Principal Associate - Contentious Construction

LGBT Great; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Inclusive employer

Hybrid working

Job summary

Capsticks is expanding its construction litigation team across offices in London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester. We seek a solicitor with strong experience in construction disputes, especially under JCT/NEC contracts, and a track record in adjudication and complex pre-action work.

You will handle a demanding caseload for public and private sector clients, including health and social housing projects, while benefiting from hybrid working and a supportive environment.

Qualifications

• Experience of construction disputes.
• Experience of JCT and / NEC documents.
• Experience of adjudication.
• Experience of pre-action processes and trial preparation.
• Ability to analyse complex contracts and identify risk.
• Ability to draft letters to opposing solicitors.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong commercial awareness and judgement.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Ability and willingness to work flexibly and autonomously.
• Team-oriented mindset.

Responsibilities

• Own your own caseload and collaborate with partners.
• Advise on construction disputes under JCT/NEC forms.
• Provide practical, client-focused advice and strategies.
• Engage in all stages from pre-action to trial preparation.
• Contribute to business development and firm reputation.

Skills

Construction disputes

JCT documents

NEC documents

Adjudication

Case management

Contract analysis

Draft letters

Communication skills

Commercial awareness

Time management

Autonomous working

Team oriented

Job description

Location: Birmingham, Exeter, Leeds, London, Manchester

Hybrid working

THE ROLE

Our team of complex, high value commercial litigators, which sits within our wider Corporate and Commercial Law Department, is growing and we are seeking an ambitious and exceptional construction litigator with experience of construction disputes to help further develop our highly regarded practice.

Our Corporate and Commercial department has a varied mix of work across both the public sector and private clients, predominately in sectors including health, local government, emergency services and social housing. We advise on projects from “cradle to “grave”. We design and structure projects. We advise on operational issues. We advise on termination and expiry / handback issues. We also advise on the full range of disputes that can arise out of projects including procurement disputes, design and construction disputes, operational disputes particularly in relation to payment disputes and fire safety disputes and termination disputes.

Our Corporate and Commercial department advises on a number of market leading disputes in the PFI / Projects / Infrastructure / social housing arenas. We are currently advising on a number of schemes within the NHS New Hospital Programme and we have market-leading experience of advising on “distressed” projects between the public and private sectors and terminating PFI contracts in the health and emergency services sectors.

We are now seeking a construction litigator who wishes to focus on complex and high value construction disputes in the health, emergency services, local government and social housing sectors to join our busy team that operates across our London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester offices. The successful candidate will undertake a wide range of high quality and complex construction disputes work for our public and private sector clients.

The successful candidate will be a commercially minded solicitor with experience of advising on construction disputes relating to JCT or NEC forms of contracts who can work very closely with clients, provide first class practical advice and who is technically proficient in all aspects of construction litigation.

The role will involve responsibility for your own caseload as well as working closely with the partners and other team members both within the Corporate and Commercial Law Division and other divisions in the firm.

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• experience of construction disputes;
• experience of JCT and / NEC documents;
• experience of alternative forms of dispute resolution including adjudication;
• experience of the various stages leading up to trial including pre-action correspondence, assessing the merits of the case, drafting instructions for counsel, preparing for Case Management Conferences, conducting disclosure exercises, assisting with the preparation of witness statements, appointing experts and preparing for trial;
• the ability to analyse complex contractual arrangements and identify risks for our clients;
• the ability to draft letters and other forms of correspondence with the opposing solicitors
• excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
• excellent commercial awareness;
• excellent organisational and time management skills;
• the ability and willingness to work flexibly and autonomously;
• a team orientated mindset.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to maintain our market leading position and solicitors of most interest to us are those who have the ability to deliver clear, focused and practical advice. In return, the firm prides itself on being able to offer top quality work, excellent career prospects and a healthy work life balance in a supportive working environment.

Capsticks is an inclusive employer

At Capsticks we value diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive working environment where everyone is able to be themselves and reach their full potential. Capsticks is committed to providing equal opportunities for all and therefore we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, background, culture, ethnicity, race, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, neurodiversity, religion and beliefs.

We will make reasonable adjustments to our application and interview process to ensure that you have the best chance of success. We understand that there's not a "one size fits all" approach to adjustments so our team will work with you individually to understand more about your requirements. If you have any questions please contact our Recruitment team on: ([e-mail])