Legal Advisor – Atkins UK & Europe

Atkins is one of the world’s most respected design, engineering and project management consultancies, employing more than 18,000 people worldwide, including around 8,500 in the UK.

We’re part of the SNC-Lavalin Group, one of the leading engineering and construction groups in the world. Atkins is a separate sector and within SNC Lavalin, known as EDPM - Engineering, Design and Project Management.
We support public and private sector clients with the delivery of complex infrastructure projects, from upfront strategic advice to large, outcome-focused programme management. Whether it’s providing social and economic infrastructure to enable cities to flourish or the connectivity of people and places fuelled by technology and big data, Atkins helps achieve success.

Atkins is looking to appoint an in-house Legal Adviser to primarily assist the Infrastructure division. We are looking for someone who has experience working for a leading private practice law firm and/or has relevant in-house legal experience. You will be working on a variety of matters including risk reviews, setting up complex joint ventures, managing disputes such as PI claims and advising the commercial team on contract negotiations and live issues.

Your primary role will be as a second Legal Adviser to the Infrastructure division but you will also be required to take on work from other Atkins business units and SNC Lavalin Sectors as workload peaks and troughs across the UK&E legal team, which reports to the Atkins General Counsel. You may also be required to take on responsibility for further business units in addition to Infrastructure as the legal team develops and/or if the UK & Europe division restructures. 

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a well-regarded, inclusive and supportive team focused on the development of the individuals in the team and fostering a collaborative, social and energetic dynamic. The nature of the work and level of empowerment/responsibility afforded to the lawyers combine to create a great environment to develop and succeed as commercial, strategically-minded lawyers.

• Considerable post qualified experience lawyer supporting the Infrastructure division and the wider UK & Europe team
• Location: Office based in Epsom with travel as required to UK offices.
• Salary: Competitive compensation package

Responsibilities

• Reviewing a wide variety of contract documents, including consultancy agreements, industry standard documents (GC WORKS, FIDIC, NEC3/4), collateral warranties, parent company guarantees, confidentiality agreements, and master services agreements.
• Assisting with the negotiation of wide range of Services, Product, Security, Software agreements and the negotiation and drafting of joint venture agreements.
• Assisting in evaluating disputes brought against/by the company and in managing the resolution of those claims with the business units and insurers.
• Liaising with and assisting in managing external lawyers on litigation and all other matters including tribunal claims, large and complex non-contentious matters and professional negligence claims.
• Liaising with other corporate functions (Tax, Treasury, Insurance, Company Secretary, Integrity) to ensure compliance with corporate governance requirements.
• Assisting in the maintenance, developments and drafting standard terms and conditions and policies, procedures and guidance notes. 
• Training of staff within the business on legal/commercial developments or issues.
• Attending commercial meetings, gates risk (Stagegate) reviews (bid go/no go) and other business reviews in multiple locations across Atkins’ offices in the UK or wherever required.

Requirements
Essential
 

• Excellent academic qualifications (including degree)
• Training contract with a leading private practice law firm with relevant post qualification experience in-house and/or in private practice
• Demonstrable post qualified experience
• Requirement to attend all project/business meetings across the UK when necessary
• Excellent drafting skills and excellent attention to detail
• Sound commercial judgement
• Good organisational and communication skills
• Ability to deal with in-house clients at all levels including the senior management of the organisation
• Ability to thrive in a small, close-knit team

Desirable
 

• Experience in any of the following areas: construction, corporate, disputes or commercial contracts
• In-house legal experience: relevant secondment or otherwise
• Willingness to be involved in the training of others

Training
Atkins develops individuals through a portfolio of training and development activities designed to help you make the best of your abilities and talents. These are reviewed with individuals through an annual appraisal process.  We actively support staff in achieving corporate membership of relevant institutions.

Rewards and benefits: 
Atkins offers a fantastic range of benefits, which you can tailor to suit your own health, wellbeing, financial and lifestyle choices. 
All the information you need to know is available on our dedicated benefits portal; your reward, which is available to access 24/7 from any device: https://www.yourrewardatkins.com

Security Clearance: 
This role may require security clearance and offers of employment will be dependent on obtaining the relevant level of clearance. If this is necessary it will be discussed with you at interview.

If applying to this role please do not make reference to (in conversation) or include in your application or CV, details of any current or previously held security clearance.