Property Lawyer

Reading's Legal Services department is composed of our highly regarded internal Corporate Legal Team, serving the needs of the Council across a wide range of functions including the provision of legal advice and support to the Council's Property and Assets Management team. Reading is also host to the Joint Legal Team, a long-standing shared legal service for all the Berkshire unitary councils and a recognised centre of excellence for childcare, adults, and education law.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and committed property lawyer to join the Corporate Legal Team. You'll be working with colleagues to support and help deliver the Council's asset management plan. The plan deals mainly with the Council's land and property assets and looks at how these assets can be used to support the achievement of the Council's objectives by ensuring that they are used and managed as efficiently and effectively as possible.

The purpose of Legal Services is to continue to provide the Council and its partners with the highest quality professional legal advice and representation which allows them to run their organisations well, and to serve our community. Our ambition is to be the best place to practice law in local government by being close to our customers, recruiting the best talent, successfully deploying legal technology, and ensuring the continued growth of the business to new customers.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

We are open to flexible working patterns and can provide a hybrid working environment which utilises the best of both worlds with a mix of office working in central Reading and homeworking according to the needs of the Service.

About the role

This position would suit someone who is passionate about delivering an excellent service, dealing with new work types, and managing a diverse caseload within the property law and practice area. Our customers rely heavily on the team to help deliver the Council's objectives, so this is a thriving and growing team working for various departments in the Council.

Whatever your specialism or previous experience, you will thrive on the challenge of working in a customer-focussed environment and a team which has an ambitious agenda for the future. You will have plenty of opportunity to join in the wider work of the Corporate Legal Team outside your specialist field in helping us to reach our team and service objectives.

We place considerable emphasis on learning and development in the role and you will be supported to develop your skills and to move to the next level in your career.

You will also be assisted by our Legal Operations Team who will support you in delivering your work as we invest further in our systems and processes and work towards Lexcel accreditation.

You'll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you'll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.

About you

We are seeking a fully qualified solicitor, barrister or CILEX, with some post qualification experience to support the work of the Property Team in the Corporate Legal Team. You will report to the Principal Property Lawyer, who will support you in your work and professional development.

Have sound knowledge and experience of property law and practice, preferably in local government or the public sector.
Be able to support our Property and Asset Management colleagues on a range of general property, landlord & tenant and development work including acquisitions, disposals, leases, property development projects, advice on property transactions, land law and practice within the context of local government or public sector (private practice experience will also be considered).
Be confident in managing mixed property caseload.
Be a team player willing to contribute to the wider objectives of the team.
Have excellent communication, and relationship building skills.
Be able to work to tight deadlines and remain calm under pressure; and be committed to learning and development targets., Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition are strongly encouraged, and you'll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
A wide range of flexible working opportunities
Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
On-site day nursery (Kennet Day Nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax