Job Description
The Role
As a lawyer at Clifford Chance with a predominant focus in international commercial arbitration, your remit will be to advise our clients and, as part of a highly-ranked team, represent them in international commercial arbitrations (both ad hoc and institutional) across a wide variety of sectors.
We offer a seamless, integrated service across our network of offices, with expertise in individual jurisdictions but also an understanding of the interplay between different legal systems . You will be an integral part of the team assisting in the preparation of legal advice and working on all aspects of an international commercial arbitration. You will also have some experience of high-stakes commercial litigation matters.
The team has experience in virtually every sector of international business across multiple jurisdictions (both common and civil law systems).
Who you will work with
Clifford Chance's global Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice has around 600 lawyers based in the UK, Continental Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and the United States, who are experienced in the full spectrum of litigation, dispute resolution and regulatory issues that our clients face. Our highly qualified teams are focused on resolving high risk litigation, international arbitration and regulatory investigations.
Our London team group comprises 30 partners and around 100 associates.
You will also work with the following:
- Practice Assistants
- Paralegals
- The Case Management team
- Business Professional Support services such as IT, mailroom and records
- The Best Delivery Team
- The Forensic Accounting Team
What you will be responsible for
We handle a broad range of work in L&DR across the following areas:
- Litigation - advising top UK and international corporations, banks and financial institutions on a wide range of complex, often cross border, disputes, including M&A disputes, banking litigation, group litigation, aircraft finance disputes and antitrust litigation.
- Financial services enforcement - handling all aspects of criminal and enforcement matters, including advising clients on how to avoid the substantial risks that investigations and prosecutions pose, representing clients before regulatory and self-regulatory bodies and defending clients in investigations and in the courtroom in both civil and criminal trials.
- Compliance - We assist corporations with financial crime compliance matters in relation to sanctions, money laundering and bribery.
- Regulatory investigations - supporting and advising on investigations and disciplinary proceedings by regulatory authorities.
- Arbitration / international trade / public international law - representing corporates, financial institutions, states and international organisations in international commercial and investment treaty arbitration, and inter-state disputes. Advising on matters of public international law and international trade law.
- Insurance - representing insurance policyholders on insurance coverage disputes and advising them on policy and the use of insurance to support projects and transactions, with a particular focus on credit, political risk, title, property, business interruption and liability insurance. Also representing major insurers and other clients in disputes and contentious regulatory matters.
What you will do
You will be an outstanding lawyer with relevant post qualification experience to join our team, with a predominant focus in international commercial arbitration but with some commercial litigation experience. You will currently be practising at a top-ranked practice and have an outstanding academic track record.
Key Responsibilities
- Drafting and reviewing legal submissions
- Assisting in the preparation of witness statements and the production of documents, as well as managing experts.
- Create solutions using your legal knowledge, applying effective research techniques.
- Be proactive in expanding legal knowledge to ensure technical expertise is up to date.
- Utilise client focus initiatives and monitor service levels of client needs.
- Engage with Knowledge resources effectively and collaborate in Knowledge initiatives for the Firm.
- Manage matters with a disciplined practice including timely timesheet submission and conflicts clearance processes.
- Adoption of Best Delivery tools: e.g. templates, Legal Support Centre, Legal Tech, Resource Management, Legal Project Management.
- Opportunities to be involved in pitching for new work and business development
Key Attractions
Variety of matters: as described above we handle a wide variety of work.
High profile work: high value, international matters, with high stakes and complex issues, for and against household names.
Breadth of experience: our lawyers are encouraged to work on a wide range of cases, with a wide range of partners and other lawyers, exercising a wide range of skills.
Autonomy: from an early stage, our lawyers are encouraged (and expected) to take responsibility for their own work and make their own judgements, drawing on support where necessary.
Development: As well as recruiting the best people, we insist on the professional development of all our employees. Our lawyers work continuously to develop both legal and personal skills through the training programmes offered by the Clifford Chance Academy.
Qualifications
Your career experience so far
We are looking for an outstanding lawyer with a predominant focus in international commercial arbitration, but with some commercial litigation experience as well.
You will currently be practising at a top-ranked practice. In all cases, candidates should be intellectually rigorous, have first-class legal ability and an outstanding academic track record.
Skills
We are looking for lawyers who have developed exceptional written and oral communication skills advising clients, with plenty of case handling ability leading a team and/or working as a number 2 in a larger team. The ideal candidate will have strong technical skills and be comfortable researching and applying complex areas of law.
We would also expect to see a mature approach to client business development with perhaps a handful of close client relationships with contacts at the same level of PQE as you. Fundamentally, we are looking for someone who is exceptionally driven, on a steep upward trajectory at their present firm and looking to move to an even more demanding and stimulating challenge.
- A mid-level lawyer who has outstanding experience of UK and international disputes.
- You will have extensive working knowledge of issues arising across all areas of international commercial arbitration.
- You will have experience acting for corporations, banks and/or financial institutions.
- In all cases you will have first class demonstrable legal ability coupled with practical commercial awareness and extensive negotiations skills.
- Excellent drafting and communication skills (written and verbal).
- Proven evidence in ability to take a leadership role and manage a varied workload.
- You will have an exceptional track record with a highly regarded profile.
To provide outstanding client service, we need to understand, anticipate and fulfil the unique needs and expectations of each client. We call this "Client Focus" and to help deliver this core part of our business strategy, we want to recruit lawyers who not only have the very highest level of technical skills but are also Client Focused.
We are looking for lawyers who:
- can demonstrate a keen interest and enthusiasm to learn about our clients' business;
- can work in teams, sharing knowledge and motivating and coaching their juniors and contributing to overall success;
- are empathetic, responsive and reliable;
- are commercial and innovative in the solutions they deliver to clients;
- are good at fostering relationships with clients
How we will support you
From your first day with us, you will have varied opportunities to continuously grow and develop your skills and knowledge. From formal training, informal coaching and mentoring through to skills-based and technical training and on the job learning.
Company Description
Who we are
We are one of the largest international law firms in the world. With over 30 offices across the globe, we strive to exceed the expectations of our clients, providing them with the highest-quality advice and legal insight, which combines the firm’s global standards with in-depth local expertise.
Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures, and languages. We offer our clients a truly international perspective. We believe every career should be rewarding and stimulating - full of opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow. That’s why we’re so proud of our inclusive, friendly, and team-based approach to work.
Our one firm global strategy is focused on targeted growth led by the needs of our core clients, those who we can best support with the breadth and depth of Clifford Chance expertise, across the sectors and geographies, which matter most to them.
You’ll find our clients in commercial and industrial sectors, the financial investor community, governments, regulators, trade bodies, and not-for-profit organisations. But no matter who they are or why they’ve reached out to us, we provide a world-class service every step of the way. And that’s possible thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and conscientious approach to work that you’ll find across all of our teams.
Whichever area of the business you join, you’ll become an integral part an innovative, diverse and ambitious team of people. Clifford Chance is a place where the brightest minds and the best of colleagues meet.
Additional Information
Equal Opportunities
At Clifford Chance we understand that our true asset is our people. Inclusion is good for our team and their families, our firm and society.
We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age. This applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment including pay, promotion, training, transfer and every other aspect of employment.
Our goal is to deliver an equality of opportunity, an equality of aspiration and an equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm. Find out more here.
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