Senior Legal Counsel

Job description

Job Title: Senior Counsel (Senior Manager)
Grade: B
Function: Central Services
Location:London

Department Information

The Practice Protection team (“PP”) comprises a team of experienced partners and lawyers based in Canary Wharf who specialise in advising on and managing the handling of practice protection issues.

Practice Protection is the process by which the firm takes effective action in the event of claims, or circumstances relating to its professional work, regulatory or law enforcement interest, and professional conduct matters.   In addition, PP advises partners and staff of the UK firm on a wide range of other professional or client matters where there may be cause for concern, or where a legal consideration or process is involved. 

PP also monitors and provides guidance in relation to claims and circumstances affecting other KPMG member firms outside of North America and liaises with professional indemnity insurers for this purpose. 

Role and Responsibilities

This is an attractive opportunity for an experienced litigator to join PP.  The lawyer will be within a team advising PP partners, other partners and staff of the UK firm and KPMG member firms overseas on a wide range of contentious matters relating to professional services and conduct.  Particular tasks involve assisting and advising in the management of litigation and threats of litigation against the UK firm.

The candidate will need to be able to work flexibly within a small team handling a large and varied work load, taking a significant degree of responsibility, and being able to understand the business drivers affecting the firm.

Specific responsibilities include the following:

UK role

• Advising on and managing potential and actual claims against the UK firm, domestic and international regulatory and law enforcement interest and professional conduct matters.
• Advising on a broad range of associated, general legal issues and risk management matters. 
• Providing legal and other support to more senior members of PP and to General Counsel
• Providing clear and succinct advice to leadership and senior management within the firm on matters of particular significance.
• Liaising with and managing relations with external legal advisers and counsel.
• Liaising with the firm’s professional indemnity insurers.

Qualifications and Skills

• Qualified solicitor or barrister with a minimum of 7 years post-qualification experience from either an existing in-house position or from private practice.
• A background in regulatory investigations, professional negligence and IT litigation
• Fluency in European or other languages would be beneficial but is not essential
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate and influence with confidence and clarity at all levels
• Strong organisational skills with an ability to produce work to tight deadlines with attention to detail.
• Mature, self-sufficient and proactive, with the ability to work independently as well as being a team player.
• Commercially and risk aware