Senior Solicitor (Digital Finance) - UK Remote in Belfast

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world-leading global law firm, where our ambition is to help you achieve your goals. Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years.

As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be. Our footprint is extensive and committed across the world’s largest markets, key financial centres and major growth hubs. At our best tackling complexity and navigating change, we work alongside you on demanding litigation, exacting regulatory work and complex public and private market transactions. We are recognised as leading in these areas.

We are immersed in the sectors and challenges that impact you. We are recognised as standing apart in energy, infrastructure and resources. And we’re focused on areas of growth that affect every business across the world. All of this is achieved by supporting the growth of our people, who help us deliver on our ambition – which is to help you achieve yours.

HSF Kramer Digital Legal Delivery (Digital) is a fast-growing, innovative and fully integrated part of Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer's international network. The Digital team works closely with other practice groups, seamlessly delivering high-quality and cost-effective legal services for clients, deploying sophisticated technology and offering truly bespoke solutions.

Since the launch of the Belfast office in 2011, our Digital offering has continued to evolve and now offers a broad range of services to clients across Finance, Corporate, Real Estate and Construction, Employment and Disputes. Through a compelling combination of flexible and agile resourcing, cutting-edge technology and process efficiencies, our HSF Kramer Digital Practice Group offers a cost-competitive, bespoke offering which can be tailored to individual clients' requirements.

We recognise that the success of our business and our clients relies on the skills, knowledge and talent of our people. Our environment is one in which high performance is expected, in return, we will provide you with rewards and opportunities tailored to your personal and professional goals. Diversity and inclusion are a key part of our culture where we celebrate the uniqueness of our people. Our inclusive environment means people feel valued and able to perform at their best by being their authentic selves at work.

HSF Kramer Finance practice is a well-established international Banking and Finance practice, with a strong reputation for executing high-profile and complex finance deals with accuracy and at speed. The London Finance Division provides advice to lenders, borrowers, advisers and other key players in the financial markets on all types of financings and cutting-edge transactions, including 'first to market' novel structures and cross-border deals.

HSF Kramer Finance practice encompasses a wide range of specialist finance areas, including real estate finance, securitisation and structured finance, energy finance, project finance and leveraged finance.

HSF Kramer Digital Legal Finance team is the part of the Digital Legal Delivery practice group of the firm. The HSF Kramer Digital Finance provides cost-effective and high-quality managed legal service offerings across a wide range of finance transactions and also works collaboratively with the HSF Kramer Finance teams on market-leading finance mandates.

The successful candidate will work closely with the HSF Kramer Digital Finance senior team, assisting on a broad range of transactions including securitisation and structured finance, energy finance, project finance and infrastructure, real estate finance and leveraged finance. This will involve working closely with our HSF Kramer London teams and liaising directly with clients and counterparties.

Senior Solicitors will build and strengthen relationships with clients, often acting as a key point of contact on the matter. The role will also encompass working on outsourcing projects involving negotiation of BAU finance and related documents such as NDAs and release letters, working as an extension of the client's in-house legal team.

Senior Solicitors are expected to work closely with the Head of Digital Finance, Senior Managers and Managers, helping to deliver key strategic and commercial objectives, growing revenue in line with annual targets, managing and supervising the team/more junior colleagues, assisting with new client pursuits and business development activities and maintaining best practice in relation to financial management.

Key Responsibilities:

• Deliver excellent client service and manage and deliver discrete pieces of legal work.
• Build and strengthen relationships with clients, acting as a direct point of contact.
• Be responsible for some management and delegation of work to and support of junior colleagues.
• Manage workload to support optimal utilisation; assist senior team as required, acting as lead lawyer or key point of contact; delegate and provide feedback to juniors and communicate progress on tasks to supervisor and team members, consulting and offering solutions on technical client issues; and manage the billing process as appropriate.
• Manage, develop and strengthen client relationships through anticipating client needs and expectations; and provide prompt responses and updates on progress.
• Make an effective contribution to the firm, working closely with the Head of Digital Finance, the Managers and the wider Digital senior leadership team to further develop the Digital Finance practice.
• Comply with risk requirements, firm policies and all relevant professional responsibilities and legislation and contribute to billing, engagement and client acceptance processes.
• Liaising with clients and teams in London or elsewhere in the firm as required on fee-earning or other projects.
• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of relevant areas of law, providing technical excellence in relation to the relevant specialist areas of the Digital Finance practice.
• Actively contribute and, where appropriate, take the lead in seeking to improve our processes and offer innovative solutions to clients, including enhancing legal service delivery through the use of legal technology tools.
• Contribute to business development activities for the Digital Finance practice and, where appropriate, attend client meetings, conferences and internal/external events, to represent Digital Finance and help expand our offering.
• Where required, provide input on pitching activity for clients and business development, attending client presentations and events.
• Line management responsibility for Solicitors, Project coordinators, Senior Legal Analysts, Legal Analysts and Trainees, as directed by the Head of Digital Finance and the senior team.
• UK travel may be required from time to time. There may be opportunity for international travel (although this is not a pre-requisite for the role).

The responsibilities outlined above cannot totally encompass or define all tasks that may be required of the post-holder. The outline of responsibilities given above may, therefore, vary from time to time without materially changing either the character or level of responsibility or grade.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• Qualified solicitor in England and Wales or Northern Ireland. Republic of Ireland or other common law/international jurisdictions will be considered.
• At least three years' relevant PQE (unless exceptional circumstances exist, in which case please submit a supporting statement outlining why you are an exceptional candidate).
• Good experience in financing transactions, operating at least at mid-associate level.
• Strong legal skills, including drafting, negotiation and project management skills.
• Foundation level of people management and business development skills.
• Foundational understanding of law firm profitability and key drivers for financial efficiency; and ability to help manage costs and budgets.
• Must be UK-based; must not live in Northern Ireland and must live at least 100 miles away from a HSF Kramer London office, otherwise location agnostic.

Diversity & Inclusion: We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance.