Associate / Senior Associate

Lewis Silkin; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Lewis Silkin in the UK is seeking an experienced Data, Privacy & Cyber lawyer to join our Data, Privacy & Cyber team. The role focuses on data protection, privacy compliance, and risk management for clients across sectors, including GDPR matters and cross-border projects.

You will advise on data governance, privacy programmes, and incident response, working closely with colleagues and clients to deliver practical, commercial solutions.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years’ post-qualification experience in a Data, Privacy & Cyber team.
• Strong drafting, analytical and communication skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to manage client relationships and understand business needs.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical legal expertise in data privacy and cyber law to clients.
• Deliver excellent client service and proactive project management.
• Build relationships with colleagues and help develop the firm's data privacy practice.
• Contribute to business development and client proposals within the team.

Skills

Data privacy

Cyber law

Regulatory compliance

Client advisory

Education

Qualified lawyer

Job description

Successful businesses rely on a unique set of ideas and people. We help our clients protect and develop those vital assets, unlocking possibilities for future success.

From iconic brands and leading multinationals to pioneering start-ups, we are proud to work with a huge range of inspiring clients, helping them to turn their ideas into reality and get the best from - and for - their people.

Our people are not only exceptional at what they do, they also enjoy doing it and consistently give their best to a firm they are proud to be part of. This stems from our firm culture and our ethos of bravery and kindness. That ethos runs through everything we do, from our approach to recruitment, business practices, and DEI activities to the day-to-day environment in our office and our relationships with clients.

With an internationally minded team of more than 800 working across key areas of law – plus strategic partnerships around the world – we’ve got both the combination and calibre of legal experts it takes to enable our clients’ businesses to thrive. Whether it is providing global employment law advice, managing a global IP portfolio or piecing together a multijurisdictional corporate transaction, we are able to have the right people, in the right place, at the right time.

About the Data, Privacy and Cyber team

Our Data, Privacy & Cyber team advise on issues across the spectrum of data & privacy compliance and risk management, helping businesses across the UK, Ireland, Europe and internationally. We work with businesses to commercially leverage their data within regulatory confines as well as advising on issues such as GDPR and data protection legislation compliance.

Our experts advise on the full range of data services:

• Workplace privacy – Workplace data from employee monitoring and surveillance, carrying out employee background checks, and drafting internal data privacy policies/notices to data related to diversity programmes.
• Data Subject Access Requests (DSAR) – Advising on all volume of DSARs across all sectors via a cost-effective solution. See more for our cost-effective solution below.
• Ad tech – Advising on use of biometric data and data & privacy compliant strategies for the commercial exploitation of personal data (including user profiling and targeting as well as marketing) in the context of digital marketing and advertising.
• Data breach and incident response – Advising on data breach disputes (across multiple jurisdictions) arising from basic human error to significant breaches of security.
• Freedom of Information requests – Handling requests under Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR).
• Data transfers – Advising on global intra-group and extra group sharing arrangements, standard contractual clauses and carrying out internal risk assessments.
• Corporate support work for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) – Assisting with specialist data protection advice throughout the lifecycle of the deal.
• AI governance – Advising on AI governance programmes, drafting policies, carrying out risk assessments, implementing mitigations, advising on ongoing AI assurance programmes
• Privacy governance – Assisting clients on their privacy governance programmes more generally including rolling out polices, updating ROPAs, working with clients on implementing new privacy tech and more. This helps client to ensure privacy by design is fully embedded into their culture and processes.

For workplace privacy, we are the UK, Irish and Hong Kong member of Ius Laboris. For all other international data & privacy matters, we work with specialist data & privacy firms across all key jurisdictions using our relationships with Ius Laboris and GALA (global advertising lawyers alliance) as well as other best of breed law firms

About the role

We have developed detailed career benchmarks which set out what you will be expected to achieve at each level of your professional development:

• Providing technical legal expertise: you will continually seek to build on your current knowledge and proactively look to improve your advising skills.
• Delivering excellent service: you will analyse legal information to solve problems and formulate arguments or strategy relevant to your clients’ needs. You’ll also use your initiative to proactively manage work, and provide regular and appropriate updates to your stakeholders.
• Building relationships: you will proactively develop positive working relationships with colleagues, ensuring that you work collaboratively and that you treat all colleagues with respect and professionalism.
• Developing our business: you will have an awareness of the firm’s goals and clients, and have an appropriate level of involvement in building and maintaining relationships with key clients and prospects.

About you

Our ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate:

• At least 5 years’ post-qualification experience in a Data, Privacy & Cyber team.
• Excellent drafting, analytical and communication skills as well as strong attention to detail.
• A keen interest in developing your marketing and business development skills.
• Comfort with taking responsibility for work output and dealing directly with clients.
• That they are a team player who is keen to support others to learn, and who is keen to learn and develop their own skills.

At Lewis Silkin our ethos is simple. We strive to do the best for our clients, our people and the communities in which we operate. We recognise that an inclusive workplace allows for all kinds of ideas and thoughts, a variety of points of view that can trigger discussions or deliver innovative results, and a wide range of versatile skills and expertise. We are proud of the diversity within Lewis Silkin and of our culture that allows people to be themselves at work, ensuring we provide the best possible service to our clients. We are committed to supporting candidates throughout the recruitment process by supporting anyone who requires adjustments, in order to ensure they have the opportunity to perform at their best. All applicants will be considered equally and fairly. If you’d like to request any adjustments throughout the recruitment process, or would like to discuss flexible working patterns, please email the recruitment team in confidence ([e-mail]).