Job Title: Commercial Solicitor/Associate, Local Government (3+ PQE)

Location: Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds

Join a team that makes real changes

Bevan Brittan is a UK-Top 100 commercial law firm providing a comprehensive range of legal services from offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds and London.

The firm advises businesses across construction, energy & resource management, higher education and financial services, complementing the firm's market leadership within housing, local government and health & social care.

We currently employ over 500 people, including over 80 Partners, and our award-winning teams provide construction, commercial, corporate, property, regulatory, employment and litigation (commercial and clinical negligence) legal advice.

Bevan Brittan is named among 'The Times Best Law Firms 2022' and has recently either won or been shortlisted for a number of prestigious awards.

We are driven by our 4 values: Relationships, Results, Reputation and Responsible. These give us a sense of purpose and ensure we always work collaboratively with clients and colleagues, continually improve, make the right choices and act with integrity.

Bevan Brittan is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds.

Learn from the specialists

We are looking for a Solicitor or Associate to join our vibrant and growing team in the Commercial and Infrastructure Department to focus on commercial and complex contracts work primarily in Local Government, as well as acting for central government and agencies, local authority owned companies and NHS bodies.

You will be joining a highly experienced and specialised team who are at the forefront of local authority innovation (and who work in a collegiate way) and that regularly advises on award winning projects, high profile and complex contracting, strategic partnering and collaboration between entities commissioning and providing public services.

The team has an exceptional reputation being ranked number 1 in Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 directories.

The team operates at the cutting edge of the firm's core local government offering delivering complex and innovative projects in. The team's work covers wide-ranging service areas such as leisure and culture; adult health and social care; children's social care and education; new models of care provision in the NHS. The team advises on high value outsourcing, managed services contracts, shared service arrangements, partnership and strategic alliance arrangements, joint ventures, commercialisation and new ways of working in the public sector.

You will be a part of a team that takes a multi-disciplinary approach and often works alongside colleagues with in-depth specialisms, for example in governance and subsidy control, procurement, employment, pensions, property, corporate, information governance and IT/IP.

Rise to the Challenge

You will:

• Assist the team on the delivery of a range of complex projects and commercial transactions to both public and some private sector clients.
• Advise on all aspects of a commercial transaction from options appraisal to delivery and implementation stage including contract negotiation and review.
• Advise on shared services, new models/alternative delivery vehicles.
• Have access to high quality and interesting working, no two days are the same.
• Have the opportunity to engage directly regularly with clients and attend client meetings.
• Have the opportunity to develop your practice and your career, have responsibility appropriate to your knowledge and expertise.

What we are looking for from you

You will have:

• Experience of advising local authorities, health bodies or other public sector organisations, or the private sector on contracts with the public sector would be beneficial although not essential.
• Have an aptitude for drafting and legal analysis.
• A passion to learn, enthusiasm and the desire to excel as a lawyer.
• An interest in the local government or broader public services sector.
• Ability to, or experience of, working in a team and coordinating advice with fee earners across a team.
• The ability to deliver clear, precise advice.
• Strong technical skills and an ability to understand and work through complex issues.
• A demonstrable ability to adopt a practical and commercial approach to legal issues.
• Ability to liaise effectively with clients and build relationships.
• Ability to operate with a high level of self-sufficiency combined with an awareness of own abilities.
• A positive and flexible approach.
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to manage time effectively.
• Working across legal departments with others as part of a project team
• A genuine interest in business development and the ability to retain existing clients and attract new business.

Work-life Balance

We offer a substantial benefits package to all employees, which includes 25 days holiday (plus the option to buy up to an additional 5 days), a generous pension scheme and private medical insurance through Vitality (including "phone a GP service", discounted gym membership and 'Vitality' Partner discounts).

All of our people are entitled to a biennial private health assessment through Nuffield Health and are included in the group life assurance scheme. We also have an Employee Assistance Programme (free telephone support and counselling service) and a cycle scheme (Save Tax & NI on a bike for cycling to work).

Where possible, we want to offer all Bevan Brittan people flexibility to work their week in a way that suits them - we operate a hybrid working model based on the needs of our clients, teams and that of the individual. Our core business hours are 9am - 5:15pm Monday to Friday, however we are open to individuals working more flexibly around those times and would welcome a conversation with you if you have any questions.

Responsible Business

To us, being a responsible business is second nature; a core part of Bevan Brittan's identity, running through our culture and embodied by the clients we serve.

Bevan Brittan seeks to play an active role within its local office communities. Through regular fundraising events, support for local initiatives and annual charity donations at Christmas, we have established a culture of giving within the firm. In December 2021 we donated a total of £60,000 to our four regional office charities, with each charity receiving £15,000 to help fund their vital services.

Our current selected charities are InUnity (Birmingham), Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (Bristol), Maggie's Cancer Care (Leeds).

We want to demonstrate our commitment to these causes through actions rather than words; colleagues from across the firm are already heavily involved, living and breathing the four pillars of our Responsible Business strategy:

• Community Engagement
• Environmental Sustainability
• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
• Wellbeing

Collectively, these four pillars ensure we look after our colleagues' wellbeing; offer an environment in which all can progress on merit, regardless of personal circumstances or background; give something back to the communities in which we work; and protect the environment.

Bevan Brittan is proudly a carbon neutral firm. We have achieved the UN's Climate Neutral Now accreditation and our environmental sustainability plan is focussed on achieving our net zero carbon target.

Each lawyer has the opportunity to undertake pro bono legal work for local charities and not-for-profit organisations. This has seen colleagues support the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (Bristol), Moseley Road Swimming Baths (Birmingham), Yorkshire Cat Rescue (Leeds), Great Western Credit Union (London), and several others.