Legal Director

Shakespeare Martineau is a Top 55 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 experienced Construction & Engineering team provides a legal and industry support service from inception to completion of construction projects, with specialist ability to advise clients during the life of a contract/project, to avoid disputes, or the impacting of issues on project costs. We carry out all standard non-contentious and contentious work as well as specialising in managing risk in bespoke procurement. We also have significant experience in mediation, adjudication, arbitration and court proceedings both as tribunal and representing parties. Our construction expertise spans across a range of sectors including commercial, industrial, healthcare, residential, retail and education.

The role:

We are looking for a Legal Director to join our Birmingham-based Construction and Engineering team, part of the firm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution group. 

The role is to produce high quality legal services to clients on all aspects of non-contentious construction work.

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

Your key duties will include:

• attending and running client meetings
• working with marketing strategies to attract new clients and developing relationships with current clients
• taking clients’ instructions
• working closely with a range of clients to provide fast, pragmatic and commercial advice, both in correspondence and in person
• drafting documents, letters and contracts tailored to the client’s individual needs
• negotiating with clients and other professionals to secure agreed objectives
• working in a team and where necessary referring matters to the head of department
• assisting and supervising more junior fee earners, delegating appropriate work to paralegals and supporting more senior team members on large complex matters
• maintaining good file management
• working to strict deadlines

Skills and experience you will have:

• a minimum of 5 years’ experience in dealing with construction law and matters
• demonstrable experience of drafting and negotiating amendments to standard form contracts (for example JCT/NEC) as well as bespoke forms of contract, appointment and collateral warranties on a variety of construction projects
• previous experience in managing or supervising others
• strong IT skills
• a track record of developing business through new and existing contacts

Key competencies you will need:

• motivation to take up a challenge at an exciting time
• 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

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.