Senior Legal Advisor (Disputes) - 9 Month FTC

Apex Contracting Co.; London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an experienced solicitor to join their claims and disputes team. This role involves providing legal advice on a wide range of issues, including contractual claims and professional negligence within the engineering sector. The position offers a supportive environment that values work-life balance and inclusivity, allowing for hybrid working arrangements. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in construction law and excellent communication skills, enabling them to navigate complex legal challenges effectively. This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to impactful projects and develop your career in a dynamic setting.

Benefits

Hybrid working policy

Flexible working arrangements

Health and wellbeing programs

Development and training opportunities

Work-life balance initiatives

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor with PQE and experience in construction and engineering claims.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills essential for the role.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice on claims and disputes in engineering consultancy.
• Manage external legal advisers and liaise with insurance brokers.

Skills

Construction Law

Dispute Resolution

Legal Advice

Communication Skills

Commercial Awareness

Negotiation Skills

Education

Degree in Law

Qualified Solicitor or Barrister

Job description

WSP is one of the world’s leading professional services firms providing strategic advisory, engineering and design services to clients in the transportation, infrastructure, environment, building, power, energy, water, mining and resource sectors. We are dedicated to our local communities and propelled by international brainpower. We are technical experts and strategic advisors including engineers, technicians, scientists, architects, planners, surveyors and environmental specialists, as well as other design, program and construction management professionals.

We design lasting solutions in the Property & Buildings, Transportation & Infrastructure, Earth and Environment and Power & Energy sectors as well as project delivery and strategic consulting services. With 9,000 talented people in 60 offices across the UK and Ireland, we engineer projects that will help societies grow for lifetimes to come.

WSP is currently recruiting an experienced solicitor to work within the claims and disputes team which forms part of the wider UK Legal team.

Within this role you will be responsible for contributing to the effective management of legal and contractual risk through the provision of legal advice on claims and disputes arising under engineering consultancy appointments across all of WSP’s engineering disciplines. The role will cover a broad spectrum of dispute resolution work, from advising on payment disputes, contractual claims and operational issues through to professional negligence claims.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU

Work-life balance?

WSP recognises that work is only one part of your life and making time for other things is important – whether that’s for your families, friends, or yourself. Our hybrid working policy allows the flexibility to work from the comfort of your own home as well as collaborating in our contemporary offices across the UK.

Inclusivity & Diversity?

We want our people to achieve rewarding careers, bringing their whole selves to work. We celebrate integrity and treat people with respect, supporting each other and embracing diversity to create a culture of inclusion and belonging at WSP.

Health & Wellbeing?

We are committed to supporting our people, giving you the tools to make improvements to your health and wellbeing through our Thrive programme.

Flex your time?

For improved work life balance, WSP offers the “WSP Hour” which enables you to take one hour per day to do as you wish and make up the time earlier or later that day. We also offer part time and flexible working arrangements plus the option to flex your bank holiday entitlement to suit you.

Your development?

We appreciate that development and training is important to you and that’s why we have a supportive environment that invests in your development, whether that’s chartership, training or mentoring.

APPLY NOW AND BE THE FUTURE OF WSP!

Here at WSP we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity. As a Disability Confident leader, we will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria, please let us know if you require any workplace adjustments in support of your application.

Please note WSP reserves the right to close the vacancy before the advertised closing date.

• Provides effective legal and commercial advice on professional indemnity claims through formal and informal dispute resolution processes (including mediation, adjudication, expert determinations, court proceedings and arbitration).
• Supports the business units within WSP UK, through the provision of commercially oriented and solution focused legal advice on contractual claims and operational issues in order to achieve the best overall outcome for the business.
• Supports the engineering disciplines and finance teams on working capital issues, including providing sound legal advice and strategy on the non-payment of fees.
• Advises on relevant aspects of applicable laws, including contract and construction law.
• Ensures that corporate governance is maintained in relation to the settlement of disputes.
• Where required, manages external legal advisers in relation to initial instructions, ongoing claims management, costs and strategy.
• Liaises with insurance brokers in the conduct of claims to ensure WSP’s coverage position is safeguarded.
• Updates the business on legal developments and delivers business focused training from time to time.
• Contributes to the organisation and dissemination of legal ‘know-how’ within the UK Legal team and contributes to the provision of ‘lessons learned’ feed-back to the wider business.
• A team player who works collaboratively with colleagues at all times.
• Expected to familiarise themselves with our health and safety arrangements and guidance relevant to themselves and their activities and shall meet any specific duties for their role as detailed within GNHS020 – Competencies, Roles and Responsibilities.

The successful candidate will be a solicitor qualified in England & Wales, with a PQE and significant experience of advising on construction and engineering claims and disputes and/or professional negligence claims and disputes, within the construction and engineering sphere. Previous experience of working in-house is desirable, but not essential.

The successful candidate will have the confidence and aptitude to progress rapidly to independent management of their own workload. The role will involve liaison with senior management, directors and project managers as well as external liaison with solicitors, insurers, experts and other external bodies.

In addition to the above, the successful candidate must also be able to demonstrate:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent and a qualified solicitor or barrister in England and Wales
• Excellent communication skills, written and oral
• A commercial and pragmatic approach to the giving of legal advice and resolution of disputes
• The ability to work without supervision under pressure and meet deadlines
• A proactive approach with the ability to prioritise between competing business demands
• Strong inter-personal and collaborative skills

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