Legal Counsel - Dispute Resolution

Kier Group plc.; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading construction services firm is seeking a Legal Counsel – Dispute Resolution to manage building/fire safety related disputes. The role supports the Group Legal, Compliance & Governance team, with responsibilities including handling formal dispute resolution processes and controlling external legal costs. The ideal candidate is a qualified Solicitor or Barrister with experience in contentious construction law and excellent organisational skills. Hybrid working is offered, requiring one day a week in the London office.

Qualifications

• Mid-level PQE+ experience in construction law preferred; lower PQE considered with relevant experience.
• Knowledge of the Building Safety Act 2022 and related matters.
• Ability to manage multiple disputes with strong organisational skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage building/fire safety related disputes.
• Handle dispute resolution processes and negotiations.
• Control cost and management of external legal suppliers.
• Report on disputes and share lessons learned.
• Develop dispute resolution toolkit and provide legal training.

Skills

Contentious construction law

Risk assessment

Negotiation

Commercial awareness

Organisational skills

Education

Qualified Solicitor or Barrister (England & Wales)

Job description

Location and Hours

Flexible location – hybrid working available, with travel to Foley Street, London office required 1 day per week.

Hours: 37.5 hours per week – some flexibility on hours available if desired.

Role Overview

As a Legal Counsel – Dispute Resolution you will be working within the Group Legal, Compliance & Governance team, supporting them in managing Kier’s portfolio of strategic disputes.

Key Responsibilities

• Managing building/fire safety related disputes and providing guidance on risks in a pre-dispute setting.
• Handling formal dispute resolution processes and commercial negotiations.
• Controlling scope, cost, and management of external legal suppliers.
• Reporting on dispute matters and sharing lessons learned across the Group.
• Assisting with the development of a dispute resolution toolkit and legal training.

Qualifications

• You are a qualified Solicitor or Barrister (England & Wales) with mid-level PQE+ experience (lower PQE considered with strong building/fire safety or in-house experience).
• You have experience in contentious construction law, including litigation, arbitration, and ADR.
• You have knowledge of building/fire safety matters and the Building Safety Act 2022.
• You are commercially minded and can simplify complex legal concepts.
• You have strong organisational skills and can manage multiple matters simultaneously.
• We welcome transferable skills – even if you don’t tick every box, please apply and we can have a chat.

Benefits and Diversity

We’re proud to offer a wide variety of benefits that you can tailor to your needs. Diversity and Inclusion: Making Kier a diverse and inclusive place to work is a huge priority for us. As a Disability Confident employer, we will ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for this role will be offered an interview.

We will not offer certificates of sponsorship for this role.