Associate - Energy & Regulated Industries Team (Birmingham / London)

About the team

Our specialist Energy team is very highly regarded in the UK market. We are consistently recognised as a leading energy practice in both Legal 500 and Chambers.

Job Description

We have a reputation for being at the forefront of the sector and providing technically excellent advice in a robust, pragmatic and friendly manner. We pride ourselves on our supportive and business-driven approach. Our work is broad ranging. It includes both advising on (and often developing) a wide range of commercial contracts relevant to the sector – from long‑term high‑value power purchase and fuel supply agreements to multi‑party industry codes. We are also heavily involved in supporting energy transactional work – developing, financing and selling energy generation and infrastructure projects – on which we work closely with a wide range of colleagues from across the firm. Our role includes helping structure projects, advising on commercial contracts and providing specialist due diligence input in support of corporate/finance colleagues.

Our clients include governments, regulatory bodies, major utilities, project developers, network owners/operators, energy suppliers and a wide range of major corporates on energy‑related matters. Their requirements are diverse, but all receive first‑class, commercially focused advice from a team that is deeply immersed in the sector. Our practice is thriving. We have grown continuously over the last five years, both in top‑line revenue and profits terms, and have a varied and high‑quality client base that sees our services very much in demand.

Each member of the team has a client‑facing role and is given the opportunity to develop client relationships. This role is no different and provides a real opportunity to develop a range of client‑handling skills. You will therefore be good at dealing directly with clients (with appropriate levels of support) both on the telephone and in virtual or face‑to‑face meetings. The team is tight‑knit and not at all hierarchical. Some members of the team are principally regulatory focused, others (like the person required for this role) have more of a commercial focus. However, we work seamlessly together utilising those skill sets to deliver a first‑class service to our clients whatever their requirements. We also frequently work with specialist lawyers from across the wider firm on a wide range of matters including IT and transactional energy mandates.

Working in an inclusive, sharing and collaborative culture, your success will be integral to ensuring the continuing success and growth of the team over the long term.

About You

You will be a qualified Solicitor, 1‑4 PQE. You will be able to demonstrate strong academic performance and good experience of and familiarity with a wide variety of commercial agreements. Commercial contracts experience is a pre‑requisite of the role. We would expect some experience of the energy sector. Energy stakeholders also often require advice on the application of relevant law (including new developments) to their business. You will also have the strong research skills and the ability and confidence to produce accurate, succinct written advice to clients. You will be level‑headed and pragmatic, willing to learn and prepared to apply the commercial contracts and advisory skill sets you have developed (and will continue to develop) in a different and exciting context.

What We Can Offer You

• The opportunity to work for a firm which has been recognised as one of the best places to work in the UK and has been ranked by Great Place to Work® for 26 consecutive years.
• Excellent benefits, including:

• A hybrid approach to office and remote working.
• 25 days annual leave, with the option to buy up to a week’s extra annual leave.
• Private medical insurance, and the option to add family members.
• A generous pension allowance.
• Life assurance covering four times your annual salary.
• Maternity, paternity and adoption leave schemes.
• A range of health and wellbeing programmes.
• Opportunities to flourish in your role through training and personal development.

Equal opportunities

Gowling WLG is committed both to promoting equality and diversity in the firm and to Equal Opportunities in employment. The firm believes in equality of opportunity regardless of race or racial group (including colour, nationality, ethnicity, national origins), religion or belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, sex, gender re‑assignment and gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy, maternity and paternity. This also includes any incidents of perceptive or associative discrimination and harassment. At Gowling WLG we seek to attract and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures, to create an exciting and rewarding place to work. Our aim is to fulfil everyone’s potential and together to achieve personal and business goals.

Any offers we make will be conditional subject to clearance by the SRA, evidence of eligibility to work in the UK and DBS clearance.