Associate

This new position exists for a technically strong, personable and ambitious lawyer, looking to pursue a career in commercial dispute resolution in the long term with one of the leading dispute resolution practices in the South East outside London.

The commercial dispute resolution team is part of the dispute resolution group, one of the main lawyer groups within the firm. In addition to commercial dispute resolution the group has specialist teams in insolvency, intellectual property and aviation. Property, construction and employment disputes are handled outside the group within the firm’s real estate and employment groups.

The dispute resolution group is one of the largest contentious law practices in the South East outside London and is rated in the top tiers of Chambers and Legal 500 and as a National Leading Practice in Chambers.

Commercial dispute resolution is the largest of the teams within the  group with 7 partners and 13 other lawyers, including a dedicated professional support lawyer.

Clients include mid-tier businesses (quoted and owner-managed), household name PLCs and other major international groups, and high net worth private clients.

In addition to handling complex litigation (largely in the High Court in London), the team represents clients in arbitrations (UK and international), mediations and expert determinations and regulatory prosecutions. The team also provides strategic advice on claims avoidance and risk management.

The work of the team is diverse but key areas are:

• contract litigation

• company and partnership disputes, including shareholder litigation

• fraud

• insurance

• IT

• professional negligence

• contentious trusts

• regulatory

  Often cases have an international flavour and the team frequently works with law firms in other jurisdictions.

Candidates should have drive and an enthusiasm for a broad diet of commercial dispute resolution work but experience in all of the above areas is not required and all team members have areas of greater specialisation with the opportunity to become a “go to” lawyer in areas of particular interest. Strong experience of commercial contract disputes will be a definite advantage though, as will an appetite for business development.  The successful candidate is also likely to be a strong team player with good inter-personal skills, to have strong academics and high quality experience – typically with a major City or leading national/regional practice – and to possess excellent communication and negotiation skills.  First-class support and learning and development opportunities are provided and early responsibility is offered, including an expectation that all team members run appropriate cases with minimum supervision.

Stevens & Bolton is one of the most profitable firms in the south of England, and provides excellent long term career opportunities for ambitious candidates who aspire to partnership. We aim to reward Associates with market leading salaries (outside London), and a comprehensive package of benefits.

Stevens & Bolton is one of the largest teams of lawyers in the South outside London. Independently recognised as one of the UK's leading national law firms we build deep relationships with our clients, whose satisfaction with our services is the true measure of our success.

Our single office approach ensures excellent communications and efficient co-ordination of our resources. We handle complex and strategic work for our clients, but appreciate the importance of value for money, commercial awareness and flexibility. International work is as important to us as our domestic practice and we regularly work with many carefully selected law firms around the world.

We want enjoyment to be a primary driver in the working day - and a key 'reason to be here' for our employees. It's a philosophy that comes from the top and cascades through the organisation. It is upheld through a combination of factors: delivering quality in everything we do; securing stimulating, challenging work that stretches and rewards; employing truly distinctive, diverse people who willingly engage, collaborate and support; committing to continuous development for everyone; and providing a sustaining environment in which people can learn and grow.