At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead legal strategy for major construction projects and provide practical advice during project delivery.
- Company: Join National Grid, a key player in the UK's transition to net-zero energy.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus potential, flexible working, and generous pension contributions.
- Other info: Dynamic hybrid working environment with opportunities for professional development.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of significant infrastructure projects that shape the future of energy.
- Qualifications: Qualified solicitor or barrister with strong non-contentious construction law experience.
You will work closely with colleagues in the UK Legal team, alongside other stakeholders to plan and deliver NGET construction projects ranging from millions to billions. Such projects include the construction of new substations, overhead line and underground cable routes and potentially offshore cable projects. You will be part of the UK Legal team, working with other construction lawyers and closely with other lawyers in the team to deliver NGET's infrastructure projects.
Alongside strong legal skills, we are looking for an individual who is passionate about energy and the net-zero ambition and who has the drive to support and enable the business in its ambitions. You will also have commercial awareness of the industry within which NGET operates. You must be able to take the lead on the construction law aspects of major infrastructure projects, with the ability to influence through a broad range of contacts.
What you'll do:
- Deliver clear, commercially focused legal advice and lead the development and execution of legal strategy for major construction projects and strategic infrastructure contracts, supporting NGET's commercial objectives.
- Provide practical, commercially focused advice to project, commercial and procurement teams as issues arise during live project delivery, including on contract interpretation, change control, compensation events and claims, risk allocation, governance, supplier engagement and dispute avoidance.
- Draft and negotiate a broad range of construction and professional services contracts (based on standard forms including NEC and FIDIC), advise on procurement and regulatory compliance, represent UK Legal at key internal forums, manage external counsel, and support dispute resolution matters.
- Help identify and mitigate legal and commercial risk, contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, develop precedents and training, and share expertise across the UK Legal team.
About you:
- Qualified solicitor or barrister with significant, current non-contentious construction law experience, including recent hands-on experience advising on, drafting and negotiating complex construction and engineering contracts, particularly NEC4.
- Strong track record supporting large-scale, complex construction projects through live delivery, including advising on contract interpretation, change control, claims/compensation events, risk allocation, governance and supplier engagement.
- Experience working directly with project, commercial, procurement and technical teams, providing clear, pragmatic legal advice at the coal face of project delivery.
- Able to support both high-profile strategic infrastructure projects and business-as-usual construction contract matters across a busy portfolio.
- Excellent communicator, also able to listen effectively in a team or business environment and build strong relationships.
- Capable of using experience and expertise to develop and train other members of the UK Legal team.
- Effective project manager with ability to lead and deliver high profile and strategic projects with ability to influence through a broad range of internal and external contacts.
- Ability to manage and deliver against competing priorities.
About us:
We are recruiting a qualified solicitor or barrister with significant, current non-contentious construction law experience, including recent hands-on experience supporting complex construction and engineering contracts through procurement, negotiation and live project delivery. The UK's transition to net zero by 2050 is one of the most significant infrastructure challenges of our generation — and the energy sector is central to making it happen. At National Grid Electricity Transmission ("NGET"), we are delivering the infrastructure needed to connect cleaner, more secure energy to homes and businesses across the country.
The role will provide construction and engineering legal advice to NGET across major onshore, and potentially offshore, projects, supporting both existing schemes and new developments. These are large-scale, complex projects where legal advice is integral to delivery, risk management and the achievement of the UK's net-zero ambition.
Location: The role will be based out of our Warwick or Strand, London office; we operate a hybrid working policy, and a typical working pattern would be three days per week in Warwick, London or another office/site, with the rest of the week flexible.
We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for all. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates – we make appointments purely on merit, assessed against objective selection criteria.
Construction Solicitor/ Senior Construction Solicitor in Warwick employer: National Grid
At National Grid, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. With competitive salaries, generous bonuses, and a robust pension scheme, we ensure our employees are well rewarded for their contributions. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion, along with flexible working arrangements, empowers our team members to thrive both personally and professionally in the heart of the UK's energy sector.
