Construction Knowledge Lawyer

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We are recruiting a Knowledge Lawyer with at least four years’ PQE to join our Construction and Engineering group four days per week.

About Macfarlanes

We are a distinctive London-based law firm with a unique combination of services built and shaped around the needs of our clients. Our unrivalled blend of expertise, agility and culture means we have the flexibility to meet their most challenging demands and adapt to the changing world around us. While many of our services can be found at other firms, the mix cannot.

We find, recruit and train talented people from all backgrounds, building careers for the long term, to one day shape and lead the firm. We know each other personally which means we work together with more cohesion, and less formality. Our culture is thoughtful, challenging and supportive, and we are a place where everyone, at whatever level, can thrive. We remain focused on equal treatment in recruitment, retention and promotion.

The team

Our Construction and Engineering group is split into a non-contentious team, which sits within our Real Estate group and a contentious team, which sits in out Litigation department. The Construction and Engineering group currently consists of three Partners, three Senior Counsel, 11 Associates and three Trainee Solicitors.

Our clients range from large commercial real estate developers and investors to private individuals, lenders, large corporates and public bodies, based both in the UK and internationally. The relationships we develop with clients are key to our success

We sell ourselves to our clients as offering a partner-led service, and so our associates learn and develop through working closely with a senior member of the team. We staff projects with lean teams so all team members get real involvement in a project. No associate just works for one partner. We all work together as part of a cohesive and supportive group.

Practice overview

Our practice is heavily development led, acting for developers and investors (e.g. L&G, Stanhope, CIT and Realstar), as well as occupiers, funding institutions and banks.

Our practice covers a broad range of commercial projects (offices, hotels, residential blocks and retail).

Recent deals we have advised on are:

• Development of over 3,000 build to rent units for Legal & General’s Build to Rent Fund;
• Development of a large film studios complex to be occupied by Sky Studios;
• Development of 8 Bishopsgate, a 50-storey office tower in the heart of the City of London; and
• Various life-sciences developments, including the Life and Mind Building at Oxford University – the largest academic building ever to be built at the university.

The role

Key responsibilities include:

Education and training

• planning for, and organisation of, the construction education and training programme; and
• assisting with internal education and training at trainee and departmental level.

Legislative and case law changes

• keeping track of and updating the team on change in legislation and case law.

Internal counsel support

• assisting fee earners to locate and apply relevant know-how and example precedents; and
• considering and implementing matters of common departmental interest.

Precedents

• preparing new/revising and updating existing standard form precedents and guidance notes; and
• assisting with the automation of precedents.

Please note that the job description is not exhaustive and may vary in line with changes in the team’s objectives and firm’s policy.

The candidate

This is a unique opportunity for an experienced Knowledge Lawyer or an Associate looking to move into a Knowledge Lawyer role to assist with a breadth of work across our Construction and Engineering group.

Essential skills:

• a qualified lawyer with at least four years’ PQE of non-contentious construction practice;
• previous experience as a knowledge lawyer or an interest to transition into this area;
• a very good academic record (2:1 degree or better), an interest in academic aspects of law and a sound knowledge of property or construction law;
• authoritative with a high level of self-motivation and willingness to take the initiative;
• an ability to produce high quality material under pressure and to work to tight deadlines; and
• commitment to providing expert technical legal support in a practical context to fee earners at all levels.

Application screening

Any offer of employment with us is subject to our pre-employment checks, which are conducted by a third-party screening provider. These may include, but are not limited to, your professional and academic qualifications, any criminal records and employment references. These checks will be initiated with your consent and your offer will be subject to the successful completion of these checks.

Our commitment to inclusion

Inclusion is one of our key priorities and it is a goal we are actively working towards. We believe that an inclusive, forward-thinking culture is intrinsically important and enables us to provide innovative solutions to our clients.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, bringing different perspectives and experiences, making Macfarlanes an exciting and stimulating place to work. We seek to recruit the best candidates, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, social or economic background, religion, disability, sexual orientation or any other characteristic.

As part of this commitment, we will ask you certain diversity data questions. We would really appreciate you and/or your recruiter completing these questions when submitting an application to Macfarlanes as this data enables us to measure our progress and identify any actions needed to continue to support an inclusive culture. This data is anonymised to maintain the privacy of applicants.

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