Job description

It’s Time
Allen & Overy is a leading global law firm operating in over thirty countries. Embracing new trends and harnessing decades of experience, we’ve earned our place at the forefront of the legal industry. Our partners are recognised as leaders in their field and our deals and cases often make headline business news. As a result, we’ve developed a reputation for delivering excellence, in all that we do. Today, we’re continuing to break new ground. By embracing new ways of thinking and integrating technology into our everyday work, we’ve been named as the Most Innovative Law Firm in Europe by the Financial Times five times.
 
Join our team and you’ll be part of a flexible, inclusive culture underpinned by openness and acceptance. We’re driven by the belief that, to perform, people need support and space to collaborate. By combining those values with an ambitious outlook, we can give you the opportunity to thrive.

Role purpose
To support fee-earners in all aspects of their transactional work and client relationships, ensuring accurate, relevant and up to date information and tools are available within the restructuring and insolvency group and across the firm.

Key relationships

• Restructuring and Insolvency fee-earners
• Banking Know-How and PSL team (globally)
• Wider A&O Know-how and PSL community (globally)

Legal Knowledge
Must be able to prepare client and internal updates, answer internal enquiries, produce know-how and create guidance using legal skills developed through experience in restructuring and insolvency and general banking transactions.

Principal Areas of Responsibility

• Providing support to the restructuring and insolvency fee earners on technical questions
• Being the first point of contact for fee-earners across the firm for English insolvency and restructuring questions
• Managing a dedicated paralegal and coordinating activities with other members of the know-how team
• Proactively identifying the impact of insolvency developments for the restructuring group and on other practice areas and educating fee earners across the firm and updating firm wide resources as required
• Keeping abreast of new legal developments in the field and keeping fee earners up to date
• Organising and delivering training for fee earners and clients
• Producing client bulletins and market alerts
• Attending London and firm wide PSL meetings
• Managing the regular updating process of Restructuring Across Borders – Allen & Overy’s client-facing online product (or liaising with others in this regard)
• Considering law reform proposals and responding to government consultations
• Producing, managing and updating know how and standard form documents and transaction precedents (with the assistance of a paralegal)
• Liaising with business development to implement the department’s client engagement strategy

Key requirements

• A senior lawyer (with at least 5 years PQE), with restructuring and insolvency experience
• Will have worked successfully as an associate or PSL / Senior PSL in a bank or law firm
• Technical competence in restructuring law as expected at level of qualification
• Ability to handle multiple tasks at any one time and to prioritise tasks
• Excellent technical skills, with a strong interest in the commercial and legal issues relating to restructuring and insolvency
• Strong commercial/business acumen with the ability to deliver creative and pragmatic solutions and advice
• Ability to work hard within a fast pace environment and meet deadlines
• Organised and methodical approach to work
• High levels of accuracy and attention to detail
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interface at all levels and particularly to win the respect of the partner and fee-earner community, building and developing strong (internal and external) client relationships
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• High levels of initiative

Main Performance Measures

• Quality/timeliness/usefulness of written support material and research (own responsibility)
• Quality of support to Partners and Associates (own responsibility)
• Projects to time and cost (shared responsibility with team members and other colleagues)
• Personal growth (own responsibility)