Senior Solicitor/Associate

Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a talented Contentious Construction lawyer to join its dynamic team in Edinburgh or Glasgow. This role offers the chance to work on high-value disputes across the UK construction sector, focusing on infrastructure and engineering. You will engage with sophisticated clients, providing expert legal advice and representing them in various formal proceedings. The firm promotes a supportive and inclusive environment, encouraging professional growth and collaboration. If you are passionate about construction law and eager to make a significant impact in your field, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Supportive work environment

Diversity and inclusion initiatives

Qualifications

• PQE 3-6 years in Contentious Construction law required.
• Strong advocacy and client relationship skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality legal advice on complex construction issues.
• Represent clients in formal proceedings and alternative dispute resolution.

Skills

Contentious Construction Law

Dispute Resolution

Legal Advocacy

Client Relationship Management

Business Development

Education

Qualified Lawyer (PQE 3-6 years)

Tools

Information Management Systems

Job description

Location: Edinburgh (would consider Glasgow based applicants)

The team

We currently have an opportunity within our Construction and Infrastructure Disputes team for a 3–6-year PQE Contentious Construction lawyer based in Edinburgh or Glasgow, with options for flexible working.

The role is to join one of our five Contentious Construction teams, which are part of the firm’s wider Commercial Disputes and Regulation division.

The team has a busy and specialist practice across the UK construction and engineering sector, with a particular focus on infrastructure, energy, and civil engineering: power/utilities, rail, renewables, commercial and residential development, leisure, education, health, defence, flood prevention schemes, PFI/PPP, and professional negligence.

The team represents major UK contractor, subcontractor, and employer clients in complex and high-quality dispute work based in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and handles mediation, adjudication, court and arbitration work across the UK, for example, in the TCC in London and Court of Session in Edinburgh.

As part of the team, you will have the opportunity to:

• Deliver high-quality advice to sophisticated commercial clients on high-value, complex issues.
• Assist in shaping and delivering clients’ commercial objectives through identifying and implementing solutions.
• Play an active role in representing clients in formal proceedings and ADR across the UK.
• Assist in documenting settlements and dispute-related agreements.
• Have fun, work with like-minded people, and further your career in a high-quality environment.

Technical/Legal Skills

• Demonstrates appropriate range of legal knowledge and, with assistance, can identify issues outside their expertise and seek appropriate assistance.
• Obtains relevant information to complete task.
• Produces a solution best addressing the client’s requirements, with minimum guidance.
• Demonstrates potential to display effective spoken and written advocacy skills.
• If appropriate, seeks to comply with formalities required in connection with spoken and written advocacy and to deal with witnesses and opposing arguments effectively.

Business/Work Management

• Identifies strategies to manage work in order to attain objectives within agreed timescales and budgets.
• Keeps all clients and colleagues up-to-date with latest developments.
• Complies with all firm policies and procedures, including financial.
• Implements improvements in working methods.
• Prepares well for meetings.
• Makes effective use of the firm’s information management systems, and complies with all legal and regulatory requirements.

Business Development & Client Relationship Management

• Communicates clearly with prospective and current clients in all contexts.
• Assists in assessing scope of work and fees within team.
• Develops effective ways of delivering client solutions with minimum guidance.
• Knows players at each client and builds relationships.
• Developing an understanding of the impact of external market forces on clients, and identifies trends which may lead to opportunities.
• Demonstrates an awareness of client care issues.
• Communicates client feedback to partner/senior associate/associate.
• Understands value of activity versus time spent.
• Participates in marketing activities.
• Assists in the development of credible marketing plans.
• Demonstrates effective presentation and writing skills.
• Implements cross selling opportunities.

People Management

• Developing an effective personal presence with partners and colleagues.
• Demonstrates ability to manage and supervise work effectively and to seek or provide support when required.
• Delegates work effectively with colleagues.
• Supports diversity & inclusion within the team.

Personal Development and Knowledge Management

• Completes appropriate CPD hours.
• Maintains an adequate and up to date understanding of relevant law, policy and practice, and to identify where legal research is required.
• Takes responsibility for personal learning and development, evaluates strengths and limitations in relation to the demands of their work, and reflects on and learns from others.
• Undertakes personal study/research to address gaps in knowledge.
• Utilises internal/external knowledge resources e.g. libraries, daily current awareness/plc newsletter etc.
• Contributes to firm’s knowledge resources.
• Gives well prepared and presented training sessions with minimum guidance.

Ethics, professionalism and judgement

• Recognition of ethical issues, will raise with appropriate person and will seek to address.
• Demonstrates an understanding and application of the ethical concepts which govern their role and behaviour as a lawyer.
• Identifies the relevant SRA or LSS principles and rules of professional conduct and seeks assistance in applying them.
• Resists pressure to condone, ignore or commit unethical behaviour.
• Respects diversity, and acts fairly and inclusively.
• Discloses when work is beyond their personal capability and recognises when they have made mistakes and takes appropriate action.
• Seeks expert advice when required, and makes effective use of feedback, guidance and support received.

Firm Contribution

• Assists in development of team's operational goals.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the inter-relationship between strategic and operational management.
• Displays an awareness of organisational goals and has an engaged commitment to team goals.
• Participates in extra practice events to assist development of firm.

Other information

HR Contact

If you would like further information on the role or require accommodations to make your application please contact Louise Hughes ([e-mail]).

At Shepherd and Wedderburn we strive to provide a supportive, inclusive and high performance working environment, where everyone feels they belong. Diversity and inclusion is at the heart of our business, and we therefore encourage candidates from different backgrounds to consider opportunities at all levels of the organisation.