Associate, Projects (Rail)

Department/Division: Projects    
Duration: Permanent            
Location: London/Edinburgh            
Reports to: Partner            
Direct Reports: None        
Type of Role: Hybrid         
Budget Responsibilities: No
Reference no: 9137
     

Dentons and Rail

We have a highly regarded rail practice, ranked in tier 1 of Legal 500 for many years. Independent feedback on our rail team in this year's edition includes: ‘The exceptional level of knowledge surrounding rail and associated contracts is second to none.’ The team includes recognised leaders in the field with people drawn from the industry or seconded to it. In the UK, we have been involved since rail privatisation in the early 1990s. We do a significant amount of international work and have helped many clients enter new markets around the world.
We advise on all aspects of the industry: passenger and freight; concessions; acquisitions; PPPs; infrastructure development and operation; light rail and trams; operations; access and regulation; industry structure and reform; rolling stock procurement, maintenance, leasing and finance; competition; other rail finance; technology; environment and safety; and disputes. We provide the full range of expertise.
Our clients include: HMG Department for Transport, Network Rail, Network Rail High Speed, MTR, Deutsche Bahn, East West Rail, Alstom, Stadler, Stagecoach, Virgin, DB Cargo, GBRailfreight, Mitsui, and Arriva. We are one of only two law firms to be an affiliate member of the Rail Safety and Standards Board and we support a range of industry initiatives such as the Young Rail Professionals organisation.
Our UK team have worked on a wide range of rail projects around the world, including in Europe, the Middle East, North America, Latin America and India. A number of our global client relationships are maintained out of London.

Wider Projects Group

Our core rail team is part of our award-winning Projects team which has a long heritage of advising private sector clients and Government, across a full spectrum of sectors covering energy, transport and infrastructure. It has been recognised in the upper tiers of the Legal 500 and Chambers for decades, for electricity (including renewables), oil & gas as well as rail and, historically, has been recognised for water and PFI/PPP expertise.  The Projects team is integrated across our offices in the UK, Ireland and the Middle East giving members of the team the opportunity to advise on transactions and regulatory work throughout our core sectors and works collectively with our Dentons offices throughout the world giving access to work in other jurisdictions. There are centres of Dentons rail excellence in North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. We actively encourage our staff to get to know people in our offices around the world.

The Role

This a role for lawyers with an inquisitive mind, who want to be challenged intellectually and want to make a difference, where the projects they are working on can make headlines. You will often work on things that are unique or being done for the first time and will need to address new challenges. You can expect to work with an interesting variety of both private and public sector clients, working on a range of transactions across the market. The variety of work and client base means we are looking for candidates with a good understanding of risk (both legal and commercial) and solid contractual skills who will not be phased by taking on new contractual challenges. Candidates will also need to have an appreciation of working in a sector subject to economic and technical regulation. You will need to be a problem solver too, capable of assessing where a risk best sits and working with all parties to reach a favourable outcome. You will be front and centre when it comes to client relationships allowing you ample opportunity for business development and for you to establish your own practice as you progress through your chosen career path. The role offers a substantial opportunity for progression to Senior Associate/Counsel or Partner for the right candidate. The team is also well positioned to provide valuable secondment opportunities for our associates, giving them insight into the commercial challenges faced by our clients. In addition, we offer internal "mini-secondments" to our Ireland and Middle Eastern offices.

Required experience, skills, and attributes

Technical Skills

• Solid academic record.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to absorb and to draft detailed contractual documentation.
• Proficient in project management.
• Capable of working effectively within a large team.
• Rail experience and knowledge.    

Personal Attributes

• 2-4 PQE
• Dedicated to client-centric service.
• Good business development instincts.
• Willingness to learn about the markets we operate in.
• Advanced problem solving and decision-making skills.
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills.
• Effective decision-making and the capacity to recover from setbacks.
•  Financial and business awareness. 
• Willingness to work on a wide range of transactions.

Firm Profile

Across more than 80 countries, Dentons helps you grow, protect, operate and finance your organisation by providing uniquely global and deeply local legal solutions. Polycentric, purpose-driven and committed to inclusion, diversity, equity and sustainability, we focus on what matters most to you. www.dentons.com

Inclusion and Diversity

We are committed to building an inclusive culture here at Dentons where our people can thrive, regardless of their background or circumstance. As well as being the right thing to do, it makes good business sense too. A richness of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives helps us best serve our clients and the communities in which we operate. You can find out more about inclusion and diversity at Dentons here: Inclusion and Diversity.

Equal Opportunities

Dentons is committed to providing equal opportunities for all. We welcome applications from everyone including of any age, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, neurodiversity, disability, or with parental or caring responsibilities. We also offer flexible working hours.

During the application process, all applicants have the opportunity to tell us about any adjustments or support they require so they are able to perform at their best. Any information you share with us during the application process is treated in confidence.

If you have any questions about this or the role criteria, please email recruitment.matters@dentons.com. 

NO AGENCIES PLEASE

If you are interested in applying for this position, we welcome direct applications via our careers page, but if you have any questions beforehand, please email  recruitment.matters@dentons.com. Enquiries only please – applications will not be accepted via email.

Please note that we will not accept unsolicited CVs sent to the business, nor will we accept any associated terms of business.