Job Description
Job Description
Brief
Do not pass up this chance, apply quickly if your experience and skills match what is in the following description.
We are currently looking to recruit a health and safety/regulatory lawyer (with criminal regulatory defence experience) to join our Health & Safety and Regulatory Risk Advisory team in Manchester.
We are looking for a candidate with between 1 and 3 years’ post qualification experience, for which this would represent an excellent opportunity for career advancement whilst working in a friendly and collaborative team.
The role will involve primarily contentious and non-contentious advice and support to clients in the context of health and safety (including fire safety, building safety and Coroner’s inquests) and other aspects of regulatory law such as food safety / hygiene; product safety (incl. construction products); and aspects of trading law (such as placing goods on the market post-Brexit).
The team have several cases going to trial in 2023 which the successful candidate will be involved in as well as being part of the team acting for a Core Participant in the Covid-19 Public Inquiry.
The successful candidate will ideally have gained relevant experience in a City firm or large regional practice and should have good expertise in the type of criminal regulatory defence work described above, i.e. health and safety and/or food safety and/or trading law.
Candidates must have a strong academic background and excellent communication and organisational skills. Equally important is commercial awareness and enthusiasm for business development. They will need to be team players with a strong client focussed approach and must be willing to travel nationally for clients and court hearings.
We are looking for the right candidate so the role can be based out of any of our national offices. The role will involve travel to other offices and clients’ offices, as required. Applicants should indicate their preferred office location(s) when applying.
National Team
This is an outstanding opportunity to join a national team that acts on high profile instructions from major national and international clients. In addition to handling matters involving fatal incidents in the workplace, the practice has specialist experience of fire safety.
The successful candidate will work closely with both partners in England - Kevin Bridges (based in Manchester) and Sean Elson (based in Birmingham), and with Legal Director, Zoe Betts (based in Manchester). Across the UK, there are a total of six partners and more than fifteen non-partner lawyers in the national team.
Kevin Bridges leads the UK H&S and Regulatory Risk Advisory Team and has long been acknowledged as a leader in this area of law. Kevin's experience spans health & safety, fire safety, food safety and trading law, and related criminal litigation. He handles a wide spectrum of matters including public inquiries, police investigations, prosecutions and advice on regulatory compliance. He is routinely involved in advising clients following fatal incidents, including corporate and individual manslaughter cases. Kevin is one of only a few lawyers who is dual-qualified as both a health and safety lawyer and a chartered safety and health practitioner.
"He is a very experienced solicitor who is highly professional and knowledgeable." "Kevin is able to provide support and assurances which give key clients the confidence they need during difficult, challenging scenarios. He is at the top of his game."
Sean Elson focuses his practice on health and safety matters. He provides high-quality advice to clients on public inquiries and prosecutions relating to serious on-site incidents and manslaughter cases. He also has vast experience of providing counsel on investigations by fire authorities, HSE and police.
"He is extremely knowledgeable, and his advice has been invaluable." "Sean Elson is effective and very industrious."
Zoe Betts was promoted to Legal Director in May 2020 and is especially experienced in working for clients in the Waste & Recycling and Construction sectors who require preventative health and safety compliance advice or post-incident crisis management support. She also leads the team’s work in the food safety & hygiene, product safety and trading law spaces.
"Her standard of work is outstanding and she is very knowledgeable." "Approachable, confident, clear, bold and very trustworthy” and “the most responsive, dedicated lawyer I’ve ever met”.
Chambers and Partners
Key clients
- Kier Group plc
- Morgan Sindall Group plc
- Viridor Waste Management Limited
- Notting Hill Genesis
- Bouygues Group
- EDF EnergyISG Limited
- Stadler UK Limited
- Masonite Corporation
- Capital & Counties PLC
What our clients say
‘What stands out with Pinsent Masons is their people and their attitude towards dealing with issues. Their technical knowledge and understanding of current issues are a given. Their ability to simplify complex issues and put it in plain English for one’s understanding is exemplary and a key strength for this practice. I have had experience of other practices and the service received from PM is well above and always exceeds my expectations.’
‘I have been extremely impressed with the service that we have received from Pinsent Masons. The team have been highly professional, responsive and efficient, and the calibre of their work has been excellent. In my dealings with them, I have had the sense that they have really listened, and very much understood the dilemma with which we were faced, and their intelligence, strategic thinking and attention to detail have been amazing.’
‘The Health and Safety Practice at Pinsent Masons has been my one-stop-shop for all advice, support and representation during some challenging times. Their ability to guide and support though complex legal issues, whilst remaining balanced and fair, is impressive. I’ve also been impressed with the support provided for non-litigation matters; training, guidance, best practice sharing and work they do with industry to promote better H&S compliance and performance. But above all, it’s the people that make the difference. Partners, Associates and appointed Barristers are all of the highest quality.’
Legal500
What will we offer you?
- We are a market leading, dynamic and growing global firm who work together to produce outstanding results for our clients.
- We invest in our team and have a first-class training and career development programme. Our training reflects our position as a market leader in communications and sourcing. Our training will assist you to develop as a specialist with valuable sector knowledge and the ability to deliver "best in class" services.
- Early responsibility and opportunities to develop client relationships.
- A fun, collaborative working environment in which junior lawyers are encouraged to develop their skillsets and network of contacts with support from more experienced colleagues.
About the Firm
Pinsent Masons is a global 100 law firm, with over 3,400 employees operating out of 26 locations across Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. We have a long-standing reputation for delivering high-quality legal advice rooted in a deep understanding of the sectors and geographies in which our clients operate. Our global reach ensures that we are well-placed to advise on complex multi-jurisdictional matters across a full range of legal disciplines.
The firm has significant multinational credentials in the financial services, energy, infrastructure, real estate, and advanced manufacturing and technology sectors. Services provided across these sectors include asset management and investment funds, corporate and M&A, commercial, competition, litigation and arbitration, banking, restructuring, insurance, regulatory, construction, projects, pensions, property, planning and environmental, procurement, outsourcing, employment, share plans and incentives, technology and tax advice.
We champion change and promote progress to make business work better for people. Pinsent Masons has embedded a range of diversity and inclusion initiatives to create an environment in which its people can flourish. We operate an agile working scheme, which offers our employees flexibility in terms of where, and how, they work.
We stand out for our innovative approach to service delivery. For example, the firm has developed a number of in-house legal technology and project management solutions, operates a hub of freelance lawyers, called Vario, and a global Diversity and Inclusion consultancy, Brook Graham. Put simply, we offer a range of professional disciplines to our clients, enabled by our people, process and technology.