Associate - Transactional Construction

Location: Cambridge
Office: Cambridge
Discipline: Corporate & commercial
Contact name: Aimee Kelly

Contact email: [email protected]
Contact phone: 0161 234 8727
Vacancy reference: 014009
Duration: Permanent
Closing date: 12 July 2022

The role can be based in any of our principal offices where the team is based  - Birmingham, Cambridge or Manchester, and will involve some travel as well as having Teams and Zoom meetings.

The Role

We are looking for a talented transactional construction solicitor to join our construction team. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to join a market leading national construction practice working with everyone involved in the construction and engineering industry across the private and public sectors. You will have the opportunity to work with all of the major industry forms combined with an innovative use of AI technology to help with our bespoke drafting.  Current focusses include MMC and ESG, with emphasis on how the construction and engineering industry can help achieve net zero targets. With supervision as appropriate, you will be given the opportunity to help with all of the work of the team, including:

  • drafting amendments to the standard forms including the JCT and NEC suites
  • advising on construction obligations in property documents
  • bespoke drafting of consultant appointments
  • collateral warranties
  • parent company guarantees, bonds and other documents
  • negotiating with all of the other parties in a particular project
  • arranging for the execution of all contracts and sending to the relevant parties
  • compiling and maintaining a document tracker for each project to ensure that we have an up-to-date record of what has and has not been agreed
  • reviewing or drafting sub-contracts and collateral warranties from sub-contractors and sub-consultants
  • bespoke drafting of other forms, including purchase orders and vesting agreements

You will lead on all of the checks to be carried out on any project – details at Companies House, levels of PI and other insurances to include making sure that we have up-to date certificates, and will undertake proof reading.

This area will include:

  • assisting with corporate, real estate and funding due diligence
  • drafting advice reports to clients
  • leading on post-completion matters, ensuring scanning, filing and delivery of documents; legal research and assisting our client inhouse legal teams

The Team

You will enjoy working as part of a great team with excellent support from our executive assistants and regular training and updates from our construction team in-house senior legal advisor, Alison Garrett. You will also play a role in our business development activities to include helping with our construction blog training seminars, both in person and on-line, and thought leadership reports. As a team, and a firm, we pride ourselves on outstanding client service and the delivery of commercial and cost effective advice. You will play a key role in this, including scoping and agreeing the cost of any matter and ensuring it is delivered on time and on budget.

Experience required

You are likely to be NQ+ years PQE and will have experience in construction work gained during training and post qualification, though we may be willing to work with someone who would like to re-train in this area.

Skills and attributes needed 

You will be educated to degree level, or equivalent , have excellent written English, and be able to produce fast and accurate typing. In addition, you will have good attention to detail, be able to build relationships with clients and potential clients, have good research skills and have excellent interpersonal and team skills, including ability to work with others. Numeracy is a key skill as is possessing strong IT skills. You will be able to work under pressure and have good time and paper management skills. You will be enthusiastic and hard working, be pro-active and flexible in your approach to work. You will also have experience of providing quality client care.

Pre-employment screening

Please note that, in the event that we make an offer of employment, we will conduct pre-employment screening that includes checks relating to your professional and academic qualifications, references from previous employers, your eligibility to work in the UK and any disciplinary history recorded with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). You will also be required to complete a self-declaration to assess your character and suitability.

Disclosure and barring service check and security clearance

This post is also subject to a satisfactory response from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) (to check for any previous criminal convictions) and, given the nature of the work-type, you may also be required to undergo national security vetting to SC level – the latter can be undertaken following commencement of employment.

And finally

Mills & Reeve is committed to building a diverse workforce and fostering an inclusive environment in which all our people can thrive. We hire people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes our firm stronger, and we have a collaborative culture that celebrates different perspectives and values respect for one another, working together, and openness and integrity. Our approach to flexible working means that we work in a way that achieves the right balance for our people, our clients and for our business.