Senior Associate

Department/Division: Projects    
Duration: Permanent                  
Reports to: Partner                
Type of Role: Hybrid
Reference number: 10409    

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 is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Senior Associate to join one of the UK's leading rail practices. We are looking for an inquisitive, commercially minded lawyer who enjoys tackling complex legal challenges and working on high-profile projects that shape the future of the rail sector.

You will advise a diverse range of public and private sector clients on complex transactions and regulatory matters across the rail market. The breadth of our client base and work requires strong commercial judgment, excellent contractual drafting skills and the confidence to lead sophisticated matters with minimal supervision.

As a Senior Associate, you will play a key role in managing and developing client relationships, supporting business development initiatives, mentoring junior lawyers and contributing to the continued growth of the practice. You will work closely with partners while building your own profile within the market and helping to strengthen Dentons' leading position in the rail sector.

The role offers exposure to market-leading work, international and cross-border projects, client secondment opportunities and internal secondments across our UK, Ireland and Middle East offices.

Required experience, skills, and attributes

Technical Skills

• Strong academic background.
• Excellent drafting and negotiation skills with experience advising on complex commercial contracts.
• Ability to manage matters independently with minimal supervision.
• Strong project management and organisational skills.
• Experience working collaboratively within large, multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrable rail sector experience and knowledge.

Personal Attributes

• 5–7 PQE.
• Commercially minded with excellent legal judgment.
• Strong client relationship and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven business development experience with the ability to build and maintain client relationships.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Financial and commercial awareness.
• Experience supervising and mentoring junior lawyers.
• Adaptable and willing to work across a broad 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

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, neurotype, disability, or with parental or caring responsibilities. We are also “Happy to Talk Flexible Working” and welcome conversations about flexible working arrangements.

Dentons is a Disability Confident employer. Candidates with a disability may choose to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme. We will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role. Where application volumes are high, we may offer interviews to those who best meet the minimum criteria, consistent with our approach for all candidates.

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.