Knowledge & Information Services Assistant - Corporate Finance

This is an exciting opportunity for a candidate with an interest in the law to be part of a global knowledge team and develop an understanding of corporate financing techniques, in particular debt capital markets, structured finance and securitisation, and structured products and derivatives. This role will support fee earners practising in corporate finance across the Freshfields’ network.

The Knowledge & Information Services Assistant plays a key role in collating and disseminating current awareness updates internally, with a significant focus on developments in both regulation and market practice. Another key role is collecting transaction insights from matters worked on by the team. The Knowledge & Information Services Assistant is central to the maintenance of our internal databases, including keeping the SharePoint site which we use to store our knowledge materials curated and up to date.

Freshfields’ global knowledge function connects people and knowledge to enable the firm’s lawyers to provide market-leading client service, to grow the business of the firm and strengthen client relationships, and to support the firm’s lawyers in developing their legal skills, while focusing on value, quality and efficiency. Our Knowledge & Information Services team plays a critical role in ensuring the firm’s lawyers have access to curated internal knowledge collections and external resources relevant to their work and support research activities and current awareness.

Role summary/purpose of job

The Knowledge & Information Services Assistant will support the firm’s Knowledge Lawyers and the lawyers in the firm’s corporate finance practice directly. They will be responsible for capturing knowhow and developing our internal knowledge collections, managing our external resources (online and in print) and guiding users, responding to queries and supporting resources training. The Knowledge & Information Services Assistant will be part of our global Knowledge & Information Services Team, which is led by the Head of Knowledge & Information Services. They will report to a Knowledge & Information Services Manager. The role will principally support the London corporate finance practice area but, as a member of a global team, will also collaborate with colleagues on firmwide or cross-practice projects.

Key responsibilities and deliverables

• Knowledge & Insight capture: Ensuring knowledge insights and knowhow from client mandates are captured.
• Current awareness: Supporting the creation and sharing of updates, insights and commentary on legal, regulatory and market developments.
• Knowledge collections management: Collating and maintaining our internal knowledge collections, including uploading knowhow and tagging.
• Internal Knowledge products creation/updating: Supporting the Knowledge Lawyers and lawyers in the practice groups on the creation and updating of internal knowledge products.
• Information on resources: Maintaining and updating information on relevant SharePoints and other tools used to house and disseminate information.
• External resource expertise: Developing a comprehensive understanding of the external online databases and resources relevant to the practice area.
• Resources training and guidance: Supporting resources training for lawyers and other business services colleagues.
• Research & signposting: Helping users orient their own searches and responding to queries from lawyers.
• External resource management: Classifying and cataloguing new titles, and updating our online library system.
• Compliance with policies: Being aware of copyright and compliance policies and adhering to them.
• Supporting external vendor management: Working with Global Procurement and other Knowledge & Information Services colleagues on contract renewals and new purchases of resources.

Key requirements

• Highly Desirable Degree in law - academic experience with banking and finance / capital markets.
• SharePoint skills, content publishing, database maintenance.
• Experience of working in a law firm or understanding of legal products/services.
• Degree educated.
• Highly IT literate, including excellent command of Microsoft Office 365.
• Confident individual, strongly self-motivated.
• Business proficiency in English (both oral and written).
• A team player capable of building good working relationships.
• Organisational and administrative skills, with attention to detail.

Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered on the basis of their merit alone. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background.