Senior Commercial Solicitor - Fareham or Portsmouth

A well-established Hampshire law firm is looking for a Senior Commercial Solicitor to strengthen its commercial team. This is a role for someone who wants real responsibility, genuine client relationships, and the scope to shape how commercial work develops across the firm.

The firm

This is one of Hampshire's longest-standing law firms, with over 130 years of history and a network of offices across the county and the Isle of Wight. The firm has built a strong reputation for business law, serving SMEs, property investors, developers, and owner-managed businesses from high street to mid-market level.

The commercial team handles company and corporate matters, commercial contracts, M&A, and works closely with the firm's commercial property team. The firm is large enough to offer serious work while being small enough that senior fee earners have direct access to clients and partners.

The role

You will carry a substantial caseload of commercial and corporate matters and be expected to take a leading role in client development and team contribution. Your work is likely to include:

• Advising business owners on company structuring, governance, and shareholder arrangements

• Handling business sales and acquisitions (asset and share)

• Drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements

• Advising on regulatory and compliance matters as they affect commercial clients

• Working alongside the commercial property team on transactional matters with a property element

• Supervising and mentoring junior members of the team

There is a real opportunity here for someone who wants to build something. The firm is growing its commercial offering and is looking for someone who can contribute to that trajectory, not just maintain what already exists.

What you will need

• A current practising certificate (solicitor)

• 5+ years' PQE in commercial, corporate, or a strong commercial and commercial property mix

• A demonstrable track record of managing complex matters and client relationships

• Experience of supervising or mentoring junior lawyers or trainees

• Strong business development instincts, even if you have not had a formal BD role before

What you will get

• A senior position within a firm that values its commercial team and is actively investing in its growth

• Direct access to partners and involvement in strategic decisions about how the team develops

• 25 days' holiday plus bank holidays

• Death in service benefit

• Hybrid working may be available following probation, depending on the department and role requirements

• A choice of office location, with Fareham and Portsmouth as the primary bases

Why this role is worth a conversation

If you are a senior commercial lawyer who is doing good work but feels blocked on progression, this is worth a look. The firm has the client base, the reputation, and the ambition to grow its commercial team properly. That means the right person coming in at this level will have genuine influence over how the team is built, what work it takes on, and how it serves clients. This is not a role where you slot into someone else's structure. It is a role where you help shape it.

Interested? Contact RecQuest in confidence for an honest conversation about the role, the firm, and whether it fits what you are looking for.