JOB DESCRIPTION
About Herbert Smith Freehills
As one of the world’s leading law firms, we advise many of the largest and most ambitious organisations across all major regions of the globe. With over 5,000 people, including 3,100 lawyers and over 2,000 business services professionals, operating from our global network of offices across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North America, Herbert Smith Freehills is at the heart of the new global business landscape providing premium quality, full-service legal advice.
We recognise that the success of our business and our clients relies on the skills, knowledge and ideas of all our people. Our environment is one in which high performance is expected, in return, we will provide you with rewards and opportunities tailored to your personal and professional goals.
The Opportunity
The Role
Managers are experienced real estate solicitors who support the Senior Managers and Head of Real Estate, Digital Legal Delivery (UK & EMEA) in running the Digital Legal Delivery Real Estate team, with a particular focus on all aspects of service delivery, including in relation to project management, supervision and quality control, pricing (including billing) and use of technology (where appropriate).
Managers will work closely with the Senior Managers and Head of Real Estate, Digital Legal Delivery (UK & EMEA) to foster and build on the relationship with internal and external clients and grow and develop the team and the strategy for the Digital Legal Delivery Real Estate business. The Manager will also collaborate closely with other Managers in the Digital Legal Delivery Real Estate team, to deliver work on a UK basis for the London Real Estate team and for the firm's external clients.
This role requires an entrepreneurial mind-set and a flexible and responsive approach. You will scope and set-up new matters and conduct fee earning work directly as well as supervising teams. You are also likely to be asked to assist in preparing pitch documents and attend client presentations.
You will have a deeply client-focused approach and be ready to apply that experience to our transactional practice where we work closely with internal clients (i.e. you will be confident and comfortable liaising with partners across the network) and you will often work direct with our external clients. You will take part in piloting and disseminating new technology initiatives for the team and liaising internally and with the London Real Estate team in this regard.
Key responsibilities
1. Dealing efficiently with own fee earning workload.
2. Supervising Senior Solicitors, Solicitors, Trainees and Legal Analysts conducting fee earning projects and carrying out "first-level review" on projects where necessary.
3. Dealing with esclataion points /complex issues that are escalated by the Senior Solicitors, Solicitors, Trainees and Legal Analysts.
4. Escalating project-specific issues appropriately to the relevant Senior Manager/Head of Real Estate.
5. Maintaining up-to-date knowledge as an "expert" in relation to specialist areas of practice.
6. Responsible for supporting, as required by the Senior Manager/ Head of Real Estate, on drafting, updating and revising all of our internal materials and processes relating to our real estate practice including making recommendations for improvements in the quality of service delivery.
7. Assisting with written material or cost models for pitches and marketing initiatives if required.
8. Project managing the Digital Legal Delivery Real Estate team on individual matters, including:Primary responsibility for communication with the internal client (partner/senior associate) or external client, as applicable, on individual matters.Ensuring that relevant legal issues are fully understood by the team working on an individual matter on an on-going basis and raising any training requirements with the Head of Real Estate.Managing resources (Senior Solicitors, Solicitors, Trainees and Legal Analysts) on individual matters effectively and in line with agreed timetables on projects.Conducting quality control (e.g. checking all fee earning work is being conducted accurately), as directed by the relevant Senior Manager /Head of Real Estate.
9. Liaising with teams elsewhere in the firm (e.g. London) as required on fee-earning or other projects.
10. Promotes and sells the services of the Digital Legal Delivery Real Estate offering to internal clients, including by the delivery of consistently high-quality work and a positive approach to building internal relationships.
11. Line management responsibility for Senior Solicitors, Solicitors, Trainees and Legal Analysts (including full-time permanent, flexible Respond or fixed term contract team members) as direct reports.
The responsibilities outlined above cannot totally encompass or define all tasks that may be required of the post-holder. 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 and skills
TECHNICAL
Essential
12. Admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales or Northern Ireland. If not qualified in England and Wales then willing to complete process to requalify as such, if required.
13. 5+ years PQE gained in the Real Estate practice area, unless exceptional circumstances exist. If you do not meet the 5 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).
14. Proven track-record of supervising and coordinating a real estate team and experience across a range of real estate disciplines including asset management and real estate investment and development transactions.
15. Highly desirable is a proven track-record of experience in mid-high value sales, purchases, real estate finance and investment at a senior level, ideally without supervision.
16. Preferred, but not essential, is experience in the energy sector as this is a growing area for the real estate team.
Team
Digital Legal Delivery, Real Estate Zoe Beattie Level 1
Working Pattern
Full time
Location
Belfast
Contract type
Permanent Contract
Diversity & Inclusion
At Herbert Smith Freehills you will be part of a diverse, innovative culture where high performance, client focus and highly engaged people are our differentiator. People at our firm come from a range of backgrounds and bring a wide variety of experiences and perspectives to their work with us. We strive to ensure that our inclusive environment means you feel valued and able to perform at your best by being your authentic self at work. We know that our future success not only depends on being innovative and progressive in the changing legal market but, most importantly, on our people feeling highly engaged in meaningful work.
We understand that you have commitments and personal interests outside of work and we strive to create a working environment based on mutual trust and respect, in which you can perform at your best whilst maintaining sustainable balance across your life.