Job description

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 exceptional legal solutions that not only solve our clients’ challenges but exceed their expectations. By embracing new ways of thinking, integrating technology into our everyday work and putting our people first, we’ve become known for leading by example.

Join our team and you’ll be part of a flexible, inclusive culture underpinned by openness and consistent support for one another. Our culture enables people to define their own career path based on their strengths, while our ambitious outlook ensures we continue to provide each person with opportunities to thrive.  We’re also committed to supporting a culture that drives diversity and inclusion.  Every day, we’re working hard to create an environment where you feel you can bring your authentic self to work.  To be comfortable and confident to be who you are in the workplace.  To feel like you belong. If you’re ready to play your part in defining the future of law: It’s Time.

Department Purpose

Allen & Overy's International Environmental, Climate & Regulatory Law team is consistently ranked in the legal directories as being the leading practice in this area. The team undertake a broad mix of work in the following key areas:

• Sustainability/ESG
• Management of greenwashing risks
• Sustainability linked financial products
• Environmental and health and safety risk management issues (including waste management, contaminated land, producer responsibility, renewables and carbon)
• Corporate reporting and disclosure
• Climate change and climate finance
• International public law
• REACH/chemicals regulation
• Product stewardship
• Carbon trading
• Product liability

The team has a stellar reputation for advising clients on the most sophisticated and cutting-edge legal issues. They offer a truly integrated and multijurisdictional regulatory law service to help their global and local client bases effectively manage their compliance risks/liabilities and make the most of commercial opportunities that arise in the fast-moving environmental arena. 

Role Purpose

The role as a senior professional support lawyer in our Environment team requires up-to-date technical knowledge of the latest ESG developments and market practice. You will work closely with the partners and other fee earners in a busy, friendly and supportive team with responsibility for managing our Environment Resources, know-how and training and for keeping the team informed of regulatory and market changes. You will be proactive in identifying issues on which the team and its clients need to be briefed, and able to pitch those briefings at the right level for the relevant audience. The ability to start a project and see it through to completion, together with a commitment to meeting regular deadlines, are essential qualities to maintain the smooth running of our range of added value services.

The role demands both creative thinking and efficient working: alongside our in-house specialists, you will have the opportunity to produce exceptional, innovative client products and events to enhance our brand; you will also have an important role in facilitating the day-to-day working of the Environment team through training, meetings and technical support. You’ll need a keen awareness of the wider commercial and corporate landscape, combined with an eye for operational detail and legal tech opportunities. The PSL will also represent A&O on a targeted number of external committees in order to enhance industry knowledge and raise the team’s profile.

Principal areas of responsibility

• Under general guidance about priorities, produce and maintain quality documentation to provide partners and associates with cost-effective and timely precedents which help progress client business.
• Prepare effective guidance material such as practice notes to enable colleagues to access material which is fully up to date with law and practice.
• Prepare updates in line with legal developments to inform colleagues and clients of implications.
• Respond accurately, usefully and in a timely way to specific requests from partners and associates on complex legal matters within their own area of expertise.
• As requested, research legal or market-related material to provide senior colleagues with clear and authoritative analyses.
• Support partners and associates as required in their client relationship development through preparing and/or identifying useful written, electronic and training materials.
• Gather, synthesise and produce good quality, up-to-date and readable material for inclusion in the firm’s opinion pieces.
• Assist and when necessary, participate, in important Practice projects designed to ensure A&O’s knowledge base and documentation is maintained in line with new legislation, regulation, significant case law etc.
• Participate in the design and delivery of training programmes to inform colleagues and clients about current law, legal developments and implications.
• Maintain and develop own knowledge of the law, practice areas, clients and current issues to grow expertise, reputation and usefulness to A&O.
• Identify and collaborate on legal tech opportunities for the Environment practice.
• Drafting, reviewing and amending documentation
• Managing client expectations and project delivery appropriately
• Business development - development of a personal plan, assistance with and implementation of the business development campaign
• Legal research

Key requirements

• Qualified lawyer – minimum of six years’ PQE (no upper limit)
• Previous experience in environmental, ESG and regulatory work is essential
• Technical competence in corporate law and corporate transactional experience 
• Self-starter with the desire and ability to continuously acquire, build upon and share knowledge
• Will have worked successfully as a PSL or transactional associate in a leading law firm, or as an in-house lawyer at a listed company
• Strong commercial/business acumen with the ability to deliver creative, innovative and pragmatic solutions and advice
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interface at all levels and particularly to win the respect of the partner, fee-earner and PSL community, building and developing strong (internal and external) client relationships
• Collaborative team player with the ability to develop and work in a fast-paced, intellectually rigorous environment
• High-energy individual who enjoys both the operational and strategic sides of this role and shows great flexibility
• A person of sound judgment, able to establish a high level of credibility in the organisation and act as a trusted advisor to fee-earners
• Strong technical knowledge of the legal framework surrounding a number of our core areas
• Outstanding academic credentials, Intellectual curiosity and versatility
• Detail-focused and self-motivated approach
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines
• Excellent client relationship skills