Senior Solicitor, ALT, Disputes

JOB DESCRIPTION

About Herbert Smith Freehills

As one of the world’s leading law firms, we advise many of the largest and most ambitious organisations across all major regions of the globe. With over 5,000 people, including 3,100 lawyers and over 2,000 business services professionals, operating from our global network of offices across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North America, Herbert Smith Freehills is at the heart of the new global business landscape providing premium quality, full-service legal advice.

We recognise that the success of our business and our clients relies on the skills, knowledge and ideas of all our people. Our environment is one in which high performance is expected, in return, we will provide you with rewards and opportunities tailored to your personal and professional goals.

The Opportunity

About ALT

Herbert Smith Freehills' pioneering global Alternative Legal Services business harnesses the firm's key legal and client technology expertise around the world to offer cost-efficient legal products and technology services for clients. A global team of over 350 lawyers, legal analysts and technologists works seamlessly and 24/7 from offices in in Belfast, Johannesburg, London, New York, Beijing, Shanghai, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

ALT is a market leader in the use of technology assisted review for e-disclosure in the UK and worked on the first UK Commercial Court matter to use it. Our clients benefit fully from the enhanced quality and time-saving that leading technology and innovation in delivery can provide, while also saving money.

About ALT Disputes

We are experienced in complex large scale document review, sensitive and time critical investigations and regulatory matters, consumer claims assessments and volume claims management. Our teams work closely with and provide support to other Herbert Smith Freehills practice groups, and we are continually expanding our service offerings. We are experts in complex review elements including legal professional privilege, commercial sensitivity and data protection working across all industry sectors including financial services, energy, retail, TMT and construction.

The Role

Senior Solicitors and Senior Former Practising Barristers ("FPBs") are experienced qualified Solicitors or Barristers, who work closely with the Senior Managers, Legal and Managers, Legal supporting them in supervising and training teams of Solicitors/FPBs, Trainees and Legal Analysts.

The role involves supporting the Senior Managers, Legal and Managers, Legal in supervising the performance of Solicitors/FPBs, Trainees and Legal Analysts on fee earning projects on a day-to-day basis. Senior Solicitors/Senior FPBs will be expected to assist the Senior Managers, Legal and Managers, Legal with strategic management and delivery of matters. They will also be expected from time to time, to lead projects, escalating to Senior Managers, Legal and Managers, Legal who will support as necessary. 

Senior Solicitors/Senior FPBs are key to our delivery of the highest standards of client service and may occasionally be required to work into the evening to meet project deadlines. 

Senior Solicitors/Senior FPBs will also have people management responsibility for groups of Solicitor/FPBs, Trainees, Legal Analysts. If qualified as a Solicitor in England and Wales, they may also have supervision responsibility for one of the Trainees in our team.

This role will require the successful candidate to balance using their legal knowledge, skills and experience to assist the Senior Managers, Legal and Managers, Legal in developing the disputes practice. It will also require a "can do" approach and – if appropriate, in specific circumstances – a willingness to lend a hand to other practice areas in the office, if time permits.

Note: limited travel, to the Herbert Smith Freehills offices or to clients, may be required from time to time.

Key responsibilities

Management of own fee earning workload, including fee earning of a complex nature.

Supervision of the junior legal team on day-to-day fee earning projects including dealing with complex issues on individual matters that are escalated by the team; ensuring that relevant legal issues are fully understood by the team working on an individual matter; and conducting quality control on the junior team's fee-earning work. 

 Supporting Managers with and where appropriate taking responsibility for project management of large-scale document reviews, pre-trial support and customer file reviews or claims assessments.

Build and maintain strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to ensure that service delivery meets expectations.

Support the development of workflow for specific projects, including drafting relevant sections of case and client manuals or review guides and supporting our instructing teams generally with the drafting of project instructions.

Scoping, set-up, training and pricing in relation to fee earning projects, often which are large scale.

Supporting Managers with financial management, including reporting on WIP recovery and managing billing procedures.

Ensuring own compliance with financial disciplines on matters (e.g. daily timesheet recording and target chargeable hours).

Recruitment support as and when necessary.

Assisting with people management, including performance reviews and performance management.

Contributing towards team business planning.

Providing any other assistance to the business on client matters and related tasks as required.

The responsibilities outlined above cannot totally encompass or define all tasks that may be required of the post-holder. 

The outline of responsibilities given above may, therefore, vary from time to time without materially changing either the character or level of responsibility or grade.

Qualifications and skills

TECHNICAL

Essential

Qualified solicitor or barrister in England and Wales or Northern Ireland, but Republic of Ireland or other common law jurisdictions will be considered. (If not qualified in England and Wales then willing to complete process to requalify as such, if required.)

4 + year's post qualification experience gained working in a litigation/disputes environment.

Strong analytical ability, coupled with sound judgement and ability to provide solutions to challenges.

Strong IT literacy, including an aptitude for learning (and becoming proficient in) the use of software and IT applications.

Desirable

Experience working in a commercial legal environment, ideally a private practice law firm.

Knowledge and experience of legal work for the Disputes practice group, for example claims assessment, with the ability to project manage the process from instruction to completion.

Experience of managing project teams, including direct reports.

Please note, closing date for applications is Friday 9th February 2024

Team

Alternative Legal Services (ALT)

Working Pattern

Full time

Location

Belfast

Contract type

Permanent Contract

Diversity & Inclusion

At Herbert Smith Freehills you will be part of a diverse, innovative culture where high performance, client focus and highly engaged people are our differentiator. People at our firm come from a range of backgrounds and bring a wide variety of experiences and perspectives to their work with us. We strive to ensure that our inclusive environment means you feel valued and able to perform at your best by being your authentic self at work. We know that our future success not only depends on being innovative and progressive in the changing legal market but, most importantly, on our people feeling highly engaged in meaningful work.

We understand that you have commitments and personal interests outside of work and we strive to create a working environment based on mutual trust and respect, in which you can perform at your best whilst maintaining sustainable balance across your life.

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