Associate (DR) – Freshfields Hub, Manchester
Apply here by 31 March 2021
Freshfields Overview
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is a major international law firm, providing business law advice of the highest quality. We want to be the law firm that clients turn to for legal advice where it most matters, wherever in the world that may be. The Firm has over 2,400 lawyers in 28 offices around the world, providing a comprehensive service to national and multinational corporations, financial institutions and governments.
Our people make our firm – we are a people business and want to create a welcoming and supportive environment where all can flourish. We see diversity as a strength which creates fresh perspectives and generates new ideas. We enjoy our work and are determined to do an outstanding job. We deliver best when working in teams. Our culture is a product of the combined mindsets and behaviours of our people which is through the Being Freshfields principles, outlined below,
- we show respect to everyone
- we are there for one another
- we are open with each other
- we are positive role models
We think and work globally – we don’t just say we are one firm; we act like one firm right across the world. We work wherever our clients need us. This is how we define ourselves, not by reference to where we have offices. Cross-border work isn’t just what we do, it is what we excel at. We understand what it really takes to work across different legal systems and commercial environments and to bridge language and cultural gaps.
We aim to add value in everything we do – we are passionate about helping our clients succeed. We use our experience and creativity to help clients make judgements and achieve their goals. In everything we do, we seek to make a real difference to the communities in which we operate.
The Freshfields Global Centre provides both business and legal services to the firm. Our services are delivered in a way which supports the global nature of our firm and our clients, enables our fee earners to deliver exceptional service to our clients and to do that in a way which is efficient and effective.
Freshfields is committed to promoting equality and diversity and to developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds make important and positive contributions to our business and how we service our clients.
Function Overview
The Legal Services Centre (The Hub) provides transactional support to the global firm, using established processes and procedures to ensure consistent and high quality work.
Our Dispute Resolution (“DR”) practice
The world’s biggest businesses trust us to defend them against serious commercial and reputational threats. Why? Because we have advised on some of the most politically sensitive, high-profile disputes in recent history. We are recognised as a market-leader in financial disputes, competition litigation, global investigations and risk management. Our own hard-won reputation for cross-border work means we regularly support organisations through complex multi-jurisdictional investigations by regulators, as well as internal investigations.
Our work includes a broad range of commercial disputes and work in specialist areas such as administrative and public law, antitrust litigation, banking and financial services, business and human rights, commercial litigation, construction and engineering, environment, global investigations, intellectual property and data protection, international arbitration, product liability, public international law, regulatory, restructuring and insolvency and white collar defence/corporate crime.
Role summary/purpose of job
There are a number of associates working in the Freshfields Hub in Manchester, with a range of specialisms. This role is for an associate with experience in dispute resolution and/or regulatory investigations.
Our Hub associates ensure the efficient delivery of high quality output from the Freshfields Hub to the firm’s partners, fee-earners and clients. Each utilises experience and knowledge within their core area of expertise to supervise, train and mentor more junior members of the team to deliver service excellence to the firm. They act as a source of knowledge on matters within their area of expertise and liaise with clients or colleagues who are instructing the Hub to ensure that jobs are properly structured and efficiently delivered. They may also be asked to provide standalone advice or assistance on client matters.
This role enables the incumbent to understand our market-leading legal technologies and processes and use them to surpass internal and external clients’ expectations. It also provides the opportunity to identify areas for innovation and development and to help market those to the wider firm and to clients. Our Hub associates work closely with the Quality Assurance, Innovation, and Continuous Improvement teams and other fee earners around the firm to ensure an efficient and high quality delivery of legal solutions, and to develop the catalogue of solutions provided to our DR practice from the Hub.
The associate will also be involved in business development activities relating to the solutions that the Freshfields Hub can offer to clients of the firm in the DR space. For example, they might be asked to participate in pitches to clients for new DR mandates which would involve a significant Freshfields Hub or legal tech component. Our Hub associates benefit from a generous compensation package and a clear career path, with opportunities for development and promotion.
Key responsibilities and deliverables
• Manage the Hub’s delivery of services on significant cases and investigations, working closely with colleagues in other offices.
• Determine the scope of work required on new DR mandates in the Hub, in collaboration with the partner, other lawyer or client, including: agreeing deliverables and the appropriate level of project management/oversight; determining the appropriate legal tech solutions that can be used to support the project; and pricing.
• Assist with drafting court documents, including witness statements, expert reports and pleadings, and correspondence with other parties or the client.
• Oversee document reviews and disclosure projects and provide support to the LSSs who are carrying out the reviews. (Note that it is not envisaged that the role will involve the associate being involved in line-managing these LSSs or performing significant quality control of their work).
• Take responsibility for the delivery of high quality work product to specification, e.g. by reviewing and analysing the output from the LSSs to ensure a high level of service delivery.
• Proactively identify opportunities for the Freshfields Hub to provide support to the firm’s global DR practice and supporting the roll-out of relevant solutions.
• Support the firm’s global DR practice in winning new mandates that involve the use of legal tech and/or the Freshfields Hub.
• Establish effective relationships with partners and clients by displaying a solid understanding of their current and future needs and identifying opportunities for service delivery through promotion of the Freshfields Hub.
• Train/mentor LSSs, trainee solicitors and more junior lawyers.
• Continuously develop litigation skills, both procedural and substantive, both through your own work and by participating in training sessions and team meetings within core area practice groups and with the Quality Assurance, Innovation and Continuous Improvement teams.
• Use DR expertise to design and deliver training both within the Freshfields Hub and to colleagues in the firm’s other offices.
Key requirements
Essential
• Intellectually strong with a top class academic profile.
• Qualified lawyer.
• A strong technical and commercial background in DR with the ability to apply this to the needs of the firm’s clients through the services delivered by the Freshfields Hub.
• Interest or involvement in business development activity and innovation, including legal technologies.
• Ability to manage and deliver projects, working across multiple teams and disciplines
• Ability to advise and influence key stakeholders including partners and the firm’s clients.
• Ability to work internationally with an appreciation for substantive legal/procedural and cultural differences between jurisdictions.
• A positive role model and team player who actively shares knowledge and contributes to the development of the Freshfields Hub.
Desirable
• Previous experience gained within the relevant areas.
• Proficient in the application of legal technologies in disputes and/or investigations (e.g. the use of Relativity or other e-discovery platforms in document review and/or the use of appropriate case management and/or e-bundling applications).
Competencies
• Technical skills: has a good grasp of legal principles within core areas and is able to apply them to real-life situations. Ensures continuous development in technical knowledge and skills.
• Client relationships: understands the needs of both internal and external clients, and is committed to delivering top class service whilst looking for opportunities to build relationships with them.
• Business advisor: is able to identify and adapt existing solutions in order to meet the needs of the client, identify key elements of problems, undertake research and apply legal knowledge to offer practice solutions whilst developing own knowledge and understanding of the client’s business, priorities and challenges.
• People and team: is able to work effectively as part of a team (including seeking feedback to improve own performance), to support and mentor others, and to build relationships across the firm. Respects and values colleagues’ contributions and is keen to contribute to the success of mandates and of the firm. Contributes to the firm’s initiatives in relation to diversity and inclusion, responsible business, and to other firm programmes.
• Project management: able to manage own areas of responsibility on a project, including time, available resources and the expectations of others in order to ensure timely achievement of deliverables.
• Business development: has a genuine interest in the commercial world and is curious about the firm’s clients and how the firm supports them. Is willing to develop own knowledge of the different services offered by the firm, as well as supporting colleagues in business development activities.
• Personal skills: credible, professional, able to work with a wide range of clients and colleagues. Is willing to embrace change and is accountable for achieving results.
If you would like to have a confidential discussion, please contact Shahrina Choudhury:
Shahrina.Choudhury@freshfields.com
Inclusion
Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered by the firm on the basis of their merit alone and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing. Please note that, in line with the requirements of the UK Border Agency, non-EEA candidates may not be appointed to a post if a suitably qualified, experienced and skilled EEA candidate can fill the position.
Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case by case basis and take a number of factors into account (eg the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence). You would have the opportunity to discuss the matter with us before we make a decision.
Apply here by 31 March 2021
