Legal Director

Shakespeare Martineau is a Top 50 law firm that combines creativity, commerciality and clarity. We work with blue-chip companies, leading organisations, high street brands and individuals across the country.

As enterprising and original thinkers, we’re driven to create exceptional experiences for our clients and our people. We handle personal and business-critical issues and game-changing deals across many dynamic sectors. It’s stimulating and rewarding.

We’re hardworking and deeply ambitious about creating opportunities for our employees; to move forward and achieve our ambition together. We provide an environment in which you’re supported to reach your potential.

Our people have a blend of excellent technical and business skills with the talent to do things differently.

Here you’ll find top quality work, cutting edge training, high profile clients, and supportive colleagues. We think it could be time you joined us.

Our Litigation & Dispute Resolution group has a long-standing experience of working with some of the most successful and influential businesses in the UK and also internationally. Our specialist teams combine expertise with a sound understanding of the commercial landscape to provide exceptional solutions for every aspect of our clients’ corporate requirements.

Our Dispute Resolution team deals with all types of commercial disputes, in particular complex and high value commercial and contractual litigation, as well as corporate disputes and professional negligence claims. The team also specialises in contentious trusts and probate which includes disputes over wills, financial provision claims, disputes with executors, disputes regarding powers of attorney and contested Court of Protection applications. We pride ourselves on our technical expertise and resources to deliver the best possible solutions for our clients, ranging from large household names and multi-million pound turnover companies to small owner managed businesses. We also have particular expertise in the education sector and with charities with legacy incomes.

The role:

We are looking for a Legal Director to join our Dispute Resolution team based in Birmingham, part of the firm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group. 

You will work within your team to provide a quality service to clients in dispute resolution matters for high end clients and high net worth individuals, including public and private companies, public authorities, (which include universities), retailers and other household names. 

It will also involve a high degree of client contact and business development activity. 

Your key duties will be:

• to assist a senior partner on a broad range of straightforward and complex dispute resolution work
• working with marketing strategies to attract new clients and developing relationships with current clients
• working closely with a range of clients to provide fast, pragmatic and commercial advice
• running cases efficiently and cost-effectively within strict service level agreements, as required by the client
• handling queries and enquiries efficiently
• maintaining good file management
• working to strict deadlines

Skills and experience you will have:

• a minimum of 5 years’ previous experience gained in litigation and dispute resolution matters working within a law firm
• a demonstrable knowledge in commercial dispute resolution and its processes
• strong IT skills
• a proven track record of developing business through new and existing contacts

Key competencies you will need:

• to be willing to attend marketing/networking events and contribute to marketing publications to develop the profile of the team
• to enjoy the academic challenge of resolving technical disputes
• the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• 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

About you – you will be:

• highly enthusiastic, willing to go the extra mile and be happy to go beyond the job description
• respectful towards others and have a positive, willing and ‘can do’ attitude
• keen to learn, interested in driving your own career progression and be proactive in taking ownership of this

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.