Legal Director - Finance Disputes

Addleshaw Goddard; London; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading law firm seeks a Legal Director in Finance Disputes to oversee complex client matters and cultivate significant client relationships. This role involves strategic leadership, managing high-value disputes, and fostering the growth of a dynamic team in a supportive environment.

Qualifications

• At least 8 years' PQE with a strong disputes background.
• Experience in leading large-scale financial disputes.
• Consultative engagement with senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead high-profile, high-value disputes including litigation in the High Court.
• Manage external counsel and mentor junior associates.
• Contribute to business development and strategic growth initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Client Management

Strategic Planning

Problem Solving

Education

UK-qualified solicitor or barrister

Job description

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Legal Director - Finance Disputes, London

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Client:

Location:

London, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

50acf0a338b6

Job Views:

5

Posted:

02.07.2025

Expiry Date:

16.08.2025

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Job Description:

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

• As a Legal Director within our growing Finance Disputes team, you will play a strategic leadership role, both in complex client matters and in the continued expansion and development of the practice. You will take ownership of significant client relationships, lead case strategy, supervise junior colleagues, and contribute directly to the team's BD, innovation, and international growth goals.
• This hire is a response to increasing demand from our diverse and expanding financial services client base, including global banks, fintechs, crypto platforms, and investment firms. The role supports the firm's wider ambition to build one of the UK's most dynamic and future-focused disputes practices – integrating sector expertise with deep technical skill and a commercial mindset.

THE TEAM

• Our Finance Disputes team, led by Richard Clayton, is nationally recognised for its work across the financial services spectrum, acting for global and domestic banks, fintechs, payment institutions, and asset managers.
• We operate as a cohesive, partner-led unit across offices with deep expertise in complex financial disputes, regulatory investigations, enforcement matters, and digital assets litigation.
• Our lawyers are known for their technical excellence, commercial acumen, and strategic litigation approach, often involved in precedent-setting and cross-border matters.
• We invest heavily in the development of our people – many senior team members have progressed internally – and we offer mentoring, leadership training, and international collaboration opportunities as part of long-term career growth.

What to expect in this role

• You will be involved in leading high-profile, high-value disputes, including litigation in the High Court and Court of Appeal.
• You will lead client strategy, manage external counsel and mentor and supervise associates and trainees on case delivery and legal development.
• You will take a proactive role in business development – presenting to clients, contributing to thought leadership, and collaborating with partners on strategic growth initiatives across new markets and sectors
• You will bring a problem-solving mindset to legal and operational challenges, balancing risk with innovation and commercial awareness.
• In addition to technical case work, you will contribute to legal innovation, knowledge sharing and the development of practice area frameworks (e.g. litigation tech tools, risk dashboards).

your areas of knowledge and expertise

To be successful in this role:

• A UK-qualified solicitor or barrister (or equivalent) with at least 8 years' PQE and a strong disputes background focused on banking, financial services, and/or digital assets.
• Proven experience in leading large-scale financial disputes, with strategic responsibility from case planning through to resolution.
• Consultative and credible in your engagement with senior stakeholders with a demonstrable track record of managing complex client relationships.
• A capable leader with experience mentoring and developing junior talent, promoting collaboration and best practice across multi-office teams.
• Commercially minded – you will shape legal advice within clients' strategic, operational, and reputational parameters.
• Previous experience at Legal Director level or as a Senior Associate with demonstrable readiness to step into leadership and Partnership track.
• Exposure to disputes in emerging financial technologies or digital asset sectors.
• Involvement in cross-border or international financial disputes.
• Experience working for, at, or previous secondments to Financial Institutions including for example an investment bank – offering valuable insight into the internal risk, governance, and commercial drivers of institutional clients.

Our FIRM

Addleshaw Goddard is a place where you are valued, encouraged, and challenged to fulfil your potential in a supportive and collegiate environment. Our culture of improvement, growth and collaboration delivers results, drives innovation, and rewards ambition.

We not only provide technical excellence and experience but, crucially, demonstrate real insight into our clients and what really matters to them and as such we are natural choice for FTSE100 clients and their equivalents in other markets.

Our success has been built by people from the widest range of backgrounds, locations, and perspectives. We have a number of employee networks that provide space to discuss the differences that make us who we are and celebrate this at AG.

OUR APPROACH: IMAGINE THE BESTYOUCAN BE

Everything we've accomplished can be traced back to our people and the way we work. Our reputation is something we are proud of, and constantly invest in.

Here, you'll do high calibre work, with high-character colleagues who care for one another and our clients.