Brodies LLP is a UK law firm headquartered in Scotland. It is the largest firm in its jurisdiction measured by income, directory rankings, and lawyer numbers. In the last three years, the firm's revenue has grown by 20%, and almost 100 new colleagues have joined. Today, we have more than 750 colleagues and offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, London and Brussels. We combine colleagues' expertise in all business areas, to deliver Enlightened Thinking - new knowledge and new legal possibilities - uniquely suited to our Scottish, UK and international clients.
JOB TITLE
Solicitor - Senior Solicitor – Litigation / Insurance & Risk (Shipping and Transport)
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 and marine/energy insurers, vessel operators, ports, offshore energy companies (both renewables and oil & gas), agents and fishing businesses. We provide support 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 a Solicitor/Senior Solicitor to join our team. Commitment to, focus in and interest in the shipping and transport sector is important here and the role could be filled by the right candidate at this level. This is a specialist area and 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 leading 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 majority of work will be contentious there will also be opportunities to provide legal support for clients on non-contentious areas and helping them to develop 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. 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 experience or a desire to develop their practice in this sector. You will be interested, or prepared to develop and interest in, in the shipping and transport sectors and be able to convey that interest to clients as we continue to develop our client service offering. An ability to logically set out persuasive argument orally and in writing would be beneficial as would some experience in 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 will be welcome.
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 to and investigating incidents and advising on the regulatory investigations that follow them both on and offshore.
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
- Provide assistance to partners and other team members dealing with large and complex 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.
- Active participation in the business development of the team and get to know current and prospective clients
- 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 subject to supervision
- Works to understand the team and wider department’s key clients, the industry they operate in and the challenges they face
- Has strong drafting skills and works in a logical manner
- 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
- 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 personal injury claims, including disease
- 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
- Practical and pragmatic