Senior Solicitor

We are a medium-sized, independent law firm based in Reading. We are looking for a highly motivated, driven, commercial litigator to join our established commercial litigation team. We are recruiting for a Senior Associate, but would also consider applications from established partners with a proven following.

We are known for providing an environment that allows for real career development. You will be expected to be committed to developing as a well-rounded lawyer, to supporting your colleagues, and to help develop other less experienced people in our team. Our Family FSP ethos demonstrates the support available, but also the support you will be expected to give to others.

The team boasts some enviable blue-chip clients and a caseload which includes complex domestic and cross-border disputes. We are currently looking to recruit a Senior Associate to work alongside the two Partners, as well as a Consultant, a Legal Director, an Associate, a Solicitor, a Trainee (rotating) and a Paralegal.

As part of the team, you’ll build your experience working collaboratively on some challenging disputes while also running and building your own caseload. The role offers a significant level of variety and interest. You will work across a range of sectors and work-types, which may include professional indemnity, construction, breach of warranty claims and s.994 claims, commercial contract disputes, insolvency disputes, fraud, IP and international arbitration. Clients will span many sectors, including automotive, financial services, leisure, fisheries, logistics and FMCG.

You’ll need to be hard working, resourceful, responsive and resilient, with the ability to grasp new challenges and areas of law quickly and accurately. You need to be able to provide pragmatic and commercial solutions tailored to a range of different clients. You should have the ability to supervise and develop others and be willing to engage in peer-to-peer discussions with senior colleagues as part of a close-knit team.

You should have a following of clients or referrers or have a proven track record in winning new clients. There is the potential for progression through to partnership if the successful candidate can demonstrate the skills we expect in accordance with our internal career framework.

Our commercial dispute resolution team acts for several household names across a range of sectors, from automotive manufacturers to international airlines to large construction companies. We advise businesses and individuals, who have a need for high-calibre advice, but without the costs of a City law firm. We often act opposite City law firms and achieve successful outcomes for our clients.

As well as having repeat business from regular clients, the team has strong links with other professionals and overseas lawyers. Despite our size, our clients are significant in size and a number of them operate internationally. The last year has seen us involved in many cases with a value of £1 million plus. We have had one case with a value of $450 million and actual High Court proceedings involving a claim of £66 million. Much of our work typically has had an international dimension including international arbitration. As well as large corporate clients, we also look after private clients on any contractual or boardroom disputes, or mis-selling of tax schemes. We are well-known in many sectors ranging from household names in the automotive industry through to the fisheries sector.

We offer regular webinars and client training to our clients and contacts. Most recently these have included privilege, the Consumer Rights Act, the Building Safety Act and Consumer Protection. The team is required to support the wider firm’s business development efforts and has a key role to play in building relationships with in-house counsel and larger corporates. The successful candidate will need to have a desire and aptitude to develop their client following.

We have an established hybrid working policy in place, which is designed to allow flexibility combined with the benefits of collaborative office working. You will be required to attend the office three days a week to enable you to build internal relationships and to assist the development of yourself and others.

We offer 25 days holiday (increasing one day each year in your first five years up to a maximum of 30 days), flexibility on working times thanks to our core hours policy, a DC contribution pension plan and more.

If you think this may be the opportunity for you to progress your career, please apply now.