Solicitor - Marine Law

Lester Aldridge; Southampton; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and comprehensive…

Generous holiday allowance + bank…

Pension scheme and life assurance

Private health cover

Exposure to international marine work

Career development pathway

Ongoing technical and professional dev

Job summary

Lester Aldridge’s Southampton Marine team is seeking a Solicitor with 2-5 PQE to handle a broad mix of transactional and dispute work for international clients in the maritime sector.

You will run matters with increasing autonomy, advising on vessel acquisitions, marine finance, charterparties and disputes while mentoring junior solicitors. This role offers a clear pathway in a leading South Coast marine practice.

Qualifications

• Qualified Solicitor with approximately 2-5 years' PQE.
• Experience in marine law, shipping, commercial litigation, asset finance or related fields.
• Strong drafting, negotiation and analytical skills.
• Commercially aware with ability to deliver practical, client-focused advice.
• Ability to work in a collaborative team and manage competing priorities.
• Interest in business development and networking.
• Willingness to support occasional international travel.

Responsibilities

• Manage a varied caseload of marine transactional matters with increasing autonomy.
• Advise on vessel acquisitions, marine finance, charterparty matters and disputes.
• Act on Admiralty Court proceedings, arbitration and complex disputes.
• Draft and negotiate finance docs, sale/purchase agreements and related contracts.
• Maintain strong client communications and relationships; supervise juniors.
• Contribute to cross-selling, business development and market activity.

Skills

Marine Law

Commercial Litigation

Asset Finance

Banking & Finance

Drafting & Negotiation

Client Relationships

Business Development

Job description

Solicitor (2-5 PQE) – Marine Law – Southampton

We're looking for an ambitious and commercially minded Solicitor (with a minimum of 2-5 PQE) to join our highly regarded Marine team based here in Southampton.

This is an exciting opportunity for a lawyer with experience in marine, shipping, commercial litigation, asset finance or a related field to work on a broad range of high-quality marine matters. The role offers exposure to both complex transactional work and significant disputes, often involving international clients and cross-border issues.

About the Role

As part of our specialist Marine team, you'll advise a diverse client base that includes vessel owners, financiers, charterers, marine insurers, brokers and other participants across the maritime sector.

You'll be entrusted with running your own matters, managing client relationships and contributing to the continued growth of the practice. Working alongside experienced marine lawyers, you'll play a key role in delivering commercially focused advice across a broad spectrum of contentious and non-contentious marine work.

Your Responsibilities Will Include:

• Managing a varied caseload of marine transactional and contentious matters with increasing autonomy.
• Advising clients on vessel acquisitions and disposals, marine finance transactions, charterparty matters, marine insurance issues and maritime disputes.
• Acting on Admiralty Court proceedings, arbitration matters and other complex dispute resolution processes.
• Drafting and negotiating a wide range of legal documentation, including finance documents, sale and purchase agreements, charterparty-related agreements and dispute documentation.
• Taking responsibility for client communications and maintaining strong client relationships.
• Supervising and supporting more junior solicitors, trainees and paralegals where appropriate.
• Identifying opportunities for cross-selling and collaborating with colleagues across the wider firm.
• Contributing to business development initiatives, networking activities and marketing campaigns.
• Providing commercially pragmatic advice and solutions tailored to clients' objectives.
• Keeping abreast of legal, regulatory and commercial developments affecting the marine sector.
• Ensuring compliance with firm policies, regulatory requirements and risk management procedures.

What We're Looking For:

• Qualified Solicitor with approximately 2-5 years' PQE.
• Experience gained within marine law, shipping law, commercial litigation, asset finance, banking and finance or another relevant commercial practice area.
• Strong technical capability across complex transactions, disputes, or ideally a combination of both.
• Proven ability to manage matters with an appropriate level of supervision.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation and analytical skills.
• Commercially aware with the ability to deliver practical, client-focused advice.
• Strong relationship-building skills and confidence dealing directly with clients and intermediaries.
• Interest in and aptitude for business development and networking.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a collaborative team whilst managing competing priorities.
• Enthusiasm for developing specialist expertise within the maritime sector.
• Flexibility to support international work, including occasional travel where required.

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• Generous holiday allowance plus bank holidays.
• Pension scheme and life assurance.
• Private health cover.
• Exposure to a high-quality and internationally recognised marine practice.
• A clear pathway for career development and progression.
• Ongoing technical and professional development.
• Opportunities to build your profile within the marine and shipping sector.
• A supportive, collaborative and inclusive working environment.

If you're an ambitious solicitor looking to develop your career with one of the South Coast's leading Marine teams, working on a genuinely varied mix of transactional and contentious matters, we'd love to hear from you.