Associate: Litigation – Dispute Resolution Department – Corporate Risk Litigation Team - Johannesburg at Bowmans (Law Firm)

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Admitted attorney with 3-5 years post admission experience in commercial litigation/exposure to Investigative work would be advantageous.
• Post grad LLB degree with a sound academic transcript.
• Exposure to a demanding work environment – Big law firm exposure advantageous

JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Drafting documents, including pleadings, notices, affidavits, settlement agreements and correspondence.
• Furnishing legal opinions and advice on any various areas of law arising from commercial litigation; with an emphasis if possible on areas involving fraud; corruption; general recovery; and general administrative law relevant to disputes or investigations arising from procurement.
• Settling or contributing toward forensic reports.
• Consultations with clients and counsel; interviewing witnesses.
• Preparing for and attending High Court and private arbitration proceedings; participating in forensic investigations and report preparation flowing therefrom.
• Conducting negotiations with a view to settling disputes and/or claims.
• Practice management: general administration, including file management and electronic time-keeping.
• Business development in the form of the preparation of internal and external newsflashes or articles of interest to clients/potential clients; assistance with the preparation of tender documentation.
• Training of Candidate Attorneys and junior associates within the team; and in the broader practice group from time to time.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES:

Client Focus

Client interaction ability

• Including understanding the need to balance addressing the legal requirements of the instruction with understanding and meeting the expectations and requirements of clients.
• Understanding the need to obtain the necessary instruction details/information from clients and the ability to translate this to achieve the delivery of service to the client.
• Capable of establishing and maintaining effective relationships with clients.

Work Standards

• Setting high personal goals and personal standards of performance, producing work timeously, accurately and of a consistently high standard, with an ability to work both independently and in a leveraged Team, to train juniors and interact with senior partners.
• Ability to work according to a fee budget.
• Ability to work within a large team.
• Capable of coping under time pressures and according to client pressures.
• Commitment to excellence in standard of work produced.
• Understanding the importance of teamwork and effective communication within the team.
• Taking and accepting responsibility for performance of mandates and conduct of matters.

Planning and organizing

• Ability to prioritise, manage schedules, delegate and plan in a client-centric environment and within a large team.
• Ability to delegate and supervise such planning and organising where necessary.

OTHER SKILLS:

Legal Technical skills

• Possesses the legal technical skill to understand client requirements in order to deliver excellent client service and legally sound advice.
• Ability to work under pressure and deliver according to deadlines.
• Capable of applying legal theory in a practical and commercially astute manner.
• Appetite and interest to expand one’s expertise in addressing client needs and legal requirements.

Communication

• Able to communicate effectively and express ideas clearly.
• Produce documents that have appropriate organisation and structure, correct grammar and language.
• Understanding the need for accountability.

Computer Literacy

• Proficient in Word and Outlook.
• Knowledge of Excel and PowerPoint would be an advantage.
• Capable of learning to work with additional Computer programmes relevant to, inter alia, forensic investigations; eDiscovery and digital timekeeping.