INTERIM LEGAL · REAL ESTATE · CONSTRUCTION · INFRASTRUCTURE
Interim real estate lawyer and construction counsel for your projects
Alpinum Solutions provides companies in Switzerland, Germany and Austria with an interim real estate lawyer or construction counsel – for construction and project contracts, claims, property transactions and leases, as an individual or a team, part-time or full-time. The professionals work through staff leasing or freelancing within your legal or project organisation; your company sets priorities, negotiating positions and approvals.
This page is for developers, building owners, construction and real estate companies, property investors and operators of infrastructure and energy assets. We select by project type, project phase, governing law, contract standard, languages and seniority. We provide the professionals; Alpinum does not give legal advice.
Typical assignments in real estate, construction and infrastructure projects
Construction and project contracts before award
General contractor, design and supply contracts need to be ready by the award date. An experienced professional reviews drafts, prepares negotiating positions and aligns them with project management and procurement – usually full-time for a few weeks to a few months.
Claims and variations on major projects
During construction, variation claims, delay notices and defect notices pile up. Interim construction counsel assesses them, documents positions and supports talks with contractors – often part-time throughout construction, full-time when volumes are high.
Property acquisitions, disposals and due diligence
In a transaction, a team reviews the data room, analyses land register extracts, leases and easements, and prepares reports for decision-makers. The assignment follows the transaction timetable and usually ends at completion.
Leases and property portfolios
Commercial leases expire, need to be standardised or migrated into a system. A junior or experienced profile records terms, options and indexation clauses and prepares amendments, on an ongoing part-time basis or as a project.
Infrastructure and energy projects
Grid, transport or energy projects add tender documents, consortium and operating agreements. A senior profile coordinates contract work with internal departments and external law firms, often over several months.
Typical scenario
A company in the construction and real estate sector brings in specialised interim lawyers to add capacity for reviewing and negotiating construction and project contracts, handling variation claims and providing legal support for ongoing major projects.
Interim real estate lawyer: keeping contracts in step with each project phase
The legal focus of real estate and construction projects shifts with every phase. When planning support, first decide which phase you need the professional for – that determines profile and workload.
Acquisition and development
Due diligence, purchase agreements and building rights, arrangements with authorities and neighbours. Experience with land registers and transaction documentation is key.
Design and award
Design, general contractor and turnkey contracts, tender documents, securities. Depending on country and project, construction contracts use different standard terms, such as the VOB/B in Germany, SIA standard 118 in Switzerland or ÖNORM B 2110 in Austria. Experience with the standard used in your project belongs in the requirements profile.
Construction
Variation management, delay and defect notices, deadlines and records. Close cooperation with project management, site management and cost planning matters most here.
Handover, warranty and operation
Acceptance protocols, defect rights, final account, then lease, facility and operating agreements. A part-time workload is often enough in this phase.
Real estate and construction law profiles – from junior to senior
Junior (0–2 years)
Lease and purchase agreement analysis, data room and land register research, template-based drafting, maintaining deadline lists.
Experienced (3–6 years)
Independent review of construction, design and commercial lease contracts, assessing variations with project management, working in due diligence teams.
Senior (7+ years)
Negotiating general contractor and project agreements, claims strategy on major projects, managing external law firms, leading a transaction or contract team.
What you control in the project
You set negotiating goals, escalation limits and who approves variations or settlements. Under staff leasing, the right to give professional instructions generally lies with you and the professional is integrated into your organisation; under freelancing, they deliver the agreed mandate on their own responsibility. Signatures and powers of attorney stay with your company.
Engagement models for real estate and construction projects in Switzerland, Germany and Austria
Staff leasing often suits a professional who works inside the project team and attends site meetings; a defined package such as a due diligence can also be awarded as freelancing. Both models are available at 20–100 % workload, as an individual or a project team.
Switzerland
Staff leasing through Alpinum Solutions AG, which holds a cantonal licence and a SECO licence for cross-border staff leasing, or freelancing.
Germany
Temporary agency work (Arbeitnehmerüberlassung) through Alpinum Solutions GmbH, licensed by the Hesse regional directorate of the Federal Employment Agency, or freelancing. Country details on our page Interim Legal Counsel Germany.
Austria
For projects in Austria we deploy professionals as freelancers or through staff leasing via Alpinum's German or Swiss company.
Limits
As a staffing provider, Alpinum is not a law firm. Court litigation and notarial work stay with your external law firms and notaries; the interim professional prepares, coordinates and keeps the knowledge inside your company.
Process: from project phase to the right professional
01 · Describe the project and phase
You outline project type, phase, governing law, contract standard and open issues. From this we derive seniority, workload and, if needed, team size.
02 · Profile proposals within 48 hours
We propose profiles from our database of 7,500+ interviewed and professionally vetted legal & compliance professionals. You and Alpinum agree the start date together – no start date is guaranteed.
03 · Joining the project
The professional receives access to the project room, contract documents and deadline list and meets project management and contacts. In the first days you agree escalation paths and approvals.
04 · Support through to handover
You discuss status and open items in the project rhythm. At the end, the professional hands over the claims status, deadlines and contract records; Alpinum handles contract, extension and administration.
What an interim real estate or construction lawyer costs
Day rates by level, excluding VAT, as of 18 Oct 2026:
- Switzerland: CHF 600–800 (junior), CHF 800–1,200 (experienced), CHF 1,200–1,800+ (senior)
- Germany and Austria, staff leasing: EUR 480–720, EUR 720–960, EUR 960–1,440+
- Germany and Austria, freelancing: EUR 720–960, EUR 960–1,360, EUR 1,360–2,000+
On construction projects, the total effort depends mainly on whether you need the professional throughout construction or only for award or handover. A part-time workload over several months can cost less than a short full-time assignment. Background in our guide to interim legal & compliance cost models.
Frequently asked questions about interim real estate and construction lawyers
Does interim construction counsel replace our external law firm?
No. They take on ongoing contract and claims work within the project and instruct the law firm selectively, for example for court proceedings or specialist questions. This often reduces the volume of external mandates but does not replace them entirely.
Can the professional attend site meetings and visit the site?
Yes, if agreed for the assignment. On-site presence, travel and languages are part of the requirements profile.
We have projects in Germany and Switzerland – do we need two people?
That depends on volume and governing law. Some profiles have experience in both countries; with high volumes, a small team with one focus per country is often the better option.
Who approves variations and settlements?
Your company. The professional assesses and prepares decisions; you set approval limits and signing authority.
Can we get support for a single transaction only?
Yes. For a due diligence or a portfolio sale we provide professionals or a team for the duration of the transaction, usually with a fixed end date.
Related services: contract review and contract management · backlog, review & investigation · legal subject matter experts for projects · all practice areas in the interim legal & compliance overview
Discuss your needs: an interim lawyer for your real estate or construction project
Tell us the project type, phase, country and the workload you need. You receive selected profiles within 48 hours and a first view on the right seniority.