Senior Contracts Counsel

From day one, our mission has been to create an independent business with a unique culture - one that is controlled by the people who work for it. Finding the most talented and entrepreneurial people has always been key to our success.

People come to Howden Group Holdings for lots of different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. That’s what sets us apart, and why we nurture and retain the best talent in the market. Whatever your priorities - work/life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering - you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden Group.

Role Title: Senior Contracts Counsel (Howden UK&I)

Location: In United Kingdom with flexible hybrid working opportunities offered, as well as office based if preferred. Part time options will be considered.

Direct report to: Howden UK & Ireland General Counsel

Summary:
Howden UK and Ireland has been born out of both the expansion of the Howden business in the UK and the successful acquisition of two complimentary broking businesses, A-Plan and Aston Lark. The newly-integrated UK and Ireland business distributes a broad spectrum of insurances across personal and commercial lines, including many niche products, across a network of offices in the UK and Ireland.

The ambition of Howden UK & Ireland is to be the pre-eminent British and Irish broker.

The role of Senior Legal Counsel Howden UK & Ireland (E & O specialist) is a new role created to ensure we provide the breadth of generalist legal service required by the business with a specialism in broking-side E&O.

The role will include the review of commercial contracts, including industry specific contracts. An expertise in broking-side Errors and Omissions is sought. However, overall you will be a holistic commercial legal advisor, and you will also be involved in managing litigation and employment matters, where they arise, and answering general queries. While the role will include advising the Irish business, no specific Irish legal qualification or experience is required.

We are flexible about the location of the role. You may choose to be based in one of our offices, but you can also primarily work from home. Travel at least monthly to our London HQ and/or one of our regional offices is required and, as a relationship business, you will likely have to do more travel at the start of the role to meet key stakeholders in the UK & Ireland business.

The Howden UK & Ireland legal team will consist of three people reporting into the Howden UK and Ireland General Counsel but you will form part of a close global legal team and so you will also be able to rely on support and training from a large number of lawyers within the Howden network.

**Duties**:
Core duties will include, but not be limited to, the following:

- effective management of a range of legal matters;
- negotiation and advising on commercial contracts and industry specific agreements;
- advising the business in relation to, and managing, disputes and litigation and employment matters;
- assisting with on boarding suppliers;
- managing the contract renewal cycle;
- engaging and liaising with other lawyers in the Howden network and external lawyers where necessary;
- assisting, where required, on post-transaction and further business integration;
- responding to ad hoc queries from the business;
- advising on Errors and Omissions matters for brokers.

Knowledge and experience

You will likely have trained in private practice and/or have spent some time working as a qualified solicitor in private practice but, given the breadth of the role, you will also probably also have experience of working in-house. You will need to have experience, either in private practice or in-house, of the insurance market and an expertise in broking-side Errors and Omissions would be preferred but is not required. Given the flexibility of the role, it may suit a returner to work.

Skills, attributes and abilities:

- ability to:

- review and assess initial disputes - for example complaints from employees, customers and clients;
- proactively engage with the business to understand its planned strategy and works closely with it to deliver that strategy;
- take ownership of work and see projects through from inception to completion;
- take a strategic approach that identifies and mitigates risks to the business, both legally and operationally but recognises the wider implications and attempts to solve problems in a commercial and pragmatic way;
- instruct, liaise with and manage external counsel including managing timeframes and fees; and
- have the confidence to make decisions and provide commercial advice outside of your area of specialism.
- You will:

- be a self-starter;
- have a can-do attitude;
- have a common sense, commercial and logical approach;
- be focussed on resolving issues and matters rather than providing legal advice;
- confident to manage matters alone;
- be able to challenge to ensure improvements in proce