Solicitor

Let us introduce ourselves…

It is the people at Shakespeare Martineau that make us so special. By understanding what our people want, giving them the support they need, recognising everyone’s contribution and realising the unique power of teams; together we win.   As a firm we are focused on proactively building and developing diverse teams, bringing different backgrounds, personalities and perspectives together. We play to our strengths, pushing ourselves to be consistently better than yesterday and deliver amazing solutions for our clients. We empower our teams with a high degree of individual responsibility; we self-manage and encourage everyone to be responsible for their own learning, knowing it makes us even better at what we do!

We believe in trusting our people to make the right decisions for themselves from how you dress, to how, when and where you work – we focus on outputs.

Want to find more about our amazing benefits?

The team:

The Restructuring, Recoveries and Insolvency team has a long-standing experience of working with an enviable selection of banks, asset based lenders and insolvency practitioners. We regularly instructed by the “big 4” accountants as well as the mid-tier and smaller players. Our specialist national team combine all round expertise with a sound understanding of the commercial landscape to provide exceptional solutions for every aspect of our clients’ corporate requirements. The team is recognised in Both Chambers and Legal 500.

We provide advice on all aspects of transactional/advisory insolvency work to insolvency practitioners and lenders together with a wide-ranging contentious offering. We are also developing a fast-growing reputation for corporate-side advice in turnaround situations and distressed investment scenarios. We exploit our sector expertise within the firm including, in particular, banking and financial services, education and energy to ensure that real value is added to assignments undertaken by the team.

The role:

Are you an experienced Restructuring & Insolvency Solicitor looking for your next move? Or a Newly Qualified 'NQ' Solicitor looking to develop a career in this area? We have an exciting opportunity for a NQ-3yr PQE Solicitor to join our welcoming Restructuring, Recoveries and Insolvency team.   

The role will offer exposure and involvement in all areas of insolvency matters.  This comprises of both corporate and personal, and both contentious and non-contentious; the role will also involve a high degree of client contact.

We’re looking for someone who is personable, ambitious, hardworking and keen to develop their career within an experienced team who are dedicated to client service.

Your key duties will include:

• working alongside senior lawyers to provide assistance on a broad range of insolvency and recovery matters
• acting for lenders and insolvency practitioners to provide fast, pragmatic and commercial advice
• working closely with businesses, directors and individuals facing financial difficulties
• running cases efficiently and cost-effectively within strict service level agreements, as required by the client
• working with marketing strategies to attract new clients and developing relationships with current clients
• handling queries and enquiries efficiently

Skills and experience you will have:

• between 0-3 years’ post qualification experience dealing with non-contentious and contentious insolvency matters (for Newly Qualified candidates, relevant experience gained during your training contract is essential)
• drafting skills such as SPA’s, court applications, detailed letters of advice to clients, statements and briefs to counsel
• strong IT skills
• confidence in finding practical and innovative solutions to a range of problems
• previous non-contentious experience must include:
  • advising on restructuring solutions
  • advising on sale of businesses out of distressed situations
  • providing general advice to lenders and insolvency practitioners in the full range of insolvency situations
• previous contentious experience must include:
  • advising on antecedent transactions and directors conduct would be particularly useful
• a high degree of legal analytical skills
• strong advocacy skills
• a proven track record of business development

Key competencies you will need:

• a commercial approach to property as a security asset
• to be personable and have experience of dealing with a broad range of clients
• to be willing to attend marketing/networking events and contribute to marketing publications to develop the profile of the team
• a high degree of initiative and the ability to cope in a demanding environment
• excellent organisational and prioritising skills
• the ability to work in a busy team
• excellent communication skills

How we work:

We embrace agile working and offer a blended approach to where and how we work.

We appreciate that people have different needs and preferences and we’re keen to be flexible, after all, we value what you do, not where you do it.

We have hubs in Birmingham, Leicester, London, Lincoln, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Solihull, Stratford-upon-Avon and Sheffield. This role will offer a blend of home and office working in our Birmingham hub.

Please be aware, for some vacancies, where we receive high numbers of applications we may need to bring the close date forward.

Due to the nature of the work undertaken, confirmation of employment will be subject to a variety of checks which will be carried out once an offer of employment is accepted. Details of the checks can be found here.

Shakespeare Martineau is a committed equal opportunities employer. We seek to attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. We value and respect individuality and encourage a culture within our business where people can be themselves and be valued for their strengths and experiences. Everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, regardless of their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.