Senior Associate - Commercial Road Transport

JMW Solicitors LLP; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

JMW Solicitors LLP in Manchester is seeking a Senior Associate to lead the Commercial Road Transport practice. The role focuses on regulatory matters for vehicles, including HGVs, coaches and buses, with opportunities to run your own matters.

You will advise on operator licensing, hearings, investigations and risk management, while developing the practice and mentoring junior colleagues.

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ PQE in a relevant field.
• Direct commercial road transport experience welcomed.
• Strong regulatory experience in road transport matters.
• Willingness to travel nationally for hearings, meetings and events.

Responsibilities

• Manage a varied caseload of commercial road transport regulatory matters.
• Represent clients at Traffic Commissioner hearings and related proceedings.
• Support operator licence applications and investigations with regulatory bodies.
• Advise on operator licensing aspects of restructures, mergers and insolvency.
• Provide consultancy on best practice, compliance risk management and audits.
• Deliver client training and contribute to sector guidance.
• Participate in business development opportunities and industry events.
• Supervise and develop junior team members while contributing to growth.

Skills

Regulatory experience

Advocacy

Case management

Travel nationally

Client relationships

Road transport

Mentoring

Business development

Job description

Senior Associate - Commercial Road Transport

Department: Commercial Litigation

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Manchester

Description

Our Commercial Road Transport team provides specialist sector-based advice to businesses operating commercial vehicles, including HGVs, coaches and buses, ranging from SMEs through to large FTSE organisations.

The work is varied, fast-paced and often high profile and encompasses contentious and non-contentious matters including regulatory compliance, operator licensing applications, investigations, Traffic Commissioner public inquiries and wider road transport-related risk management.

This is a great opportunity for an experienced Associate or Senior Associate to gain client exposure, run their own matters and help develop a growing, market leading practice.

Key Responsibilities

You will manage a varied caseload of commercial road transport regulatory matters with appropriate support and supervision. Responsibilities include:

• Providing sector-based regulatory compliance advice and representing clients in related criminal and civil matters
• Assisting and representing clients at Traffic Commissioner Public Inquiry Hearings, Preliminary Hearings, Driver Conduct Hearings and Magistrates’ Court Hearings
• Supporting operators with Operator Licence applications and investigations involving the DVSA, Trading Standards, Environment Agency, Border Force, Police and Health and Safety Executive
• Advising on the operator licensing aspects of business restructures, acquisitions, mergers and insolvency matters within the sector
• Providing ongoing consultancy advice on best practice, compliance risk management systems and road transport audits
• Delivering client training on sector related topics
• Producing articles, blogs and sector guidance for internal publication, trade press and client engagement
• Taking part in business development opportunities, including industry events and sector-focused initiatives, with scope to grow your own network
• Responding to potential new client enquiries, converting appropriate opportunities and supporting the continued growth of the Commercial Road Transport practice
• Running matters with appropriate supervision, including day to day client contact and case progressionPlaying an active role in supervising, mentoring and developing junior team members, including the team’s solicitor, trainee and paralegal
• Maintaining up to date knowledge of legal, regulatory and sector developments.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

This role is suited to an ambitious Associate or Senior Associate, ideally with at least 5+ years’ PQE. We welcome candidates with direct commercial road transport experience, as well as those from broader regulatory, transport, criminal or motoring defence backgrounds who are keen to pivot into a specialist and growing sector. You will also bring:

• Strong regulatory experience, ideally gained in road transport regulation, Traffic Commissioner hearings, criminal or motoring defence or broader regulatory work involving bodies such as the DVSA, HSE, Environment Agency, Police or Trading Standards
• Experience of advocacy, or a genuine appetite to develop advocacy skills, with the confidence to represent clients at hearings
• The ability to run cases, manage competing priorities and progress matters with appropriate independence
• A willingness and ability to travel nationally for hearings, client meetings, training and sector events, including opportunities such as attending Parliament and industry forums
• Excellent presentation, communication and drafting skills, with the confidence to advise clients clearly and build relationships with professional contacts
• A commercial, client-focused approach and the ability to tailor advice to a varied client base, from SMEs to large, sophisticated organisations
• An interest in business development, profile raising and producing blogs, articles, guidance and training materials for clients and the wider sector
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• An ambitious and driven approach with a collaborative mindset and the ability to supervise and develop junior colleagues while contributing to the team’s growth.