Associate Solicitor- Construction

Michelmores; Exeter; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Michelmores in Exeter is seeking an experienced Associate for its Construction team. This role focuses on non-contentious work, advising various clients on high-value projects across sectors like energy and infrastructure. The candidate should have 3-5 years' post-qualified experience, strong drafting skills with contract families, and a commercial approach. The position promotes a supportive team environment with an emphasis on flexible working arrangements.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years' post-qualification experience in Construction and Engineering practice.
• Experience in advising and acting on a range of construction matters.
• Extensive drafting and negotiating experience with contract families including JCT, NEC, FIDIC, and bespoke contracts.

Responsibilities

• Undertake primarily non-contentious work with potential for contentious work.
• Review and advise on contract terms proposed to clients.
• Draft and negotiate contracts and ancillary documents.

Skills

Strong interpersonal skills

Effective communicator

Excellent organisational skills

Commercial and pro-active approach

Ability to juggle competing priorities

Education

3-5 years' post-qualified experience in Construction and Engineering

Tools

JCT

NEC

FIDIC

IChemE

Job description

What sort of work?

Right now, our highly regarded Construction team is looking for an experienced Associate to join them, with a real focus on non-contentious work.

This position offers an opportunity to broaden your knowledge and progress your career in a supportive team environment.

Responsibilities

In this role you will undertake primarily non-contentious work, although we would also like to hear from candidates who are willing and able to undertake contentious work too. Working alongside Partners such as Anna Wood, Ashley Pigott, Maria Greener and Senior Associates across the team, you will act for both public and private sector clients across the construction supply chain, primarily on the employer/client side. Your files will relate to high value and often high profile regional and national developments across a broad range of sectors including energy and infrastructure, health, education, commercial, and consumer brands.

Your day-to-day work will include reviewing and advising on contract terms proposed to our clients, drafting and negotiating contacts, appointments and ancillary documents, and interacting with clients and their other advisors both in person and on Teams calls. Your cases will be highly varied and often fast‑paced, providing an exciting and stimulating working environment, in which you will be well‑supported by colleagues.

Why this team?

Our experienced Construction and Engineering practice advises regional, national and international clients on a wide range of issues across the supply chain providing first‑rate and solutions‑driven advice at all stages from the outset of a project through procurement and beyond. Clients include owners and occupiers, developers, main contractors, project managers, members of the professional design team, funders and public sector authorities, at both local and central government level.

On the transactional side, the practice complements the work of the Firm’s Commercial Development and Projects teams, particularly in relation to its developer and public sector clients, advising on the complexities of multi‑million pound multi‑stakeholder procurement on prestigious regional and national projects.

The team also has a busy construction dispute resolution caseload including both employer and contractor‑side cases, whether in adjudication, Pre‑Action Protocol, TCC or arbitration proceedings.

How do we work?

We take a flexible, agile approach to working patterns. As a team we agree together on the best working arrangements that will enable each of us to provide exceptional client service, to collaborate and connect with colleagues, and to achieve the right home/work balance.

We are open to talking about flexible working and to empowering any candidate to put forward a flexible working pattern to meet their needs.

Who are we looking for?

The ideal candidate will have:

• 3-5 years' post‑qualified experience in Construction and Engineering practice.
• Experience of advising and acting on a range of construction matters that align with the client and work types described above.
• Extensive drafting and negotiating experience across a range of contract families including JCT, NEC, FIDIC, IChemE, Energy contracts including EPCs, O&Ms, bespoke appointments and contracts and ancillary documents (collateral warranties, bonds, PCGs etc).
• A genuine interest in promoting business development opportunities.

The team works across various sectors and for funders, employers/clients, contractors and sub‑contractors. The successful candidate will have experience of more than one sector, but we have no specific requirements for particular sectors.

The matters that we work on are usually high‑value complex matters and the successful candidate will primarily work alongside a Partner and/or a Managing Associate to be a safe pair of hands for the day‑to‑day running of files.

Other skills required include:

• Strong interpersonal skills; effective communicator at all levels (written and verbal).
• A commercial, pro‑active and professional approach to work.
• Excellent organisational skills, demonstrable examples of multi‑tasking and an ability to effectively juggle competing priorities.
• Must interact well with others in a sensitive and effective way – a team player.
• Must be self‑motivated, committed to working towards goals with strong enthusiasm and career commitment.
• A strong understanding of the importance of confidentiality and use of discretion.
• Demonstrable self‑confidence, initiative and innovative thinking.

Michelmores LLP is an Equal Opportunities Employer

We do not discriminate on grounds of race, gender, marital status, age, religion, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, disability or sexual orientation in the selection, recruitment and treatment of our staff.