In-house Real Estate Lawyer for UK Renewable Energy Company
Background
Our client is a leading UK-based renewable energy producer specialising in generating electricity from methane-rich gas sources. The company’s continued growth and extensive property portfolio created the need for a dedicated in-house real estate lawyer to join a small, dynamic legal team. The newly-created role would primarily support property development and estates colleagues, handling the full property lifecycle from acquisition to renewal and decommissioning across a portfolio of operational and development sites.
Challenge
Finding a real estate lawyer for an in-house position presented several distinct challenges.
- Primarily, the real estate legal talent pool is typically concentrated in commercial law firms rather than in-house departments, as property-specific in-house roles are relatively rare. Many commrecial property lawyers have limited exposure to the broader commercial and regulatory aspects that would be required in this position.
- Matching the salary expectations of real estate lawyers in private practice can present a significant challenge. In-house roles often offer lower compensation compared to private practice. This can make it harder to attract top candidates who are expecting a higher earning potential in private practice.
- Additionally, the role’s location in the East Midlands region narrowed the pool of immediately available candidates. The ideal candidate would need both technical real estate expertise and the adaptability to work across different legal areas including planning, construction, regulatory matters and commercial agreements – a combination not commonly found in traditional commercial property lawyers working in law firms.
- Another key challenge was finding a lawyer who would be a cultural fit for a small, collaborative team where visibility and impact would be immediate. The role required someone who could transition from the structure of a law firm to the more commercially-oriented, business partner approach of an in-house counsel.
Solution
We implemented a multi-faceted recruitment strategy that combined targeted headhunting with a broader advertised search. Our approach emphasised the unique career development opportunity this role presented for real estate lawyers looking to expand their skills and transition in-house. This is a rare opportunity for this particular practice area.
The recruitment campaign highlighted not only the technical aspects of the role but also the growth potential offered by this business, backed by a major infrastructure investor while still being agile enough for lawyers to make a visible difference. We emphasised the company’s position in a growing sector and the comprehensive benefits package which included a competitive salary, car allowance, bonus and pension.
We undertook a search among the limited number real estate lawyers currently working in-house in the surrounding area. Additionally, we re-engaged with several real estate lawyers in our network from commercial law firms who had expressed interest in moving in-house but hadn’t yet found suitable opportunities. From a shortlist of 5 candidates and a thorough selection process including competency-based interviews and practical assessments of commercial awareness, the client successfully appointed a mid-level real estate solicitor from another in-house legal function. This individual had already made the transition into a broader commercial role. So they demonstrated both technical excellence and the adaptability required.
