Strategic Development Director/Partner - Oxford

About The Freeths Team

Our specialist Agricultural Property team advises clients with interests in rural, agricultural, and strategic development matters. When it comes to strategic development, the team uniquely only acts for landowners including landed estates, institutions and, private individuals in respect of a wide range and high value development matters such as option and promotion agreements, conditional contracts, landowner collaboration structures and complex development land sales.

We act for some of the largest estates in the UK and are ranked in the top tier of both The Legal 500 and Chambers as nationally recognised experts.

The Agricultural Property team is largely based in our Oxford office and is widely recognised as the leading and largest standalone team in the region. The team comprises 2 Partners, 2 Directors, 1 Managing Associate, 4 Senior Associates and 2 Legal Assistants, together with a Trainee Solicitor. The team is led by Katherine Burge, Head of Agricultural Property. This highly specialised group forms a core part of the wider Freeths Real Estate department, the largest department within the firm.

The team is also supported by the wider Agricultural Group, which includes specialist tax, trusts, agricultural litigation, environmental, planning, commercial and partnership lawyers, enabling the team to offer a fully integrated service for complex development and estate matters

About The Role

Due to sustained and growing demand for strategic land advice, we are seeking an experienced Strategic Development Director/Partner to join our expanding team. This role is ideally suited to a senior lawyer with at least 8+ years’ experience gained within a respected regional or City firm, with a strong background in strategic development work.

Your experience will align with the team’s focus on acting for landowners, landed estates, Oxford colleges, farmers and high‑value private clients on all aspects of strategic development work, including promotion agreements, option agreements, hybrid agreements, collaboration structures, equalisation arrangements, and long‑term development strategy.

You will play a key role in further developing the practice, driving business development initiatives and helping shape the long‑term strategy of the team.

Examples of recent strategic development work

• Leading on significant strategic land sales to national housebuilders and developers, involving detailed negotiation of overage, infrastructure obligations and long‑term land value capture.
• Advising multiple landowners on major Promotion Agreements and multi‑party Collaboration Agreements for large‑scale settlement and Garden Village schemes, often involving complex equalisation, phased disposals and infrastructure requirements.

Acting for landowners on hybrid Option/Promotion Agreements involving hundreds of acres of potential development land, including overage, minerals, tenancies and complex title issues.

Advising Oxford colleges and major estates on long‑term development strategy, land assembly and the release of land for strategic growth, including multi‑phase residential and mixed‑use developments.

Leading on significant strategic land sales to national housebuilders and developers, involving detailed negotiation of overage, infrastructure obligations and long‑term land value capture.

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View some of our recent highlights on our website here.

Do we sound like a match? If you’re someone who cares deeply, communicates openly and collaborates effectively, then we’d love to have you join our diverse, inclusive team.