for you, giving you the tools, trust, and opportunities to develop your career, your way.

Our goal? To help you realise your full potential as part of a forward-thinking team.

Our offer

We know that our people are at the heart of everything we do – and that’s why we’re committed to supporting your wellbeing, growth and work-life balance.

Beyond our benefits package, you’ll be encouraged, no matter what your role or career level, to get involved in our Responsible Business programme, where you’ll support initiatives such as charity fundraising, environmental causes and our employee led diversity and inclusion groups.

You can find out more about our benefits by visiting the Reward & Wellbeing page on our website.

What’s next?

Our recruitment process typically involves two stages, which are designed not only to explore your skills and experience but also to give you a real insight into what it’s like to work at Ashfords. Throughout the process, our dedicated Talent Attraction team will be here to support you every step of the way.

We believe that building a firm with a wide range of perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences drives innovation and strengthens our teams, and we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds.

To support your growth, we offer ongoing training and development opportunities to help you reach your full potential – so even if you don’t feel you match all the requirements of the job role, we’d still love to hear from you.

At Ashfords, we’re committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and empowered to succeed.

If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process or would like to discuss anything regarding your application, please contact us at [email protected].

For an informal and confidential discussion about this opportunity, please contact Toby Tompkins, Talent Attraction Manager - [email protected].

Or apply now, and we will be in touch with you as soon as possible.