Solicitor, 2 years PQE+ (Post-Exchange)

Job Purpose

Our Post Exchange Team plays an essential role within the team, dealing with a significant number of transactions from the point of exchange of contracts to completion and beyond to registration. Reporting to the Partner in charge of the Post Exchange Team, the successful candidate will play a key role in assisting with the development and supervision of the existing Post Exchange Team, boosting expertise, improving, and implementing processes to deliver an efficient and seamless transition from exchange of contracts, through to completion and registration.

The Team

Real Estate (and particularly real estate development) is at the heart of Devonshires’ business, as it is with the major part of our client base.  Within the Team, there are 18 dedicated partners working on a wide variety of property transactions with a broad range of clients from registered providers of social housing and care homes, through to private developers, acting on sites and developments from a handful of units to thousands to portfolio and street property acquisitions and disposals.

Duties and Responsibilities

Providing support to the other fee earners within the team including but not limited to:

• To supervise the day-to-day workings of the Post Exchange Team, including:
  • Management of multiple workflow trackers, calendar management (pertaining to completion/ AP1, Cancellation and SDLT submission deadlines).
  • Assisting with the day-to-day supervision of the paralegals and trainees within the Post Exchange team, ensuring they are delivering a quality service and meeting client expectations.   
  • Dealing with client enquiries both in the context of the Team’s Day to day activities (see below) and also as the first point of referral when questions or issues are escalated.
  • Providing the team and the clients with progress reports as and when required.
  • Reviewing post exchange and post completion processes to ensure that they are as efficient as possible and supervising the implementation of any processes that are so adopted.
  • Regularly reporting into the Partner lead and chairing/ co-chairing regular catch up meetings with the Post Exchange Team.
  • To take on an active role and responsibility for training and developing the paralegals.
• In conjunction with other members of the Post Exchange Team, to set up completions in compliance with underlying land acquisition contracts and implemented processes including:
  • Preparing and approving transfer deeds and leases and dealing with their execution and completion.
  • Reviewing replies to pre-completion requisitions
  • Submitting, reviewing, and interpreting priority searches
  • Preparing and submitting SDLT returns and arranging payment within the statutory timescales.
  • Preparing AP1 applications to minimise Requisitions.
  • Dealing with any Land Registry Requisitions that may arise.
  • Assisting the team in dealing with enquiries raised day to day where required.
  • Arranging for files to be closed down once all completions pertaining to that matter have been completed.
• Keeping tidy and accurate files, records, and trackers both in hard copy and electronically and ensure LEXCEL compliance.
• Meeting deadlines that will be set from time to time both internally and by clients.
• To provide support to other fee earners across the firm in the relation to the Post Exchange processes and to share knowledge as and when required.
• To follow departmental procedures, the Solicitors’ accounts rules and the Firm’s policies and procedures as detailed in the Staff Manual, including LEXCEL.
• Management of multiple workflow trackers, calendar management (pertaining to completion/ AP1, Cancellation and SDLT submission deadlines).

This is not an exhaustive list and from time to time it may be necessary to vary these to meet the department and business needs.

Person Specification

Attributes and skills required:

• Strong academic background, ideally gaining a 2:1 at degree level.
• At least two year’s PQE as a solicitor, CILEx Lawyer or Licensed Conveyancer
• CILEx Lawyers must have Conveyancing Practice Rights
• Minimum 12 months continuous experience in a role that includes:
  • Dealing with Post Completion registrations.
  • Dealing with matters in volume (for example a residential conveyancing or plot sales role)
• Excellent administration and organisation skills, including diary management and the ability to multitask.
• The ability to lead a team and inspire others to operate at the same high working standards.
• Must have a methodical approach, with a good attention to detail and produce work / documentation which is consistently of a high standard.
• Competent in all MS applications including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Must be client focussed and have an approachable manner with excellent communication skills both written and verbal.
• Able to work with limited supervision with the ability to prioritise workload to increase efficiency.
• Able to supervise others and to delegate and follow up on tasks to ensure that they have been achieved to a high standard.
• To have a flexible approach to work to ensure client deadlines are always met and clients are communicated with on a consistent and regular basis.
• Familiarity with Registered Providers would be an advantage but is by no means necessary.
• Experience of supervising a team of paralegals.