Construction Senior Associate / Legal Director

Birketts LLP; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 61,000 - 73,000; Part time

Job summary

A UK top law firm is hiring a Construction Senior Associate / Legal Director with over 8 years of PQE. This role focuses on dispute resolution and advisory on construction contracts. The firm offers a progressive hybrid working model and a range of benefits, including private healthcare and generous holiday. Candidates with contentious experience and knowledge of JCT or NEC contracts are encouraged to apply.

Benefits

30 days holiday plus bank holidays

Private healthcare with BUPA

Enhanced maternity/paternity leave

Subsidised gym membership

Agile/hybrid working policy

Qualifications

• Strong contentious dispute resolution skill set required.
• Experience in industry standard construction contracts preferred.
• Previous experience in a law firm or equivalent is expected.

Responsibilities

• Advise on potential disputes and various construction contracts.
• Manage adjudication, litigation, and arbitration processes.
• Work collaboratively with clients across public and private sectors.

Skills

Contentious dispute resolution experience

Knowledge of JCT and NEC contracts

Experience in adjudication and arbitration

Education

8+ years PQE in relevant field

Job description

Construction Senior Associate / Legal Director

Birketts LLP
Ipswich
£72,747 per year - estimated ?
Permanent
Part time
NEW

The firm

Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: property, corporate services, litigation and private client advisory.

We are defined by our Next Level Law proposition. We work with our clients as a proactive partner, horizon scanning and thinking ahead to the changes, challenges or opportunities that they may face.

Next Level Law is also applied to our people. Our collegiate culture means everyone is encouraged to achieve their next level in everything they do. RollOnFriday recently ranked us as the 5th best law firm to work at in 2024.

With our ambition to succeed, comes a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve, and we are committed to delivering the objectives set out in our ESG strategy. Diversity plays an integral part in all that we do, with female partners comprising 40% of our partnership.

The department

Our specialist Construction and Engineering team is one of the most established and well-regarded in the regions, as reflected by our team and individual rankings in the leading legal directories, Chambers and Legal500.

Our Construction lawyers are experienced in dealing with both contentious and non-contentious construction matters, acting for a variety of both public and private sector clients, including further and higher education colleges, academies, local authorities and NHS Trusts, as well as funders, developers, contractors, sub-contractors and consultants.

Coming from a range of backgrounds, including major City practices, national and regional firms, the depth and range of expertise means the team can work together in major and complex transactions and provide a sector-based offering for all our clients. There is a strong team ethos which also means there is support and opportunity across the spectrum, ensuring pastoral support at all levels, mentoring, regular communication and a clear route for advancement. The objective is that colleagues have a clear role but the opportunity to develop and make the role "their own".

The team's transactional work includes advising on industry standard form contracts (such as JCT, ICE, NEC, GC/Works, ACE, RIBA, RICS, FIDIC, and PFI/PPP forms), as well as regularly preparing and advising on bespoke forms of contract.

The team also has a buoyant and busy construction disputes practice, acting for a wide range of clients in relation to litigation, arbitration, adjudication and all forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution as well as a national reputation, ranking highly in the legal directories, but with an existing client base focused primarily around London, the M25 corridor, the East of England and the Southeast, added to potential future opportunities for working on arbitrations heard in London for internationally based clients.

Purpose of job

We are seeking a specialist contentious skill set from a candidate who has ideally 8+ years PQE gained within a strong regional, national or City firm, or international equivalent, ideally with experience in some or all of the following:

• Knowledge of advising on potential disputes and disputes regarding the main industry standard form construction contracts, such as JCT, NEC etc.
• Experience of Adjudication, Litigation and/or Arbitration.
• Knowledge of methods of Alternative Dispute Resolution.

The information provided in relation to PQE is provided for guidance only and will not be determinative in the recruitment decision. Any applicant with more or less PQE than that mentioned in the vacancy details will be considered on their individual merits.

Equal opportunities

Birketts is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or sexual orientation.

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.

Benefits

• 30 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays (rising to 30 days)
• Long Service holiday award - 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service
• Private Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed)
• Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% employer / 5% Employee)
• Staff Profit Share and Individual Performance Bonus Scheme
• Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)
• Life Assurance - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance
• Paid CSR Day
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Subsidised gym membership
• Electric car scheme
• Agile/Hybrid Working Policy
• Dress for your Day Policy

Additional information

Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model where our colleagues enjoy a mix of home and office working. We welcome applications from people looking for flexible, agile, and part-time roles and we are happy to explore your preferred working patterns as part of your application.

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.