Land & Regulatory Lawyer - Real Estate

1. Role Summary

Headway Partners is a leading consulting firm that provides end-to-end business solutions across sectors such as Legal, Real Estate, Regulatory Matters and IPR.

Headway Partners Regulatory and Investment advisory practice is focused on land, development authorities, and real-estate projects in the Delhi-NCR and Uttar Pradesh region. The firm seeks a mid-level lawyer who will lead land and title due diligence, regulatory due diligence (DD) reporting, and authority-side liaison work across Delhi, UP, and Haryana.

The role combines:

(i) deep title and land-legal analysis;

(ii) structured techno-legal DD report writing; and

(iii) practical coordination with revenue and development authorities, sub-registrar offices, and other statutory bodies.

2. Key Responsibilities

A. Title Due Diligence and Land-Legal Work

• Conduct full chain-of-title verification for freehold, leasehold, and authority-allotted properties in Delhi, UP, and Haryana.
• Review and analyse land and property documents, including sale deeds, lease deeds, allotment and possession letters, authority communications, mutation records, jamabandis/khasra-khatauni/ khasra girdawari, fard, and other revenue extracts.
• Examine encumbrance certificates, registered charges, and litigation records; identify defects in title, breaks in chain, and adverse interests.
• Lead title searches at sub-registrar and revenue offices, and coordinate with local counsel where necessary.
• Prepare clear, accurate Title Notes and Title Search Reports (TSR) with identification of issues, risk grading, and mitigation recommendations.

B. Regulatory Due Diligence and Compliance Advisory

• Conduct regulatory due diligence on projects and land parcels, covering planning, zoning, environmental, authority-specific, and statutory conditions.
• Track and interpret applicable laws, rules, regulations, schemes and notifications relating to:
• Delhi development authorities, municipal corporations, and revenue departments.
• Uttar Pradesh development authorities (including NOIDA, GNIDA, YEIDA, and other local authorities), municipal bodies and revenue departments.
• Haryana land and development regimes (e.g., HSVP/HUDA, DTCP, municipal and revenue authorities).
• Review statutory approvals, permits, clearances and NOCs relevant to land and development (layout sanctions, building plan approvals, CLU / NA orders, conversion orders, environmental clearances where applicable, and completion/occupancy certificates).
• Ensure compliance mapping for key statutes and regulations including, as applicable, the Registration Act, Transfer of Property Act, Stamp Acts, RERA statutes and rules, local planning laws, and authority-specific regulations.
• Integrate regulatory findings into transaction and project DD reports, with clear articulation of conditions precedent, ongoing obligations, and risk implications.

C. Liaison and Authority Coordination

• Coordinate with revenue authorities, sub-registrar offices, development authorities, and municipal bodies for:
• Collection and verification of land and revenue records.
• Registration-related searches and certified copies.
• Mutation, conversion, CLU/NA orders, and other land status changes.
• Approval/permission and NOC processes for specific assignments.
• Work closely with external local counsel, surveyors, project consultants and internal project teams to obtain documents and close compliance steps.
• Maintain trackers for authority interactions, pending applications, and statutory timelines; provide concise status updates to the Managing Partner and project leads.

D. Techno-Legal Reporting and Documentation

• Prepare structured techno-legal DD reports on land and projects, including:
• Executive summary of land and regulatory position.
• Detailed title chains with document references and diagrams where required.
• Risk matrices and issue lists (title, regulatory, procedural, documentation).
• Recommendations on risk mitigation, documentation corrections, and next steps.
• Draft legal opinions, internal notes and client-facing memoranda on title and regulatory issues.
• Assist in drafting and vetting transaction and project documents (MoUs, sale/assignment deeds, lease and license documents, development / collaboration agreements, authority documentation) where needed.
• Maintain organised DD files, document indexes, and knowledge notes for future reference.

E. Internal Collaboration and Knowledge Development

• Work closely with the Managing Partner and project teams on live engagements and proposals.
• Contribute to internal knowledge-building by preparing short notes / trackers on key regimes (Delhi, UP, Haryana land and development laws, RERA, authority-specific policies).
• Provide guidance and on-the-job training to interns and junior team members involved in DD and documentation.

3. Desired Profile

• LL.B. from a recognised university.
• 4–7 years post-qualification experience in real estate, land and property law.
• Strong knowledge of real estate, land laws, and property-related regulations, including experience with land acquisition, title verification, and development approvals.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail in reviewing land and revenue documents and ability to read and interpret jamabandis, khasra-khatauni, girdawari, fard and similar records for North Indian states.
• Proficiency in legal drafting and review of contracts, sale deeds, lease agreements, joint development agreements, and regulatory submissions.
• Experience in regulatory compliance, including interaction with local authorities, planning departments, and other government or quasi-government bodies.
• Ability to conduct legal research, prepare opinions, and analyze complex legal and regulatory issues affecting real estate projects.
• Excellent analytical, negotiation, and problem-solving skills with attention to detail and risk assessment capabilities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present legal positions clearly to internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Capacity to work on-site in a fast-paced environment, manage multiple matters simultaneously, and collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams.
• Bachelor's degree in Law (LL.B.) from an accredited institution; LL.M. or specialization in Real Estate or Business Law is an advantage.
• Relevant experience as a real estate or land and regulatory lawyer, preferably within consulting firms, real estate developers, or legal practices.

4. Indicative Compensation

• Mid-level band commensurate with experience and market benchmarks for Delhi-NCR real-estate / land-legal roles.
• Exact structure (fixed + performance-linked) to be discussed at interview stage.