Remarkable people, trusted by clients to design and advance the world.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a NQ to 3 PQE solicitor to join Wood’s award winning Eastern Hemisphere Legal team in the role of Legal Counsel.
This position is based in our Reading or Aberdeen office with hybrid working.
#Hybrid
The Role
This role is responsible for the delivery of precise, commercial, timely and cost effective legal advice in respect of any matter which has potential or actual legal or reputational implications, supporting Wood’s legal needs across the UK & Europe, Middle East, Africa and CIS, and APAC regions to achieve their short and long term strategic priorities through the effective management of legal risk and cost. This is a truly international role within a high performing and collegiate team.
The role can cover a broad spectrum of specialist areas of law on a multi-jurisdictional basis (including litigation/disputes, contract/project support including (EPC/EPCm), joint ventures, employment law, real estate, company establishment, and compliance matters).
Our Clients and Projects
Designing the future. Transforming the world.
Wood delivers solutions across more than 60 countries with local offices covering all major energy and materials hubs globally.
For more than 160 years, we have partnered with clients to deliver engineering, advisory and operational solutions to some of the world’s most complex and critical challenges in energy and materials.
What we can offer
1. Meaningful and interesting projects we support green hydrogen and fuel switching, as well as supporting local clients with energy transition
2. Flexible working arrangements that balance client, team and individual needs offering hybrid working arrangements
3. Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion; we are an organisation actively committed to diversity and inclusion across our business with employee networks committed to giving all employees a voice
4. Competitive salary with regular salary reviews to ensure we are rewarding at the right level in line with the market
5. Flexible benefits package; inclusive of 33 days annual leave (including public holidays), generous contributory pension scheme, private medical cover, 4x base salary life insurance; all of these and more that can be adapted to suit your own lifestyle
6. Commitment to continued professional development; development plans that are tailored to your individual needs and interests
7. Global connections; join experts around the world who are at the leading edge of our industry, shaping the standards of our profession
Expected:
8. NQ to 3-year post qualification experience either in house or in a private practice environment.
9. Strong commercial acumen and highly developed legal and analytical skills
10. Core legal analysis & drafting: ability to interpret, structure and communicate advice clearly, with sound issue-spotting and risk-based judgement
11. Commercial contracting fundamentals: core contractual concepts (scope, risk allocation, indemnities, limitation of liability, variations/claims, termination, dispute resolution).
12. Disputes awareness: basic understanding of how claims and disputes progress (pre-action, ADR, arbitration/litigation) and how to support strategy development with internal stakeholders and external counsel
13. Privilege & confidentiality: understanding how to protect legal privilege and handle sensitive investigations / contentious matters appropriately (including disciplined written communications)
14. Matter management discipline: matter scoping, status reporting, document management and basic cost awareness
15. Stakeholder management: presenting complex issues succinctly to non-lawyers; confidence to ask the right questions to get to a decision
16. Working as an effective team player in a fast-paced environment
Desirable:
17. Engineering/construction/projects work (contentious or non-contentious), including exposure to EPC/EPCm or comparable delivery models (or demonstrable interest in developing this specialty quickly)
18. Claims, variations, delay/disruption concepts, and/or supporting dispute strategy, including working productively with external counsel
19. Employment/HR advisory exposure: handling sensitive documentation, or managing external counsel input
20. Multi-jurisdiction mindset: experience working across jurisdictions/time zones, or demonstrated ability to learn unfamiliar legal frameworks with supervision
21. Global/matrix environment: comfort working with multiple functions (commercial, procurement, HR, finance, projects) and aligning advice to business objectives
Ability to:
22. Develop specialist skills in different jurisdictions including developing all the preferred knowledge and experience above
23. Consistently deliver to stakeholders
24. Push the boundaries to create smarter legal solutions
25. Generate trust and credibility with audiences through continuous, open and consistent communication
26. Champion and drive innovation and change initiatives, focused on improving quality and effectiveness
27. Work effectively across different cultures, driving a global mind-set
28. Foster and contribute towards a customer-focused climate that delivers on expectations and strengthens relationships
29. Meet deadlines and always provide professional level of service
30. Measure performance of external counsel against budgets
31. Work collaboratively with and influence key business unit/service bundle/functional leadership teams
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