Senior Knowledge Lawyer - Real Estate Disputes

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Senior Knowledge Lawyer to enhance its Real Estate Disputes practice. This strategic role involves developing innovative knowledge management tools and resources, ensuring that lawyers stay ahead of legal developments while providing exceptional client service. The successful candidate will collaborate with various teams to create engaging training programs and promote the firm’s brand through knowledge-led marketing initiatives. If you are passionate about innovation and eager to make an impact in a dynamic environment, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years’ experience in Real Estate or Disputes.
• Commercial acumen and strong communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and enhance knowledge resources for the firm.
• Coordinate training and promote KM best practices.
• Support client relationships and deliver legal updates.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Project management

Inter-personal skills

Communication skills

Innovation

Education

Qualified lawyer

Job description

You must have the required Legal capacity to enter into and be bound by these terms and conditions.In filling in this application you agree to the following rules (terms and conditions of application): Your application will be based on the information that you provide to us on the application form and any resume or other information you provide to the firm (“Application”). All information provided must be accurate and complete.

The information provided by me in this Application is true and complete. I agree that any omission, falsification or misrepresentation in the Application will be grounds for rejecting my Application or subsequent dismissal if employed by, or am a partner in, the organisation. Where consent is legally required (such as in Australia and Israel), I consent to the Firm conducting pre-hiring and other checks for advancement consideration. I also confirm that I have read and understood the privacy notice below. By choosing "Submit Application" I agree to the statements above.

Please click here to view our Privacy Notice, which explains how we collect and use personal information (“Information”) in connection with your recruitment. In particular:

1. The BCLP Firm to which you are applying is responsible (i.e., it is the ‘Data Controller’) for the Information it collects from you (please see our Legal Notices for further details).

You must have the required Legal capacity to enter into and be bound by these terms and conditions.In filling in this application you agree to the following rules (terms and conditions of application): Your application will be based on the information that you provide to us on the application form and any resume or other information you provide to the firm (“Application”). All information provided must be accurate and complete.

The information provided by me in this Application is true and complete. I agree that any omission, falsification or misrepresentation in the Application will be grounds for rejecting my Application or subsequent dismissal if employed by, or am a partner in, the organisation. Where consent is legally required (such as in Australia and Israel), I consent to the Firm conducting pre-hiring and other checks for advancement consideration. I also confirm that I have read and understood the privacy notice below. By choosing "Submit Application" I agree to the statements above.

Please click here to view our Privacy Notice, which explains how we collect and use personal information (“Information”) in connection with your recruitment. In particular:

1. The BCLP Firm to which you are applying is responsible (i.e., it is the ‘Data Controller’) for the Information it collects from you (please see our Legal Notices for further details).

2. Your Information will be used for your recruitment and potential advancement in the organization, and also to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations and those other relevant purposes in our Privacy Notice (including for equal opportunities monitoring and reporting where legally permitted; and for the improvement of our recruitment and other business processes). 3. We undertake pre-hiring checks of Partners and staff, and we undertake social media checks and collect criminal and regulatory records where legally permitted. Where required for your role, enhanced criminal records checks may also be needed. If you do not provide that Information (or your consent where applicable), we will not be able to recruit you. 4. We use external providers to undertake international verification, background and social media checks (including through electronic data sources; and directly with your current/previous employers, professional bodies/regulators and other third parties where appropriate). We also undertake certain verifications ourselves.

5. We will share certain Information with our international offices and select third parties, subject to appropriate safeguards.

For details of your privacy rights (including the right to object, where applicable, to our processing of your Information), please see our Privacy Notice . If you have any questions or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please send a written and dated request to [e-mail] .

Position(s) I am Applying for

Position overview

Embedded within the Real Estate Disputes practice, the role of Senior Knowledge Lawyer will help develop and drive forward an innovative knowledge strategy, directly aligned to our firm’s sectoral and departmental business plans and key client focus programmes.

Develop Knowledge Management (KM) tools, resources and training to ensure BCLP lawyers operating in the real estate sector can:

• stay ahead of legal/ regulatory developments (which a particular focus on contentious/risk mitigation real estate topics);
• provide accurate and commercial advice, and excellent client service
• maintain a strong market presence
• leverage the latest practice technology

The role forms part of a wider knowledge group at the firm, coordinated by BCLP’s Chief Knowledge Officer, and will require strong collaboration with the following colleagues, in particular:

• Knowledge Lawyers embedded within Core Real Estate; Construction; Business & Commercial Disputes; Planning/Zoning practices
• Marketing & Business Development professionals
• Learning & Development Team

Although this role is not predominantly fee earning, it does require time recording, and some fee earning work is expected. This will be on an occasional basis, with no set targets.

What’s in it for you?

• An excellent opportunity to take on a strategic role within BCLP’s Real Estate Disputes practice, which has been independently ranked No. 1 by both Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners UK for well over a decade.
• Play a key role in firm-wide projects and work collaboratively with other knowledge lawyers, marketing professionals and fee-earners to deliver cutting-edge KM content, processes and technology to BCLP lawyers in the UK and, where appropriate, across the Firm’s wider global network.
• Maintain a client-centred presence and keep your own practice skills sharp by assisting on select fee-earning work (where appropriate), and by working alongside and engaging directly with fee earners in the practice group.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities of this role are set out below.

While the jurisdictional focus of this role is mainly on the UK, the successful candidate should have a global mind-set and proactively seek to support good KM practice in offices outside the UK, wherever possible.

Knowledge Content

• Play a key role creating, maintaining and enhancing knowledge resources, including: Intranet Content (Toolkits; Practice Group webpages); Template Documents;
• Practice Guides
  • Extract learning from real-world client work and ensure it is fed back into maintained knowledge resources
  • Promote new ways of sharing expertise among lawyers, including convening knowledge-sharing sessions and matter debriefs
• Proactively monitor legal developments and think laterally about their application and the risks/opportunities they present
• Communicate legal developments in a timely and accessible fashion
• Disseminate key information to other departments in the firm, and work collaboratively to ensure knowledge gaps are filled
  

Training

• Define the technical training requirements for contentious real estate practice, and develop a corresponding programme of engaging and effective internal training
• Coordinate and organise training from high-quality external providers and manage training budget
  
  

Client KM

• Help develop innovative ways of using knowledge to enhance the Firm’s brand based on a deep understanding of the law and the firm’s focus clients.
• Develop a good profile externally and proactively find ways to promote the firm through KM, e.g. by contributing to consultation papers, speaking at KM and legal technical conferences, participating in external KM and sectoral networks
• Use understanding of legal landscape to identify areas suitable for thought leadership and builds strong relations with the firm’s marketing teams to produce content for media campaigns and thought leadership projects
• Identify and help progress the delivery of content via social media channels; champion for new ways of promoting the Firm through social media technology; understand what makes attractive media copy
• Directly support clients and helps them prepare for the impact of future changes to law by delivering timely legal updates; training and thought leadership
• Actively participate in client relationships as needed.
  
  

Firm-wide KM Projects

• Identify and participate in firm-wide knowledge-related initiatives and projects; leverage cross-selling opportunities between groups/offices; work generously and enthusiastically with other functions to ensure sharing of best practice.
  
  

KM Technology / Process Improvement

• Act as an ambassador and champion for innovation e.g. by suggesting creative solutions to problems; partner with the Innovation group to identify and trial new products (including use of AI); implement the use of new tools within PG
• Identify better, simpler and more efficient working, and oversee implementation of efficiency processes
  
  
• Use responsible judgement to assess risk issues in line with the Firm’s policies and deal with difficult technical, client, ethical and reputational issues
• Act as a sounding board and offer fresh perspective to partners on complex technical legal concepts

KM Culture

• Identify ways to encourage fee earners to become actively engaged in knowledge and training activities and proactively promote KM best practice.
  
  

Fee Earning

As described above, the role comes with the expectation of some client billable fee-earning work. While there are no formal targets, you are required to look for opportunities to record time on client matters wherever possible.This may be as an official team member on some matters, or simply by ensuring that client matter numbers are obtained in all relevant circumstances when handling queries. In the event that the number of hours recorded reaches or exceeds 200 hours in any given bonus year, the role may be eligible for a discretionary bonus from the practice group, in addition to any bonus for KM work.

Essential experience and qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required:

• Qualified lawyer with at least 5 years’ experience as a:
  • Real Estate or Real Estate Disputes fee-earner within private practice
  • Real Estate or Real Estate Disputes Knowledge Lawyer; and/or
  • In-House Counsel within Industry or Government, with a property focus
• Commercial acumen, able to think “big-picture” and willingness to understand both client and partner need at any time, and flex the knowledge offering as needed
• A sound approach to the business and practice of law, with the gravitas to win the respect of partners and other colleagues, and be able to establish a rapport with all team members
• A strong communicator with excellent inter-personal skills and extensive experience of internal and external training
• A can-do attitude, with a driven, enthusiastic and energetic approach, willing to roll sleeves up to learn new skills and set an example to others
• Proven project management skills and strong service-oriented ethic capable of prioritising and tackling the challenges of a multi-office, international law firm
• Ability to be flexible and adaptable to support strategies of the firm; ability to spot value add opportunities for the practice
• Passion for innovation and eagerness to use and champion new technology
• Interest in knowledge-led marketing and business development; willingness to engage in profile-raising initiatives and client communications through all available channels (including corporate social media)

Travel

This position may require intermittent travel domestically and internationally

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the incumbent in the position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills of the employee. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice.