Construction Associate / Senior Associate in Leeds

UK Top 50 Law firm, Freeths LLP’s national Construction & Engineering team cover all aspects of the built environment and process plant, from infrastructure to commercial and residential buildings, offices, retail, logistics and production facilities. We are a specialist team of 28 construction and engineering law specialists who cover both the “front end” of projects, drafting and negotiating the documents, and dealing with disputes which can arise on construction projects, whether via negotiation and settlement or more formal dispute resolution procedure. Our clients are some of the best-known names in the construction & engineering industry and we have an excellent reputation across the UK. We act for public and private sector employers, contractors, funds, consultants and sub-contractors.

We are seeking contentious construction lawyers to ideally join our Nottingham, Leeds or Birmingham offices. If you are more experienced then we would consider you being based from any of our 13 offices. The team undertakes a broad range of challenging contentious work across the industry. You will be working within a friendly, supportive and experienced team of contentious construction lawyers on a wide variety of cases, including work in Adjudication and the TCC. Dependant on previous experience you will have the opportunity to manage your own caseload and assist the national team on larger matters. The nature of the work is fast-paced. However, our clients’ experience and commercial interests are paramount and you must possess and demonstrate an enthusiasm, energy and passion for construction law, have exceptionally strong communication skills and work well in a team. The team takes a holistic approach to their work, offering a corporate level of service with a personal touch.

There are excellent opportunities for progression and you will be encouraged to be actively involved in business development and client management. Applications are invited from lawyers who have trained and qualified with a recognised construction team, have at least 6 months experience as part of a training contract, and/or have experience of contentious construction work or a mix of contentious and advisory work. Ideally you will be between 0-8 years PQE, however we encourage applications whatever your PQE or experience as the team are very much in growth mode.

We trust our people to work flexibly in the way that works best for them, their teams and our clients. Our firm is set up to ensure everyone’s voice is heard, and mutual respect is shown by all.

A few of our recent highlights:

• Listed in The Times Best Law Firms 2023
• Ranked 47th in The Lawyer magazine’s Top 100 UK law firms 2022
• Winner of Equality Trailblazer of the Year at the Chamber Business Awards 2021
• Winner of The Lawyer Litigation Team of the Year 2020
• Ranked 51st in the Social Mobility Employer Index 2020
• Winner of the ‘Mental Health & Wellbeing Award’ at the UK Diversity Legal Awards 2019
• ‘Diversity Champion’ for Stonewall – a charity supporting LGBT rights

Sharing success matters to us. We love to showcase excellent work across the firm and celebrate our people through our employee awards. We recognise our teams work hard together to deliver the best solutions for our clients. That’s why great work is well rewarded - our rewards and benefits are among the best in the business. We’re 1000+ Freethinkers, striving to create a better place. We’re committed to living our values – smart, bold, together – and making a positive change at every touchpoint for our colleagues, clients and communities.

Our people are at the heart of what makes Freeths such a great place to be. We’re a firm where people care about each other and employee wellbeing is high on the agenda. Our firm is set up to ensure everyone’s voice is heard, and mutual respect is shown by all. We understand that differences add strength, which means we maintain a diverse culture where everyone has the freedom to be themselves and thrive.

We are committed to sourcing candidates directly where possible. For particular roles, we may work with preferred suppliers who will be invited by our resourcing team to support us. We may also agree to accept CVs from other suppliers on an ad hoc basis (to be agreed in writing). We will not be responsible for fees in relation to CVs or profiles submitted directly to our partners or other employees or for any applications not submitted via our portal. Agencies should contact our recruitment team before submitting unsolicited applications.

As an equal opportunities employer, committed to diversity and inclusion, our aim is to attract and empower the most talented people. We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age. We celebrate difference, encourage diversity of thought and are dedicated to continually challenging our processes to maintain fairness, equity and transparency. If you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact recruitmentfreeths@freeths.co.uk and we will be happy to discuss.