Job Description

Construction Associate

Location: Manchester

PQE Level: 3-6 years PQE

Salary: 50000 - 70000 Bonus

Join a Leading Construction and Engineering Team as Associate

Are you an ambitious construction lawyer looking to work on big-ticket market-leading matters Our client a London headquartered international full-service law firm with 250 years of heritage and a reputation for award-winning innovation is seeking a talented Associate to join their highly regarded non-contentious Construction and Engineering team in Leeds.

Due to growth and continued success the non-contentious team is seeking to appoint an additional Associate. This is an ideal opportunity for an ambitious construction lawyer where exposure to big-ticket market-leading work is to be expected. Youll become part of a wider national and international team of experts to learn from and youll have the support and structure to develop.

The firm provides first-class technical insight and training and is looking for an enthusiastic team member who wants to build their long-term career with them and become a well-rounded lawyer providing quality commercial advice for clients.

The Firm

Our client is a London headquartered international full-service law firm that consistently delivers high-quality outcomes for clients globally. With 250 years of heritage the firm today supports over 5000 of the worlds most respected organisations helping them in over 50 areas of business law across more than 100 countries. The firm is known for award-winning innovation and delivering impact to clients.

The firm has a strong global presence with offices across Asia (Japan Singapore) Europe (England & Wales France Germany Ireland Luxembourg Poland Scotland Spain) and the Middle East (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Oman Qatar UAE) plus regional business groups covering Africa Central & Eastern Europe India Korea Latin America Nordics North America Türkiye and Ukraine.

Recent major deals include advising on the largest UK IPO of 2025 (300m market capitalisation) the 36.55bn Sizewell C nuclear power station financing (one of Europes most significant infrastructure projects) and the 275m sale of an iconic London landmark to a luxury international hotel group.

The firm is a place where you are valued encouraged and challenged to fulfil your potential in a supportive and collegiate environment. The culture of improvement growth and collaboration delivers results drives innovation and rewards ambition. The firms success has been built by people from the widest range of backgrounds locations and perspectives.

The Team

With more than 100 specialist lawyers including 24 Partners the firms highly rated Construction and Engineering team offers a full service of legal solutions to all aspects of the construction industry.

The work of the group is hugely varied and includes buildings residential and living accommodation civil and process plant engineering energy infrastructure transport and utilities - across both private and public sectors. The team also provides project support and advice to the wider Real Estate Banking and Projects teams.

This is a high-performing team with a strong reputation for people development where you will receive support and structure from established HR Learning & Development and delivery contacts to help elevate your experience to the next level.

As the team continues to grow nationally and internationally there is opportunity to support teams in other offices and jurisdictions.

The Role

As an Associate in the non-contentious Construction and Engineering team you will have exposure to an array of high-quality construction work working on big-ticket market-leading matters for major national and international clients across multiple sectors.

Youll become part of a wider national and international team of experts to learn from and youll have the support and structure to develop your career.

Your key responsibilities will include:

Non-Contentious Construction Work:

• Advising government bodies sponsors funders developers employers operators constructors sub-contractors and professional teams

• Advising on project procurement techniques (including facilities management)

• Advising on dispute avoidance and resolution mechanisms

• Drafting and negotiating construction contracts and related documentation

• Advising on construction law issues across a wide range of sectors

• Supporting projects across buildings residential and living accommodation sectors

• Advising on civil and process plant engineering matters

• Supporting energy infrastructure transport and utilities projects

• Advising across both private and public sectors

• Providing project support and advice to the wider Real Estate Banking and Projects teams

Client Relationship Management:

• Working closely with existing clients to nurture and develop relationships

• Acting as a trusted adviser through providing timely and quality advice whilst managing expectations

• Engaging with internal and external stakeholders of all levels

• Understanding clients their drivers and what matters to them

• Providing advice with quality imagination and impact

Team Collaboration:

• Working collaboratively as part of a cohesive team to execute large-scale high-value client matters to the highest standard

• Supporting senior lawyers on complex transactions and projects

• Contributing to the teams success and reputation

• Supporting teams in other offices and jurisdictions as the team grows nationally and internationally

• Working with the wider national and international team of experts

Professional Development:

• Engaging with formal training programmes (whether technical or skills based)

• Drawing on mentoring coaching and leadership programmes available

• Receiving support and structure from established HR Learning & Development and delivery contacts

• Continuous development and learning

• Building your skills as a well-rounded construction lawyer

• Elevating your experience to the next level

Key Responsibilities:

• Drafting clear and legally effective documents which reflect the clients instructions

• Maintaining efficient diary and task management across a range of matters

• Ensuring the accuracy and levels of client service expected within a high performing team

• Adopting a consultative and thorough approach to tasks

• Remaining calm and optimistic in time sensitive situations or under pressure

• Finding solutions to clients legal challenges and requirements

About You

Essential Requirements:

• Qualified Solicitor in England and Wales

• 3-6 years PQE in non-contentious construction law

• Strong technical knowledge of construction law and construction contracts

• Experience advising on project procurement techniques

• Experience advising on dispute avoidance and resolution mechanisms

• Experience drafting and negotiating construction contracts

• Understanding of construction industry and construction projects

• Experience advising government bodies sponsors funders developers employers operators constructors sub-contractors and/or professional teams

• Good drafting skills with ability to produce clear and legally effective documents

• Experience engaging with internal and external stakeholders of all levels

• Ability to adopt a consultative and thorough approach to tasks

• Efficient diary and task management skills across a range of matters

• Ability to maintain the accuracy and levels of client service expected within a high performing team

• Ability to remain calm and optimistic in time sensitive situations or under pressure

• Enthusiasm resilience and ambition to find solutions to clients legal challenges and requirements

• Enthusiastic about the development of your legal skill set and continuous learning

• Inquisitive and wanting to understand clients their drivers and what matters to them

• Strong attention to detail and accuracy

• Commercially focused with good problem-solving abilities

Highly Desirable:

• Experience with buildings residential and living accommodation projects

• Experience with civil and process plant engineering

• Experience with energy infrastructure transport and utilities projects

• Experience working across both private and public sectors

• Experience providing project support to Real Estate Banking and Projects teams

• Experience working with major national or international clients

• Experience working in a large international law firm environment

• Experience working on high-value complex construction projects

• Strong client relationship skills

• Experience with facilities management

• Understanding of various forms of construction contracts (JCT NEC FIDIC bespoke)

Key Attributes:

• Client-focused with commitment to exceptional service delivery

• Commercially astute and business-oriented approach

• Proactive and solutions-focused

• Strong team player who thrives in a collaborative environment

• Excellent communicator with strong interpersonal skills

• Adaptable and flexible approach to work

• Self-motivated with strong work ethic

• Committed to continuous learning and development

• Passionate about construction law

• Ambitious and eager to build a long-term career

• Resilient and able to work under pressure

• Quality-focused with imagination and impact in advice

Whats On Offer

Our client is committed to recognising and rewarding great work with rewards and benefits that are among the best in the business.

Benefits include:

• Competitive salary: 50000 - 70000 Bonus

• Bonus scheme

• International full-service law firm with 250 years of heritage

• Support over 5000 of the worlds most respected organisations globally

• 50 areas of business law across 100 countries

• Award-winning innovation and reputation for delivering impact

• Construction and Engineering team: 100 specialist lawyers including 24 Partners

• Highly rated team offering full service of legal solutions to all aspects of construction industry

• High-performing team with strong reputation for people development

• Support and structure from established HR Learning & Development and delivery contacts

• Exposure to big-ticket market-leading work

• Become part of wider national and international team of experts to learn from

• Work on hugely varied construction work across buildings residential civil engineering energy infrastructure transport utilities

• Work across both private and public sectors

• Advise government bodies sponsors funders developers employers operators constructors sub-contractors professional teams

• Provide project support to wider Real Estate Banking and Projects teams

• Work closely with clients to nurture and develop relationships

• Act as trusted adviser providing timely and quality advice

• Opportunity to support teams in other offices and jurisdictions as team grows nationally and internationally

• Formal training programmes (technical and skills based)

• Mentoring coaching and leadership programmes available

• Clear career progression pathway

• Build long-term career with the firm

• Become well-rounded lawyer providing quality commercial advice

• Culture of improvement growth and collaboration

• Supportive and collegiate environment

• Work on high-calibre matters with high-character colleagues

• Access to full-service firm resources (Corporate Finance Banking Projects Real Estate Employment Dispute Resolution IP Tax Competition and more)

• Employee networks that provide space to discuss differences and celebrate diversity

• Firm that values people from the widest range of backgrounds locations and perspectives

• Recent major deals: Largest UK IPO 2025 (300m) 36.55bn Sizewell C nuclear financing 275m London landmark sale

• Global offices across Asia Europe and Middle East

• Regional business groups covering Africa CEE India Korea Latin America Nordics North America Türkiye Ukraine

• Natural choice for FTSE100 clients and their equivalents in other markets

• Growth and continued success

• Due to growth appointing additional Associate

Location

This role is based in the firms Manchester office located in the heart of the citys business district with excellent transport links and access to the citys amenities restaurants and cultural attractions.

How to Apply

If youre an ambitious Construction Associate (3-6 years PQE) looking to work on big-ticket market-leading matters with a leading international law firm wed love to hear from you. Click apply now or contact or 0