These offerings include due diligence, drafting and negotiating large volumes of commercial contracts, regulatory change/implementation projects, prospectus drafting and verification, supporting in-house legal teams on their business-as-usual work, project management and general transaction support across a wide range of corporate deals. We have a focus on efficiencies and innovation including the use of cutting edge legal technologies e.g. artificial intelligence and automation.

The Role

Senior Solicitors are experienced qualified Lawyers, who supervise the work of our Solicitors, Trainees and Legal Analysts on a day-to-day basis. Senior Solicitors also play a proactive role supporting the senior team with strategic management and delivery of matters, as well as the development of our junior team. They are expected to be able to lead certain projects, escalating to Managers who will support as necessary.

Senior Solicitors in this role are likely to have a particular area of specialism in commercial legal practice, with a solid general corporate legal foundation, ideally in-house or at a private practice law firm, as well as being closely involved in developing processes and know-how for the wider team.

Key Responsibilities

• Scoping and setting-up new matters and conducting fee earning work directly, as well as supervising and training teams.
• Supports with pricing at the outset of a matter and then assists in managing costs and billing throughout.
• Maintains an up-to-date knowledge of relevant areas of law, providing technical excellence in relation to one or more of the specialist areas of the corporate practice.
• Working with legal technology tools appropriate to the relevant matter (e.g. artificial intelligence tools for due diligence) and keeping up to date with technological advances.
• Assists with preparing pitch documents and likely to attend client presentations and assist more generally with business development.
• Liaising with clients and teams elsewhere in the firm as required on fee-earning or other projects.
• An innovative mindset, curious about AI and emerging technologies.

The responsibilities outlined above cannot totally encompass or define all tasks that may be required of the team member. The outline of responsibilities given above may, therefore, vary from time to time without materially changing either the character or level of responsibility or grade.

Qualifications, Skills & Experience

TECHNICAL

Essential

• Qualified solicitor or barrister in England and Wales, Northern Ireland or South Africa but Republic of Ireland or other common law jurisdictions will be considered. (If not qualified in England, Wales or South Africa then willing to complete process to requalify as such, if required.)
• Minimum of 3 years’ PQE, the majority of which should be within Corporate (including Commercial), unless exceptional circumstances exist. If you do not meet the 3 years PQE requirement, but feel that exceptional circumstances are applicable to you, then you will be required to submit a supporting statement outlining why you are an exceptional candidate (including relevant skills and experience) – i.e. you have spent a significant amount of time undertaking corporate / commercial work, during or prior to your training contract/qualification.
• Proven experience of supervising and supporting a legal team.

Desirable

• Experience gained working at a private practice law firm.
• Experience working in an in-house legal team.
• Experience working with, or a particular interest in, legal technology.

Please note, closing date for applications is Friday 24 July at 12:00pm

Team

Digital Legal Delivery

Working Pattern

Full time

Location

Belfast

Contract type

Permanent Contract

Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance. This is a key part of our Values—Human, Bold, and Outstanding.

At Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, we align your growth and ambition with ours. We invest in your personal and professional growth and support you to achieve your ambitions. And you share responsibility for playing a part in delivering the firm’s growth and ambition too.

A leading global law firm, with over 6,000 people, we are in the world's largest markets, key financial centres and major growth hubs. We’re recognised leaders in demanding contentious matters, exacting regulatory work and complex public and private transactions. We’re immersed in the many challenges facing our clients. We’re invested and resourceful. We understand the part technology and digitalisation play in the delivery of legal services. We want to make a positive impact wherever in the world we operate.

You’ll have the opportunity to engage with this with an open mind and curiosity. We are known for our diverse perspectives and renowned for our culture. Being human, bold and outstanding are more than our values: you’ll discover they are our lived experience. And by being ambitious for your growth and ours, we’ll achieve our goals together.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer: Your growth. Our ambition.