Construction Law Principle Associate

Vincere; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

28 days holiday

Private healthcare

Pension matching up to 6%

Life insurance (4x salary)

Income protection

Technology benefit scheme

Cycle to work

Discounted gym membership

Employee-funded dental scheme

Travel loan

24/7 employee care helpline

Job summary

Vincere, based in Birmingham, seeks a Principal Associate to drive disputes-focused construction work with autonomy within a broad Real Estate framework.

You will lead adjudications and other dispute proceedings, advise on risk management, and collaborate closely with colleagues on complex matters while supporting business development.

Qualifications

• Qualified Solicitor with 5+ years’ PQE in construction law.
• Strong contentious construction experience and ability to lead a disputes caseload.
• Experience of adjudication is essential.
• Non-contentious experience (JCT, NEC4 and related documents) valued.

Responsibilities

• Manage a disputes-focused construction caseload, including adjudications.
• Advise clients on construction dispute resolution, including adjudication and mediation.
• Draft key documents including correspondence, pleadings, witness statements, instructions to counsel and attendance notes.
• Support colleagues with their caseloads across contentious matters, and non-contentious work where applicable.
• Advise on construction risk management and strategy.
• Contribute to client relationship development and business development activity.
• Working to agreed financial and chargeable targets and KPIs.
• Ensure deadlines and quality measures are met.
• Working in line with internal policies and procedures.

Skills

Disputes management

Construction law

Adjudication

Client handling

Communication

Education

Solicitor qualification

Job description

Construction Law – Principal Associate (Disputes)

Location: Birmingham

Salary: £75,000 to £95,000 (depending on experience)

Experience: 5+ years’ PQE

Our client is looking to hire a Principal Associate into its nationally recognised Construction team, based in Birmingham, with a primary focus on contentious construction work.

This is a great move if you want a disputes‑led construction role with variety, high‑value matters, and the support of a broader Real Estate platform. You’ll work across a wide range of sectors and will be trusted to run matters with autonomy, while collaborating closely with colleagues on complex, multi‑party disputes.

The team advises on construction risk management from procurement through to completion, and acts for a broad client base across both private and public sector. From a disputes perspective, you’ll be involved in adjudication, arbitration, TCC proceedings, mediation and expert determination. While the role is disputes‑first, non‑contentious experience (JCT, NEC4 and related documents) is valued.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Managing a disputes-focused construction caseload, including running adjudications
• Advising clients on construction dispute resolution, including adjudication and mediation
• Drafting key documents including correspondence, pleadings, witness statements, instructions to counsel and attendance notes
• Supporting colleagues with their caseloads across contentious matters, and non-contentious work where applicable
• Advising on construction risk management and strategy
• Contributing to client relationship development and business development activity
• Working to agreed financial and chargeable targets and KPIs
• Ensuring deadlines and quality measures are met
• Working in line with internal policies and procedures

What We’re Looking For

• Qualified Solicitor with 5+ years’ PQE in construction law
• Strong contentious construction experience, with the ability to lead and run a disputes caseload
• Experience of adjudication is essential
• Non-contentious experience is valued but not essential (including JCT, NEC4 and related documents)
• Strong technical ability and sound judgement
• Excellent organisation and time management, comfortable managing competing deadlines
• Confident communicator with strong client handling skills
• Collaborative approach and strong team working skills

  What’s On Offer

  • Hybrid working (where the role allows)
  • 28 days’ holiday
  • Private healthcare (option to add family at employee cost)
  • Pension matching up to 6%
  • Life insurance (4x salary)
  • Income protection (after 26 weeks’ incapacity)
  • Technology benefit scheme
  • Cycle to work scheme
  • Discounted gym membership
  • Employee-funded dental scheme
  • Travel loan
  • 24/7 employee care helpline
  • Offers and discounts at major retailers
  • Ongoing learning and development, including mentoring and leadership development
  • A people-centric culture with a genuine focus on inclusion and wellbeing

  Working Arrangements

  • Full time
  • Permanent
  • Birmingham based
  • Hybrid working (where the role allows)