Senior Litigator

Phoenix; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent financial services company is seeking an experienced litigator to lead their litigation portfolio. This role includes overseeing commercial disputes and regulatory investigations while managing external counsel. The ideal candidate will be a qualified English or Scottish solicitor with significant litigation experience and exceptional communication skills. A competitive salary and hybrid working options are offered.

Benefits

Private medical cover

38 days annual leave

Excellent pension

12x salary life assurance

Income protection

Volunteering days

Qualifications

• Significant experience in managing complex, high-value disputes independently.
• Deep understanding of litigation processes including negotiation, mediation, and trial.
• Ability to balance legal risk with business needs.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee litigation matters including commercial disputes, regulatory investigations, and customer claims.
• Manage external counsel, including fee arrangements.
• Advise senior stakeholders on litigation exposure and risk mitigation strategies.

Skills

Litigation experience

Ability to manage external counsel

Negotiation skills

Communication skills

Education

Qualified English or Scottish solicitor

Job description

Job Description

Job Type: Permanent

Location: Based from our Birmingham/London/Edinburgh offices with hybrid working options.

Flexible working: All of our roles are open to part-time, job-share and other types of flexibility. We will discuss what is important to you and balancing this with business requirements during the recruitment process. You can read more about Phoenix Flex here.

Closing Date: 10.10.25

Salary and benefits: From £90,000 plus an indicative bonus range of 30%-60%, private medical cover, 38 days annual leave, excellent pension, 12x salary life assurance, career breaks, income protection, 3x volunteering days and much more.

Who are we?

We want to be the best place that any of our 6,600 colleagues have ever worked.

We’re Phoenix Group, we’re a long-term savings and retirement business. We offer a range of products across our market-leading brands, Standard Life, SunLife, Phoenix Life and ReAssure. Around 1 in 5 people in the UK has a pension with us. We’re a FTSE 100 organisation that is tackling key issues such as transitioning our portfolio to net zero by 2050, and we’re not done yet.

The Role

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced litigator to lead Phoenix’s litigation portfolio which includes several in-flight claims which are complex and high value. You will also support the effective management of Phoenix’s overall litigation risk, from the smallest of claims to the biggest and you will be responsible for reporting to the relevant Phoenix Group Entity Boards.

You’ll work as part of a broad and diverse team of lawyers (including fellow litigators) with strategic oversight of external law firms who support our larger cases.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee litigation matters including commercial disputes, regulatory investigations and customer claims
• Develop and maintain a litigation strategy aligned with business objectives and risk appetite.
• Manage external counsel, including fee arrangements
• Monitor case progress, ensuring timely and cost-effective resolution.
• Assess legal risks associated with potential or ongoing disputes.
• Advise senior stakeholders on litigation exposure and risk mitigation strategies.
• Implement early dispute resolution mechanisms, such as mediation or settlement negotiations.
• Ensure appropriate documentation and reporting to auditors and internal governance bodies.
• Work closely with business units and senior leadership to align legal strategy with commercial goals.
• Prepare reports and briefings for executive teams and boards on litigation matters.
• Educate internal teams on litigation risks and best practices.
• Manage litigation budgets, including forecasting and cost control.
• Negotiate settlements and evaluate financial impact of litigation outcomes.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for an English or Scottish Qualified lawyer with significant litigation experience either in-house or in private practice.

Although Financial Services experience would be helpful, it’s not a requirement.

You will be able to manage external counsel on multiple claims, keeping them to time and cost while delivering the high standard of outcome Phoenix expects.

You’ll thrive in this role if you are able to oversee, support and develop other colleagues, leading inclusively and by example

Essential Criteria

• Qualified English or Scottish solicitor
• Deep understanding of litigation processes including negotiation, mediation, and trial
• Significant experience in managing complex, high-value disputes independently
• Ability to balance legal risk with business needs, advising stakeholders on risk tolerance and strategic options
• Excellent communication skills to convey complex legal issues clearly to non-lawyers
• Maintains confidentiality and handles sensitive matters with discretion

We want to hire the whole version of you.

We are committed to ensuring that everyone feels accepted and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. If your experience looks different from what we’ve advertised and you believe that you can bring value to the role, we’d love to hear from you.

If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, please let us know so we can help you to be at your best.

We’re reviewing applications as they come in, so apply early to avoid missing out.

Find out more about

• Guide for Candidates: thephoenixgroup.pagetiger.com/guideforcandidates
• Find or get answers from our colleagues: www.thephoenixgroup.com/careers/talk-to-us