Solicitor / Associate / Senior Associate – Health and Social Care Real Estate

We are a leading international legal business with a full-service offering, recognised for our work in health, real estate and insurance. We advise clients ranging from household names and investors to government departments, NHS bodies and independent health and social care providers, across matters of local, national and cross-border significance.

Our national Commercial Real Estate practice includes a dedicated team focused on health and social care property. The team works across offices and alongside specialists in construction, planning, property litigation, portfolio management, tax, finance, corporate, commercial, procurement and regulatory law.

We are recruiting at three levels: Solicitor (1–3 years’ PQE), Associate (3–5 years’ PQE) and Senior Associate (5+ years’ PQE). Roles are available in Bristol, Manchester, Leeds or Newcastle, working as part of an integrated cross-office team.

Our clients include NHS Trusts and other NHS bodies, integrated care organisations, primary care stakeholders, independent hospital and mental health operators, care home and supported-living providers, charities, investors, funds, developers and lenders. We advise across the full property lifecycle, including acquisitions and disposals, development and regeneration, estate rationalisation, landlord and tenant work, asset management, portfolio programmes, surplus land, primary care projects, investment and funding transactions, sale and leasebacks, and real estate aspects of corporate transactions.

Healthcare property is operational, regulated and closely connected to service delivery. Our lawyers look beyond title and lease terms to understand commissioning and funding arrangements, regulatory requirements, operator covenant, continuity of care, stakeholder priorities and practical property risk. We provide technically strong, commercially proportionate advice grounded in the realities of the sector.

You will join an established, collaborative team with a strong pipeline of work arising from panel appointments, expanding client relationships and new instructions. The role offers high-quality work, regular client contact, clear progression opportunities and supervision tailored to your level of experience.

Key responsibilities

• Advise on a varied caseload of commercial real estate matters across health and social care, including acquisitions and disposals, leases and agreements for lease, licences, asset management, development arrangements, strategic estate projects, portfolio work, due diligence and reporting.
• Support senior lawyers on complex, high-value or strategically important transactions, taking responsibility for defined workstreams and helping to coordinate delivery across the wider matter team.
• Lead appropriate transactions, with autonomy and supervision reflecting your experience, and act as a trusted day-to-day contact for clients and their advisers.
• Develop a strong understanding of each client’s objectives and the public-sector, regulatory, funding and operational environment in which healthcare property is held and used, translating that into clear, pragmatic advice.
• Help clients navigate the interaction between property arrangements and service delivery, including operational continuity, estate strategy, redevelopment, occupation structures, operator covenant and stakeholder or regulatory requirements.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues in construction, planning, property litigation, portfolio management, corporate, commercial, procurement and regulatory law.

• Solicitor: 1–3 years’ PQE in commercial real estate; Associate: 3–5 years’ PQE; Senior Associate: 5+ years’ PQE.
• Experience in health and social care real estate is desirable but not essential; we welcome applicants with strong commercial property skills looking to specialise.
• Ability to manage a varied caseload with appropriate supervision and to support senior lawyers on complex transactions.
• Understanding of, or aptitude to develop expertise in, the regulatory, funding and operational context of healthcare property.
• Strong client relationship skills and a collaborative, commercially minded approach.