Associate - Dispute Resolution, Commercial Dispute Resolution (Insolvency Focus)
The role
Our Commercial Dispute Resolution team serves a range of clients including large international corporations, successful entrepreneurs and other ultra-high net worth individuals as well as states and parastatal entities. While the team's work covers all forms of commercial dispute resolution, there are 3 key sub-teams focusing on civil fraud, contentious insolvency and international arbitration.
We also work across a number of industry sectors including energy, sports and retail and leisure and deploy a bespoke strategy based on our clients' commercial objectives and budget. Restructuring and insolvency services are delivered on a cross-departmental basis and the successful candidate would be part of this group.
The main focus of this role is however to assist the CDR team as a whole, with a particular emphasis on the contentious insolvency work stream. Despite this focus, experience and expertise in non-contentious insolvency work would be welcome.
Whilst the team is amongst the largest in the firm, it enjoys a close-knit, collegiate feel. Members enjoy an interesting variety of work in a supportive and collaborative atmosphere.
We have an excellent opportunity for an Associate to join the team working closely with Partners and lawyers at all levels on a variety of interesting matters. The successful candidate will be able to work in a stimulating environment and be given a good deal of responsibility and client contact. They will also contribute towards business development and marketing activities, maintaining client relationships and contributing to knowhow internally and externally.
Role responsibility
Typical responsibilities will include:
- Assisting with all stages of the life-cycle of a contentious matter from the review of initial information upon first instruction to the conclusion of a matter, including the preparation of pre-action correspondence, issuing court and arbitral proceedings, preparation of witness evidence, expert evidence and disclosure and all other work required on a matter to bring it to trial or to settlement;
- Working closely with Insolvency Practitioners and key stakeholders in devising corporate rescue plans;
- Advising Directors of duties and responsibilities in situations of financial distress;
- Instructing and liaising with Counsel and other experts where necessary;
- Attending meetings with clients, Counsel or opposing parties;
- Assisting the team in responding to urgent and time critical queries from clients
- Assisting with tasks relating to costs and fees, including preparing fee estimates for clients, preparing costs schedules during proceedings, and liaising with costs draftsmen and ATE insurers; and
- Contributing to sector and focus groups as required.
About you
The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:
- The ability to think through difficult problems and identify effective solutions in an efficient manner.
- Strong drafting skills, including the ability to convey arguments clearly, succinctly and persuasively.
- Strong legal skills, including proficiency in research and the ability to digest and explain complex legal and factual points.
- Comfort in using initiative and taking responsibility where appropriate.
- Thoroughness and attention to detail with the ability to perform in an exacting, deadline-orientated role.
- The ability to work collaboratively with others to provide a quality service to clients and colleagues.
- Excellent organisational and communication skills: working to tight deadlines where the input of others is often required, managing their workload effectively.
- Flexibility in approach.
- A pragmatic, commercial approach to problem solving.
Benefits
- Competitive salary
- 25 days annual holiday
- Permanent Health Insurance
- Life Assurance
- Interest free Season Ticket Loan
- Private Healthcare
- Pension Scheme
- Staff Introductory Scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
About us
We are a London based, full-service law firm, specialising in providing straightforward advice to entrepreneurial businesses and individuals on domestic and international matters.
We have grown substantially in recent years, including two mergers and an office move. We’ve also matured in terms of our approach to providing advice to our clients, seeking to simplify and improve the experience of working with a modern, independent law firm.
We’re proud of our journey. Without losing sight of where we’ve come from, we are focused on where we’re going. We are evolving and growing every day. And just like our clients, we are ambitious and moving forward. Many of our clients are entrepreneurial, ambitious enterprises who are often privately or family owned, or private equity backed. We are one of the only London based law firms with a large private wealth offering alongside significant business law capability.
The firm also advises major corporates on particular specialist legal matters who find our straightforward approach a compelling alternative to larger, less personal firms.