In-House Legal Counsel - Property

Our client, a leading organisation in the retail sector in Cork, is seeking to appoint an in-house Property Legal Counsel to support its Retail Business Unit in the Republic of Ireland on an 18 month fixed term contract (with a possibility of a further extension or permanency). This is a key in-house position offering exposure to a wide range of commercial and property matters due to a significant increase in work projects.

Reporting Line:

The successful candidate will report to the Retail Business Unit Legal Counsel.

Key Responsibilities:

• Managing due diligence processes (acting as seller), including preparation and oversight of disclosure letters.
• Advising on acquisitions, disposals, leases, licences, asset management queries and a variety of commercial property and corporate transactions (including share and business sales).
• Providing legal advice across a broad spectrum of areas including commercial, employment and competition law.
• Drafting, reviewing and negotiating transaction-related agreements such as confidentiality agreements, heads of terms and other transactional documentation (including documents prepared by external counsel).
• Advising stakeholders on transactional requirements and governance matters to facilitate completion of deals.
• Managing external counsel and legal budgets effectively.
• Maintaining trackers, legal records and document filing systems.
• Supporting contract drafting and negotiation, including development of standard form templates.
• Delivering efficient project management of a varied caseload and providing support on wider business initiatives where required.

Candidate Profile:

• Qualified solicitor with a minimum of 5 years' PQE gained in private practice and/or in-house.
• Strong knowledge and practical experience of Irish property law (particularly landlord and tenant law) and conveyancing procedures.
• Experience in construction and commercial law desirable.
• Previous experience in-house or advising corporate clients is an advantage.
• Excellent skills in project management, communication, stakeholder engagement, drafting, negotiation, and time management.
• Strong commercial acumen and ability to provide pragmatic, solutions-focused advice.
• Comfortable managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment and delivering to tight deadlines.
• IT literate, with experience of managing data rooms; familiarity with AI tools is an advantage.

This role will require 3 days on site in Cork and 2 days remote working. The client is offering pension/life assurance/bonus to the successful applicant.