Associate / Senior Associate

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Brodies LLP is a prominent UK law firm headquartered in Scotland, that provides expert advice to UK and international clients.

We have the capability and expertise to deliver mandates with global reach, uniting specialist perspectives from across our firm to offer bespoke legal solutions and advice, resulting in impactful outcomes for our clients.

With offices in London, Leeds, and throughout Scotland, we are dedicated to driving innovation in the legal sector, leveraging new technologies and forward-thinking strategies to deliver exceptional value and efficiency for our clients.

Our contract with our people underlines our commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment, prioritising the wellbeing and development of our colleagues to ensure they thrive both personally and professionally.

We are also deeply committed to making a positive impact in the communities in which we live and work. Through our pro bono work, charitable activities, and initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion, we strive to contribute meaningfully to society.

JOB TITLE

Associate / Senior Associate - Disputes (Shipping and Transport) 6+ PQE

Based principally in our Edinburgh office

REPORTING TO

Duncan MacLean, Partner

JOB PURPOSE

We provide legal advice to a wide range of companies operating in the shipping and transport sector. Our clients are P&I Clubs, marine/energy insurers, ports, vessel operators, offshore energy companies and others in the sector. We provide legal advice and guidance to insurers and commercial clients with commercial and insurance claims and litigation following disputes or incidents, including marine regulatory and health & safety advice mostly connected or related to the marine, energy or transport sectors. We also advise clients, including lenders, on the transactional aspects of the industry such as ship sale and purchase and chartering.

We have an exciting opportunity for an Associate / Senior Associate to join our team at a senior level. Commitment to and interest in the shipping and transport sector is important for the role which offers a great opportunity for the right candidate to build their reputation and develop their career as a specialist in this sector. Prior experience would be an advantage but is not essential. As this is a specialist area and, on the job, training will be provided to help develop and grow to fill the role, helping our team and our clients to meet their goals.

This role is a sectoral one but variety is a key attraction of the role so whilst you will develop specialist skills you will have the opportunity to apply these skills widely working with Brodies shipping and transport clients handling commercial and insurance disputes, claims, personal injury defence, marine and port regulatory issues and other issues that arise across the sector.

We value the clients we work for and the right candidate will need to be a committed team member to support us in helping our clients in our specialist band ranked 1 team. Whilst the work will be mainly contentious, the right candidate will have an interest in developing into the role of providing legal advice to clients on non-contentious areas and helping them both in the day to day and in the development of their businesses.

We are focussed on the clients but to meet their needs in the fast-paced marine environment where time is precious and solutions are needed, quickly, it is key that we get the right candidate who is comfortable in that environment. The candidate will need to be a team player, pragmatic and commercial with an ability to contribute to the team and, as issues or opportunities arise, contribute ideas to develop and adapt our strategy to help our clients achieve their goals.

You will ideally be Scottish qualified, but we are also very open to those qualified in England and Wales who have relevant sectoral experience and a desire to develop their practice in this sector. You will be interested and prepared to further develop an interest in the shipping and transport sector and be able to convey that interest to clients with enthusiasm as we continue to develop our client service offering. An ability to logically set out persuasive argument orally and in writing is required, as ideally is dealing directly with insurer and insured clients as part of a team. The candidate will be able to appear and act for clients in the Sheriff Court and ASPIC and to be familiar with the instruction of Counsel (Advocate or Solicitor Advocate) at the Court of Session. You may also be required to assist in attending WebEx Court hearings or conference calls. Experience of alternative dispute resolution such as arbitration and mediation is welcome but not essential.

When working in the role you will be part of a team gaining experience of working with a wide variety of clients many of them operating internationally, so although the role is based in Scotland it has a much broader reach. Experience of handling (or a desire to learn about) resolution of disputes out with Scotland would be beneficial.

This role may involve playing a part in a team responding on site to support clients in the investigation of incidents and advise on the regulatory investigations that follow them. Flexibility to deliver that service to clients is therefore expected.

You will develop relationships with clients so that they see you as part of a team of trusted advisors. You will also be involved in face-to-face contact with clients.

This role includes dealing with high value and sometimes high-profile cases and transactions in the sector. You will work closely with partners and senior colleagues in a flexible and open team.

The successful applicant will be encouraged to develop their network of contacts within the industry in Scotland and more widely, and of course, to get to know and be trusted by the team's key clients.

Brodies offers an in-house training programme, and clearly defined career paths and our ambitious growth plans offer significant opportunities for career advancement. Team training will include key industry legislation and practice so that you understand and talk the client's language.

CORE TASKS

• Lead and manage a wide variety of marine legal issues, offshore and onshore incidents, investigations and claim defence.
• Handle your own case load including investigating and defending litigated personal injury and other claims involving owners, operators and ports.
• Handle a variety of general commercial claims and advice in the marine/offshore sector.
• Advocacy in the Sheriff Court and other forums.
• Representation of client in their dealings with their regulators and other statutory bodies.
• Developing skills in transactional work for clients in the sector, working with colleagues in the immediate and wider Brodies team.
• Active participation in the business development of the team and get to know current and prospective clients
• Supervise and mentor junior lawyers
• Be aware of Brodies' information security policies, and protect information assets from unauthorised access, disclosure, modification, destruction or interference at all times.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

• Works effectively with other team members, in the direct team and across the firm more widely
• Able to work as part of a team on larger cases
• Takes responsibility for their own caseload
• Works to understand the team and wider department's key clients, the industry they operate in and the challenges they face
• Strong client relationship skills and ability to operate at senior stakeholder level
• Provides client advice that is well presented, commercial and tailored to their needs
• Maintains regular contact with clients and shows understanding of their priorities
• Communicates in a confident, clear and relaxed way
• Commercially astute with strong drafting and negotiation skills
• A flexible approach to tasks as balancing competing demands and deadlines will be a constant requirement.

SKILLS

• Self-motivated and driven
• Prepared, organised and able to prioritise
• Experience of acting for insurers
• Experience of commercial claims and disputes
• Some experience of transactional work and drafting, or a willingness to develop this
• Commercial and profit focus, with particular recognition of the dynamics when representing insurers and their insureds
• Good conduct and communication skills
• Business Development Skills
• Practical and pragmatic