Litigation Lawyer

Department overview:

This legal team provides the global financial services group and associated entities within the European, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region with all transactional and non-transactional legal support. The litigation team provides with support on all contentious or potentially contentious issues.

Key objectives critical to success:

As a team we need to be able to provide timely and commercial advice to a variety of internal clients in relation to a range of contentious and pre-contentious issues:

• Work ranges from advice on jurisdiction and governing law clauses, to input on the early stages of a potential dispute, to running complex litigations or arbitrations to final determination and appeal.
• The candidate will need to be comfortable working on a wide range of matters, including regulatory investigations and competition proceedings, across a broad range of jurisdictions.
• Their role will be to take responsibility for their own caseload and work as part of the wider team as necessary.
• This will require them to work with other colleagues in Legal and Compliance (in particular colleagues on the transactional side), to deal regularly with the business and to brief senior management as appropriate.
• They will also need to liaise with external counsel, ensuring that the group receives the input it needs whilst directing strategy and managing costs.
• The candidate in question will also need to be willing to assist the team with general commercial matters as necessary.

Skills, experience, qualifications and knowledge required:

Essential

• We are looking for someone legally qualified, around 4-7 years PQE, with strong academics.
• Applicants will typically have trained at a well known private practice firm, before qualifying as a litigation associate.
• They will have a genuine desire to move in-house. As such, previous in-house experience, particularly at a financial institution, would be an advantage.
• The candidate should be a confident and strong communicator, with an ability to work with a wide range of individuals across the business, including senior management.
• They should be ready to take a practical, commercial approach to the problems that the bank faces.
• They should also be efficient, organised and flexible, with an ability to co-ordinate work on a variety of number of matters and to undertake commercial work as necessary.

Desirable

• Previous in-house experience at a financial institution. 
• Competition law experience.

Competencies

Culture & Conduct

• Culture Carrier
• Drives diverse / inclusive work environment
• Promotes, protects firm reputation & encourages others to do the same
• Addresses development areas
• Maximizes self and team strengths and manages weaknesses

Client-Centricity & Business Acumen

• Identifies opportunities to improve client service / offerings
• Encourages / integrates and makes sense of different or conflicting views in finding solutions
• Implements successful solutions to complex problems

Strategy & Innovation

• Sets and drives strategic plans for own business
• Takes accountability in driving clarity in ambiguity
• Seeks, recognizes and champions innovative ideas
• Makes decisions considering the interests of relevant stakeholders
• Acts quickly to change goals, plans and priorities in a complex environment

Leadership & Collaboration

• Actively attracts / retains high performing people
• Encourages sense of pride in team / dept / divisions achievements
• Collaborates across geographies
• Offers visible support when obstacles arise
• Champions development / mobility
• Manages to resolve conflict, gaining consensus where multiple positions conflict

Communication & Connectivity

• Successfully sequences and delivers key messages
• Maintains open dialogue between team and management
• Gains support / acceptance of ideas at all levels
• Leverages networks to drive business
• Facilitates communication across businesses / regions

Execution & Delivery

• Takes accountability / sets a strong and positive work ethic
• Monitors and drives deliverables across teams / divisions
• Takes ownership of complex challenges / ensures resolution
• Adapts plans to changing circumstances
• Seeks out / listens to and adapts in response to multiple sources of feedback.