Articles From the Team

Is property the new personal injury?

Through the dark days of 2008 – 2010 it often seemed that teams specialising in personal injury and other insurance backed disciplines of law were the only one’s who were recruiting. Pushing through 2011 – 2013 insurance backed work has remained profitable and recruitment levels are still high. The effects of Jackson have created change in the claimant market but for our defendant clients it remains full speed ahead. Talk to my colleagues James Brewster (Business Manager), Claire Blackburn (Senior Associate) or Chantel Gallagher (Consultant) for further details.

Since 2011 we have started to see an improvement in the property market. Initially this was focussed around portfolio management work for commercial clients and landlords. However as we move into the back end of 2013 there can be no doubt that house building is back with a passion. As BCL Legal’s consultant who specialises in commercial property I have received a steady stream of instructions this year from Partners seeking solicitors to join teams specialising in advising large scale development clients. A proportion of this work has had a focus on developing property for commercial use but for the most part the instructions have related to house building.

These roles include working on all aspects of development files and advising large multi-million pound turn over organisations. Successful applicants are involved in the purchase of land, setting up the development and managing the development. Usually the sale/ lease of properties at the back end of the process are managed by another team. My colleague Jo Lack (Senior Associate) who undertakes all of our residential property recruitment has also noticed a massive up turn in instructions from clients seeking new employees to undertake work relating to the buying and selling of houses.

Across the board it seems that government schemes to aid first time buyers and general improvements in the economy are helping the property market to recover at all levels. With the Government committed to continuing to support the property market as one of the main tranches of its attempts to bolster economic recovery it seems unlikely that this trend will continue for the foreseeable future.

Whilst levels of business and therefore recruitment have not returned to pre 2008 levels, the signs are good for sustainable recovery in the market place.

For more information about opportunities in commercial property please contact BCL Legal on 0121 236 2623.