Non- Contentious Construction and Engineering (0-5+ PQE) Solicitor/Associate - Bristol, London and/or Newcastle

Job Introduction

Are you looking for a role where you will be intellectually challenged, but treated with respect?   Or an environment where you can enjoy industry-leading work quality without compromising on client contact and business development?  An opportunity in our Construction and Engineering team may be for you.

What do we mean by Construction and Engineering?  We mean providing expert legal advice to a variety of clients in different sectors who are involved in construction and engineering projects.  The team operates on a national and international platform, providing advice to clients on contract procurement and the drafting of bespoke contracts as well as advising on standard forms.

So, why should you be excited about a career with us?  Our team are empowered to develop their own client contacts and relationships from the start of their careers; you will see how your contribution directly impacts on your clients and understand how the service you provide helps them.  We are also very proud of our client base, who provide us with top-quality instructions.  We have the backing of a truly international firm with over 2,500 colleagues across 9 countries and with a myriad of international associations further bolstering our capabilities.

We aim to encourage diversity by offering the opportunity to bring your whole self to work, underpinned by our employer brand of A Life That Works.  Our team are very busy and work hard, but we offer genuine flexibility to allow you to meet your personal and work commitments – and that flexibility won’t disappear post-Covid! – it has been hardwired into our DNA for years.  All across our team, from our emerging talent to our senior leadership, you won’t find a closed door, real or virtual.  Read on for more information about our specific vacancy and the firm as a whole.

Role Responsibility

The firm has specialist non-contentious construction teams in Newcastle, London, and Bristol. The team consists of dedicated and experienced commercial contract lawyers specialising in the construction and engineering industry.

We stand out for delivering bespoke solutions – high quality advice delivered in sophisticated, customised and creative ways. Our relentless determination to deliver a bespoke service means each client receives what they value most – expert advice, tailored to their specific needs.

The team has an enviable list of clients, has built up an excellent reputation and is highly ranked in the legal directories. The firm is on national panels with a number of top name housebuilders and also acts for local and national private developers, large national and international corporates, contractors, construction professionals, the NHS and private health and social care providers, national and local government, education sector institutions, clients in the energy and infrastructure sector and development finance providers and investment funds.  This diverse range of clients provides a varied and sustainable pipeline of work.

• We advise on the full life-cycle of a construction, engineering or infrastructure project including:
• Building contracts and professional team appointments;
• Engineering contracts for renewable energy, process plant, infrastructure, utilities and transport;
• The construction aspects involved in funding agreements, development agreements, sale and purchase agreements, collaboration agreements and agreements for lease;
• Operation and maintenance contracts, property and facilities management contracts;
• Ancillary documents associated with construction and engineering projects, such as framework agreements, collateral warranties/third party rights, bonds, guarantees, novations, assignments, vesting agreements, letters of intent and reliance letters.
• An important part of our strategy is to invest in our talented people and, as part of our growth, we are also looking to attract additional talent with new and exciting opportunities.

This role will suit an ambitious and determined individual who enjoys and takes pride in providing the highest standards of client care and champions operational excellence. Personality fit is essential within this team as the role will also involve supervising and mentoring more junior staff. The role will also involve assisting with the financial management of the team. We are looking for someone who is personable and is a team player with a can-do attitude. You will readily take on day to day conduct of managing key client relationships and business development activity.

In return, support to grow and develop your own practice, together with career progression opportunities are available for the right candidate. We operate in a friendly and collaborative environment, which will enable you to fulfil your potential. We can offer an intellectually stimulating, high quality and varied caseload.  Agile working is encouraged.

We are looking for new colleagues who have an interest in the construction and engineering market and how the law can help clients to achieve goals.  We look forward to discussing our opportunities with you.

The Ideal Candidate

We are open minded about the qualification level of the candidates we see - we are most interested in what you think you can bring to the role and the team, and whether we are the right fit for you.  However, we are looking for a range of experience levels including a junior Solicitor or Associate and a more experienced Associate of 5 years+.

About the Company

We are a leading international legal business with over 2,500 colleagues and a diverse range of capabilities. We have 11 offices in the UK as well as offices in Dublin, Madrid, Paris, Singapore, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Miami. We also have associations/alliances with firms in Malaysia, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Central America, the USA, Australia and Germany.

We are a broad-based commercial firm with a strong heritage in insurance, health and real estate. This is complemented by a fast-growing Business Advisory capability. We represent a wide range of clients, ranging from household names to government departments and NHS bodies. We act for all of the UK’s top-ten insurers, we are market leaders in the provision of strategic, commercial and regulatory advice to providers and commissioners in the health sector, and in real estate we advise all of the UK’s top-12 housebuilders.

We have an impressive legal pedigree, with 142 Chambers UK 2021 practice area and individual lawyer rankings. In Legal 500 UK 2021, the firm received a top tier ranking for 37 of its practice areas, and 58 DACB lawyers were singled out in the ‘Leading Individual' rankings.

Our successes have been recognised by the legal industry and the markets in which we operate. These accolades include two top prizes in the ‘Excellence in Business Development’ and ‘Excellence in Technology & Innovation’ categories of the 2020 Law Society Excellence Awards – the highest accolade for law firms in England & Wales. Our health sector team won the ‘Crisis Management Team of the Year’ award at the 2020 British Legal Awards for its support to the NHS at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and our Cyber & Data Risk team received the ‘Business Development Innovation Award’ at the 2020 Legal Innovation Awards, as well as ‘Cyber Law Firm of the Year’ at the prestigious Insurance Insider Cyber Rankings Awards, for its market-leading suite of digital tools to help our clients prepare for and respond to cyber and data risk crises.

Our vision is to be leading business advisers, recognised for our insight and our outstanding commitment to clients, and for being the place where talented people want to work. For further details on our work and our culture, please visit www.dacbeachcroft.com.

Application Details

At DAC Beachcroft, we don’t just accept your differences we celebrate them.  From bespoke solutions for our clients, to treating you like an individual.  Our strength comes from your diverse ideas and bringing the whole you to work. So if you’re good at what you do, come as you are.  We welcome direct applications and are happy to talk flexible working.

We also want you to be at your very best.  Please feel free to let us know of any changes we can make at any point in the recruitment process that will help support your application.  If this opportunity sounds of interest to you, please make an application and submit your CV.  Your application will be dealt with in the strictest of confidence.

Note for Recruitment Agencies – the DAC Beachcroft recruitment team is responsible for managing all current vacancies through direct hiring and referrals wherever possible.  We do work with recruitment agencies and where we require external support we will formally release those vacancies to the agencies on our Preferred Supplier List deemed best placed to assist us.  Speculative CVs sent by any agency to any DAC Beachcroft employee without a specific request by the recruitment team will not be accepted and with no introduction fee applicable.  Our recruitment team can be contacted at recruitment@dacbeachcroft.com

DAC Beachcroft