Our Regulatory team is looking to recruit experienced advocates to respond to increasing volumes of work and new client wins. The successful advocates may be based out of our London, Cardiff, Reading or Southampton office. Our advocates act for a range of clients, appearing before regulatory tribunals and courts in England and Wales (including the High Court). They may also have the opportunity to develop a practice as a legal advisor to regulatory panels.
We are committed to flexible and agile working arrangements which we are happy to discuss with you. Team members currently attend the office on 2 days each week.
You will be able to rely on support from team members across the firm, including our Regulatory team lawyers, case managers, paralegals and administrators. Our lawyer teams are also well supported by our Business Services Finance, HR, IT and Risk functions.
Typical Workload
As an advocate, you will:
* Advise on the more complex aspects of our regulatory investigations
* Approve or draft allegations to be considered by regulatory tribunals
* Present cases for hearing including interim order applications and reviews, contested hearings and, subject to your rights of audience, applications for interim order extensions in the High Court
* Be responsible for the content of hearing documentation, including skeleton arguments, opening notes, etc
* Give wider regulatory advice, helping to shape regulatory policy and practice
We are looking to appoint advocates with a call or PQE of between 1 and 5 years, but we are also interested in hearing from more experienced advocates as well. Full support, induction and ongoing training will be offered as part of the role.
Advocacy experience, including trial advocacy, is essential and preferably in a regulatory, fitness to practise context; however, we will consider candidates who can demonstrate the required skills and experience from other sectors.
Some of our clients are based in Wales and we are therefore keen to receive some applications from Welsh speakers.
Skills / Experience Required
* At least 1-5 years of regulatory or fitness to practise advocacy experience
* Solid relevant technical expertise and intellectual ability
* Enthusiastic and committed to a career in regulatory work
* Strong analytical skills
* Collegiate and team-playing approach
* Excellent client care skills
* Exceptional self-motivation and ability to assume responsibility for your own matters
* Commitment to continuous development
* Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
* Understands and complies with Information Security responsibilities commensurate with this role including Data Protection and the duty of confidentiality
Blake Morgan is one of the UK's leading full-service law firms, with offices in London, Wales, Thames Valley and the South Coast region. We provide our clients with practical and straightforward legal advice whatever their regional, national and international requirements. Our clients are commercial businesses, not-for-profit organisations, government agencies and private individuals.
Our business groups are:
Banking and Finance
Business Support Services
Commercial and Charities
Commercial Litigation
Commercial Recoveries and Travel
Construction
Corporate
Employment, Pensions, Benefits & Immigration
Private Client
Property Services
Regulatory
Our office locations and details of how to reach them are found here.
Our Regulatory Business Group is recognised in both Chambers and Legal 500 as a highly regarded team specialising in advising professional regulators. Our clients include regulators and professionals in a number of sectors including health and social care, accountancy and education.
We have one of the largest teams in the country, comprising solicitors, barristers, CILEX lawyers, paralegals and trainees and we are supported by a dedicated professional support lawyer and an experienced administrative team. We are driven by a shared desire to carry out important work that protects the public in a person-centred way.
More information about our practise can be found here.
How to Apply
Please apply on our website through our Online Portal.
Closing Date: Within two months from date of posting but please note we are continually reviewing applications so we would recommend applying sooner rather than later.
Interviews: The interview process will start as soon as suitable candidates have been identified. We will notify you in advance if you are required to carry out a drafting exercise/skills test as part of the interview process.
If you have any questions, please contact Clare Strickland on 0118 982 2544 or clare.strickland@blakemorgan.co.uk or Bradley Albuery on 023 8085 7207 or bradley.albuery@blakemorgan.co.uk.
Your personal data will be processed in line with our applicant privacy policy which explains how we treat your data.
Please note that we are are currently only accepting CVs from instructed agencies and direct applicants.
Our Culture and Environment
We pride ourselves on our Personality, which is weaved into everything we do for our colleagues, clients and communities alike. We have created an environment underpinned by our ACTS framework that places high value on being:
Astute (commercially)
Committed
Team playing
Straightforward
It's part of the way we do things. If you wish to work amongst colleagues with these behaviours, then you will find yourself amongst likeminded individuals at Blake Morgan.
We work as one team and believe in supporting our colleagues to strengthen the firm. We act honestly and openly in all that we do. We care for our communities and encourage all our people to actively participate in our sports, social and charitable activities. We foster a mature and smart flexible working environment which is family friendly. We also offer opportunities to develop your skills and knowledge and to progress within the firm via our Blake Morgan Academy. We seek to be transparent in all of our dealings with applicants and ensure that you have all the information you need to understand our recruitment process to decide whether the role and our firm are right for you.
If you have any questions, please email Rob Brown at rob.brown@blakemorgan.co.uk / telephone on 023 8085 7441.
Blake Morgan strives to build and maintain a positive, non-discriminatory work environment. We will ensure that all applications for vacancies will be considered without discrimination against any person on the basis of race, colour, religion, disability, nationality, ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status. We strive to ensure that our shortlisting and interviewing panels are diverse. Further details about our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion can be found here.
Benefits
When you join us, you can expect a competitive salary and a wide range of benefits. Read about them here. We are confident that our salary and benefits package compares favourably with other organisations, and we believe that our commitment to developing our people and the range of work we have offer fantastic opportunities for career progression.