Senior Associate / Associate - Pensions, London

Job Introduction

The Pensions Team (part of the Employment, Pensions and Immigration (EPI) Group) at DAC Beachcroft is looking to appoint a Senior Associate / Associate to join its growing team in London.  Currently over 90 strong with 17 Partners EPI has a presence in London, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and Bristol.  The Pensions team currently consists of 2 partners (1 pensions litigation), 2 senior associates and a consultant.

We undertake a varied mixt pensions work for employers, financial institutions, government bodies,  and trustees of occupational DB and DC pension schemes.  In the private sector we act principally for medium-sized to large employers, including a range of financial institutions, blue chip companies, PLC’s, multi nationals and charities across the firm’s key sectors.  We also have a strong track record of providing pensions advice to health sector clients which include NHS Trusts and independent health providers. The team also provides transactional support, and has close links with many other departments.

Typical work includes drafting scheme documentation, advising on underfunding, scheme re-structuring , winding-up, scheme closures, pension aspects of TUPE transfers and corporate support work. The role will offer the opportunity to have regular client contact.

The successful candidate will be minimum 4 years PQE with proven experience of Pensions law.  The proven ability to work independently is required along with strong communication skills, drafting ability and legal research capability.  You must be able to prioritise and work effectively to deliver accurate and thorough work to tight deadlines. You should be able to build relationships at all levels and be willing to participate in business development and marketing activities.

Role Responsibility

Specific responsibilities include but are not restricted to undertaking the following:

• Handle a varied workload in accordance with client protocols and with an appropriate level of supervision. Act as a point of contact for clients, demonstrating a level of knowledge and skill commensurate with experience and the expectations and needs of clients of the London pensions team
• This will role will be focussed on non-contentious work
• Develop depth of knowledge across key areas of pensions law practice
• Exercise full compliance with DAC Beachcroft protocols on billing and credit control and demonstrate a high level of financial management in respect of own files
• Support marketing and business development activity within the team e.g. attending marketing events and client training
• Help build and enhance client relationships as required
• Build an awareness of the Firm's other services.  Build effective internal and external networks
• Maintain an awareness of the firm's strategies and plans
• Maintain and develop technical knowledge through attendance at training sessions, reading appropriate publications and exceeding Law Society CPD requirements
• Handle confidential information in line with the firms data security protocols

The Ideal Candidate

• We would expect the post holder to be a solicitor with a number of years of relevant post qualification experience
• Independent thinker/worker with a focus on generating commercial solutions to problems on behalf of clients
• Confident communicator with an ability to develop and manage relationships with clients and influence at all levels.  Able to deal confidently and professionally with clients on day to day issues.  Able to demonstrate self-sufficiency, combined with an awareness of the boundaries of own competence/authority
• An ability to adopt a client focused and commercial perspective rather than just an ‘academic’ approach to legal issues, coupled with a keen grasp of legal issues, as these arise
• Change oriented with a positive, flexible approach towards the implementation of new initiatives
• Team oriented and collegiate with a willingness to share knowledge with and support other members of the team

This role is situated in the London office.

About the Company

We are a leading international legal business with over 2,400 colleagues and a diverse range of capabilities. We have 12 offices in the UK as well as offices in Dublin, Madrid, Paris, Singapore, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Miami. We are a founding member of the Legalign Alliance which includes firms in Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand and the US as well as associations with firms in Argentina, Brazil, Central America, Hong Kong and Peru.

We are known for our market-leading presence in sectors such as 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 the majority of the top 30 insurance and financial services companies operating in the UK. We are the asset management lawyers for the UK’s largest shopping centres and act for 9 of the UK’s top 10 housebuilders.

We have an impressive legal pedigree, with 155 Chambers UK 2019 practice area and individual lawyer rankings, including 30 rankings at 'Band 1' level. In Legal 500 UK, 2018, the firm received top tier ranking for 32 of its practice areas and 59 practice areas in the top two tiers. In March 2018, we were named as one of Legal Week's Best Legal Advisors for the third year running, achieving category-leading satisfaction scores for our commercial approach, service delivery, quality of legal advice, communication & responsiveness and overall relationships.

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