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Jen is an experienced Real Estate partner based in our Manchester and Liverpool offices. Jen has extensive experience in the housing sector with particular expertise in residential development and regeneration programmes. She is recognised both by her clients and in legal directories as a leading expert in her field.

Jen has been working in the Housing sector for 17 years. Jen’s in-house experience (5 years) at the outset of her qualification has given her great insight into the workings of RPs and their requirements. Jen brings invaluable experience in housing and regeneration matters such as:

  • Development transactions – from pre-bid stage through to post-acquisition and scheme set-up; inc. forward funded schemes, s106 acquisitions, golden brick transactions, land led schemes, joint ventures, options/conditional contracts, overage provisions and large-scale estate regeneration schemes
  • Sales and acquisitions
  • Stock rationalisations
  • Section agreements – infrastructure and planning
  • Leases – commercial, residential and REIT linked (supported / independent living)
  • Shared ownership site set-up and plot sales – including in-house team training and triage
  • Home ownership aspects such as RTB/RTA; staircasing and re-sales
  • Stock transfer and portfolio acquisition, sale and charging
  • Bespoke training – for instructing clients and their Boards
  • Strategic development programme advice
  • Developing and implementing a legal framework (when in-house)

With her career spanning both in-house and law firm positions, Jen brings commercial acumen, expertise in housing policy and a broad knowledge of the sector to her new role. Jen has significant housing and regeneration experience and is highly regarded by clients for her “extensive knowledge of the housing sector”.

  • Jennifer Hankinson … very responsive and look to find solutions to challenges that crop up… also a good sounding board and at times feel like part of our team.

    Legal 500

  • Jennifer Hankinson clearly selects her team to ensure that her values and culture are at the core of the service that the team offers for clients. They are excellent at listening to the requirements of their clients and providing the correct balance of caution and practical advice in a collaborative and well-considered manner.

    Legal 500

  • Jennifer Hankinson is always approachable and gives sound advice on all matters. Extensive knowledge of the housing sector.

    Legal 500

  • Jennifer is great to work with. She feels like another pair of hands for our team.

    Chambers and Partners

  • Jen provides an excellent service. She has a depth of knowledge in not only the legal and commercial matters specific to each project, but also in the wider context of the sector we work in.

    Chambers and Partners

  • She brings excellent responsiveness combined with a strong knowledge base and a good team around her.

    Chambers and Partners

  • Jennifer is great to work with. She feels like another pair of hands for our team!

    Chambers – ranked Band 3 – Social Housing North West

  • Jen provides an excellent service. She has a depth of knowledge in not only the legal and commercial matters specific to each project, but also in the wider context of the sector we work in.

    Chambers – ranked Band 3 – Social Housing North West

  • She brings excellent responsiveness combined with a strong knowledge base and a good team around her.

    Chambers – ranked Band 3 – Social Housing North West

  • Jennifer Hankinson and Francesca James are very responsive and look to find solutions to challenges that crop up. They are also a good sounding board and at times feel like part of our team.

    Legal 500 Next Generation Partner Social Housing North West

  • Jennifer Hankinson clearly selects her team to ensure that her values and culture are at the core of the service that the team offers for clients. They are excellent at listening to the requirements of their clients and providing the correct balance of caution and practical advice in a collaborative and well-considered manner.

    Legal 500 Next Generation Partner Social Housing North West

  • Jennifer Hankinson is always approachable and gives sound advice on all matters. Extensive knowledge of the housing sector.

    Legal 500 Next Generation Partner Social Housing North West

Notable Cases

Acting for the largest RP in the North West on numerous development transactions, including land led and s106 schemes as well as their largest development to date and first Joint Venture scheme (170 acre site with land value £112million).

Acting for Greater Manchester based RP in relation to various development schemes on complex regeneration sites of previous industrial use.  

Acting for northern element of National RPs on a number of development sites including regeneration and re-purposing of previous public use sites. Working closely with local authorities also. Acting for the sales team also in connection with site set-up for shared ownership and outright sale and supporting the sales team.  

Acting for regional LSVT RP on a number of development transactions – including land led transactions, s106 acquisitions and regeneration projects such as re-purposing a retail site for green training initiative.

Supporting a number of LSVT registered providers with stock rationalisation and site assessment to unlock the land for development and regeneration and access grant funding.

Supporting a number of local authorities as their teams start to develop social housing – including training and helping to consider protocols and procedures.