Partner – Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich, Sevenoaks

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 and over 600 staff based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: Real Estate, Corporate Services, Dispute Resolution and Private Client.

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 6th best law firm to work at in 2026.

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 45% of our partnership.

Our Social Housing teams sits within our wider Real Estate Division and advises registered providers, local authorities, housebuilders and public sector bodies on the full lifecycle of affordable housing. The team is recognised nationally for its depth of expertise and its market leading presence across the Eastern Region, London and the South East. 
 
The Social Housing team provides a fully integrated service covering affordable housing development, regeneration and acquisitions, housing management and litigation, asset and leasehold management, shared ownership and Right to Buy. Clients receive seamless support across planning, construction, employment, corporate, funding and public sector work, enabling the team to handle complex and high value projects efficiently and commercially. With over 50 dedicated fee earners, including specialist partners and legal directors, the team acts for more than 100 registered provider clients and 30 local authorities, as well as many of the UK’s leading housebuilders. The team is known for handling sensitive and high-risk matters, including disrepair, building safety, anti-social behaviour and fire safety issues, alongside large-scale development and regeneration schemes. 
 
The Social Housing team is highly regarded for its practical advice, strong client relationships and commitment to thought leadership, training and sector engagement. 

You will be responsible for:  

• Maintaining and growing client relationships and contributing to the strategic direction and success of the team and firm.  

• Developing, leading and mentoring a team of junior lawyers, fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment.  

• Participating in networking events, conferences and other business development activities to promote the firm’s services.  

• Working for Registered Providers on joint venture and partnership agreements both at framework level and on a site by site basis  

• Acquisitions of housing development sites through a variety of contract structures for RPs, including land led and strategic land schemes. 

• Advising on housing regeneration schemes, joint ventures, partnerships and collaborations 

• Acquisitions of “s.106 sites” for RPs from private housebuilders, including drafting and negotiation of development agreements (turnkey and golden brick) 

• Experienced in checking s106 affordable housing provisions to ensure compliance with grant funding requirements 

• Experienced in advising on grant and funding agreements 

• Overseeing golden brick completions and handover arrangements 

• Dealing with estate site set up and drafting intra-group transfers and shared ownership leases in readiness for plot sales 

• Negotiating Nomination Agreements on behalf of Registered Providers 

• You will be familiar with all aspects of Infrastructure Agreements and estate infrastructure transfers and easementsfor Registered Providers and will oversee a team of junior lawyers dealing with the day to day running of those transactions  

• Drafting and negotiating Management Agreements and Service Level Agreements on behalf on Registered Providers 

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.

• Recognised technical expert who provides clear, tailored advice on complex legal and commercial issues.  

• Drives efficient time recording, profitable pricing, strong cash flow, and team gross profit delivery.  

• Leads business development and high-profile pitches, builds a strong market presence, wins new clients, and drives cross-selling opportunities.  

• Delivers exceptional project and client management, consistently meeting expectations through strong communication and deep client understanding.  

• Builds trust through strong relationships, continual professional development, clear communication of vision, and championing positive change.  

• Demonstrates strong risk management, supports junior staff, upholds Lexcel standards, and maintains high compliance and file review performance.  

• Strong attention to detail to produce work documentation which is consistently of a high standard  

• Professional integrity and a commitment to providing excellent client service  

• To be competent in using Microsoft Word, Excel, time recording software, case management, Outlook and digital dictation  

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. 

As a Birketts colleague, you will be eligible to receive a wide range of benefits:

• 30 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays 
• 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
• Dress for your Day Policy

You can find out more on our website: https://www.birketts.co.uk/recognition-reward-benefits/

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. 

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.

If you require this advert in an accessible format, please visit https://diversityjobsgroup.com/company/birketts/

At Birketts, we recognise the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal profession and recruitment. We welcome innovation and understand that candidates may use AI tools to support their job applications. However, we expect all applicants to use AI responsibly and ethically.

 Our expectations regarding AI use in applications:

• Your application should reflect your own voice, experiences, and insights. AI may assist in structuring or refining your responses, but it must not replace your personal input.
• Do not use AI to misrepresent your qualifications, experiences, or skills. Any form of exaggeration or fabrication may result in rejection from the process.
• If you have used AI tools to assist with your application, be prepared to discuss how and why you used them during the interview process.
• Do not submit content generated by AI tools that may include personal or sensitive data not intended for public disclosure.
• AI-generated content should be reviewed and edited by you to ensure accuracy, relevance, and alignment with the role and our firm’s values. 

We are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment practices. The use of AI should enhance, not compromise, your application. We encourage candidates to demonstrate critical thinking, commercial awareness, and a genuine interest in our firm.

If you have any questions about our expectations or the use of AI in your application, please contact our Talent Acquisition Team via talent@birketts.co.uk