Knowledge Development Lawyer - Dispute Resolution and Insolvency

Knowledge Development Lawyers (KDLs) at Charles Russell Speechlys are experts within their field and they support and facilitate knowledge sharing within their area of expertise. Knowledge directly supports the firm’s ambition to undertake complex, challenging, high-value work and deliver exceptional client service. KDLs have the responsibility of developing our unique, knowledge-sharing culture within the Firm which in turn drives efficiency and profitability. Our clients are at the heart of everything we do and KDLs create opportunities to use Knowledge to deepen our relationships with clients, ensuring that Knowledge is a driver for business and is used effectively to enhance our reputation.

This role sits within the Litigation and Dispute resolution Division (LDR), supporting the wider division but with a focus on Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency (CRI). The LDR Knowledge team comprises the Knowledge Lead and a Knowledge Counsel for the LDR Middle East practice groups, together with a Knowledge Paralegal. This role reports to the Knowledge Lead and on a day-to-day basis also works closely with the Knowledge Partner and other members of the CRI group and LDR division. It will require a lawyer with contentious experience and the ability to support both general contentious work across LDR and corporate restructuring and insolvency matters for the CRI group.

This role represents an exciting opportunity for the right individual to gain experience in one of the UK’s top Litigation and Dispute Resolution (LDR) practices, including supporting the Tier One-ranked CRI practice, helping lead key strategic campaigns for the division and develop our alternative funding offering for clients. 

Our 200+ strong LDR team from across the firm’s international office network acts for multi-national corporations, major companies, governments, regulatory bodies and high net worth individuals resolving complex, high value and often international commercial disputes. 

Our CRI practice forms part of the LDR division and carries out the full range of contentious and non-contentious insolvency work. It acts for insolvency practitioners, lenders and financial institutions, companies, directors, creditors and stakeholders. While predominantly UK-based, the practice has a significant international element to it, particularly in the Middle East, and works collaboratively with other practice groups including Corporate, Construction and Real Estate and Commercial. 

Roles and Responsibilities 

Knowledge Sharing

• Working collaboratively with key stakeholders to develop and implement a Knowledge plan for CRI leading, motivating and facilitating knowledge sharing within LDR and CRI, taking responsibility for developing a collaborative, knowledge-sharing culture among all lawyers.
• Facilitating and leading CRI know-how meetings to ensure that new developments, legal and practical knowledge is shared.
• Working with the Knowledge Lead on know-how sessions for the division and other technical training to the division.
• Drafting and updating precedents, practice notes, checklists, toolkits, clause banks and all other forms of knowledge.
• Developing the knowledge collection on the firm’s intranet for LDR and in particular CRI.
• Working collaboratively with the Research & Information Services team to identify and review external resources.
• Developing efficient, practical and meaningful current awareness, including monthly bulletins for CRI.
• Working collaboratively with the Knowledge Lead and Knowledge Partner to develop, and where appropriate, deliver training within a structured training programme for the group, including training tutorials targeted at junior members, managing the legal training budget for the group.
• Assisting fee-earners with technical queries, encouraging in everyone a confident and competent use of existing knowledge resources and the ability to carry out research independently.
• Working with the Knowledge Lead to support knowledge-sharing initiatives across the LDR division.
• Working collaboratively with other KDLs to identify mutual knowledge and training opportunities.

Profile Raising and Projects

• Working collaboratively with the Knowledge Lead, the Knowledge Partner, the Business Development team, other KDLs and others, to identify opportunities to use Knowledge to enhance the reputation of the group and individuals within group as thought leaders internally and externally, as well as the LDR division more broadly.
• Assist fee-earners in the production of knowledge-based BD material such as client alerts.
• Working to develop and support the firm’s alternative funding offering and internal protocol.
• Working with the LDR Knowledge team and various stakeholders across LDR on key strategic projects and campaigns for the division, including on areas such as financial crime, directors’ duties and corporate disputes.
• Supporting with the supervision of Russell Up innovation projects by LDR trainees.

Using Technology 

• Working to develop and support LDR and CRI’s use of technology, including the use of e-disclosure, costs estimating and budgeting, case management and document automation tools.
• Working collaboratively with the Knowledge Lead, Knowledge Partner and others, to identify opportunities to use new technology or new processes to bring internal efficiency in all areas (fee earning; knowledge sharing; training) and to improve the client experience.
• Working with other KDLs and the Associate Director of Knowledge on firm wide Knowledge projects and tasks.
• Such other Knowledge-related activities that the Associate Director of Knowledge, the Knowledge Lead and the practice group requires.

General:

• Comply with all relevant legal and regulatory obligations including the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Standards and Regulations, and Principles.
• Such other Knowledge-related activities that the practice group requires. 

Skills and Experience 

• An experienced practitioner in disputes with at least 5 years’ PQE. Experience in corporate restructuring and insolvency desirable.  KDL/PSL experience would be an advantage.
• Technical expertise in using online research tools and standard business software (such as Microsoft Office, Sharepoint).

Person Specification

• Proven ability within a commercial and pressurised environment.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Effective, sound decision-making skills and good judgement.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Highly proficient drafting skills.
• A highly collaborative worker and team player with the ability to persuade and influence.
• A natural networker with the ability to build and leverage internal and external networks.
• Capable and pro-active with good organisational skills.
• The ability to embrace change and new technologies and ways of working.
• The ability to inspire confidence at all levels.
• Displays a growth mindset with the ability to view challenges as opportunities.
• Commercial awareness, financial acumen and a business-like approach to legal practice.

Competencies

For a detailed specification please download the job description in the documents section of this page.

Please note we are not currently accepting agency CVs for this position. If you would like to make an application, please do so directly.  Clicking 'apply' will direct you to the application tracking system, hosted for us by Reach-ATS.com.

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