Senior Associate - Construction

JMC Legal Recruitment; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

JMC Legal Recruitment is seeking a Contentious Construction Senior Associate for a London practice handling major UK and international construction and engineering disputes.

You will work on a mix of cross-border arbitration and litigation, taking responsibility for substantial matters and advising clients, while collaborating with Partners and wider teams to develop the practice in a growing, hybrid environment.

Qualifications

• Qualified Solicitor with strong experience in contentious construction law
• Currently operating at Senior Associate level, or an experienced Associate ready to make the step up
• Experience handling complex construction and engineering disputes
• Strong understanding of construction contracts and dispute resolution
• International arbitration experience would be particularly valuable
• Able to provide clear, practical and commercially focused advice
• Comfortable taking responsibility for complex matters and managing competing deadlines
• Strong client relationship and communication skills
• Interested in contributing to the continued growth of the Construction practice

Responsibilities

• Advise across the full spectrum of contentious building, construction and engineering matters
• Help clients resolve complex contractual and project-related issues through litigation, arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution
• Take ownership of matters while working closely with experienced Partners on larger disputes
• Collaborate with Construction specialists across the wider firm and provide input to other practices
• Develop profile through client relationships, seminars, workshops, thought leadership and business development

Job description

Contentious Construction Senior Associate | Major UK & International Projects | Route to Partnership

If you’re a Contentious Construction Solicitor looking to work on larger, more complex disputes with a growing international dimension, this is an opportunity to join a highly regarded law firm that is continuing to invest significantly in its London Construction practice.

The team already has a strong flow of work and is expanding further, including significant activity within international arbitration. You’ll join at Senior Associate level with genuine responsibility for substantial construction and engineering disputes involving major projects in the UK and internationally.

The Firm

This is a highly regarded UK & Ireland law firm with a growing London presence and a strong reputation for handling sophisticated commercial work for major businesses and institutions.

The London practice continues to attract investment and senior talent, with the firm building across a number of key commercial areas. Its client base includes major corporates, financial institutions, insurers, developers and public sector organisations, with lawyers advising across sectors including real estate and construction, energy and infrastructure, financial services, manufacturing and industrials.

The Construction practice sits within this broader commercial platform and benefits from close relationships with clients involved in substantial projects and complex disputes. The firm's wider office network provides additional depth and specialist expertise where required, while the London team continues to develop its own profile and international reach.

The culture is collaborative and supportive, with a strong emphasis on professional development, flexibility and giving lawyers the opportunity to take meaningful responsibility as their careers progress.

The Role

You will join a growing Construction team as a Senior Associate, focusing entirely on contentious work. The practice handles construction and engineering disputes of significant size and complexity arising from major UK and international projects. The team is also seeing continued growth in international arbitration, providing the opportunity to develop further experience in complex cross-border disputes.

You will advise across the full spectrum of contentious building, construction and engineering matters, helping clients resolve complex contractual and project-related issues through litigation, arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution.

The role offers a high level of responsibility and the opportunity to take ownership of matters while working closely with experienced Partners on larger disputes. You will also collaborate with Construction specialists across the wider firm and provide specialist input to other practices, including Professional Indemnity.

Alongside fee-earning work, you will have the opportunity to develop your profile through client relationships, seminars, workshops, thought leadership and wider business development as the practice continues to expand.

The Candidate

• Qualified Solicitor with strong experience in contentious construction law
• Currently operating at Senior Associate level, or an experienced Associate ready to make the step up
• Experience handling complex construction and engineering disputes
• Strong understanding of construction contracts and dispute resolution
• International arbitration experience would be particularly valuable
• Able to provide clear, practical and commercially focused advice
• Comfortable taking responsibility for complex matters and managing competing deadlines
• Strong client relationship and communication skills
• Interested in contributing to the continued growth of the Construction practice

What’s On Offer

• Purely contentious Construction role
• Significant existing workflow
• Competitive salary and wider package
• Major UK and international construction and engineering disputes
• Growing exposure to international arbitration
• High levels of responsibility and direct client contact
• Opportunity to work closely with experienced Construction Partners
• A growing and increasingly ambitious London practice
• Strong sector exposure across real estate, infrastructure, energy and wider industries
• Access to the resources and expertise of a substantial wider firm
• Flexible and hybrid working
• Private medical insurance and pension contributions
• Enhanced parental leave and wider wellbeing benefits

This is a strong opportunity for a Contentious Construction lawyer looking to join an ambitious London practice offering substantial work from the outset, increasingly international disputes and the opportunity to play a visible role within a growing team.