Careers · London
Associate, Litigation Communications
An associate to join Frances Idowu’s litigation communications practice in London.
We are looking for an associate to join our litigation communications practice in London, which advises clients and their lawyers on disputes, investigations and regulatory proceedings that are, or may become, public.
The practice is led by Frances Idowu and has seven people in London. Its clients include heritage and cultural institutions, technology companies and professional-services firms, several of them outside the United Kingdom. Most of its matters run for months or years and are conducted alongside the client’s solicitors and counsel, so you will see them through.
What you will do
- Draft holding statements, statements, questions and answers and briefing notes, for review by a director or partner
- Keep the record of approved lines on live matters, so that the team and the client always know what has been said, by whom and when
- Attend hearings in London and elsewhere in England and Wales, take a careful note and report to the client the same day
- Follow court lists, judgments and court reporting on the practice’s matters
- Prepare chronologies and background briefings for partners, clients and counsel
- Help prepare witnesses and spokespeople for hearings and interviews
What we are looking for
- Two to four years’ experience in communications, journalism or a law firm
- Writing that is exact, short and calm under pressure
- An understanding of how litigation works in England and Wales; a law degree or legal training is helpful but not required
- Accuracy with names, dates and figures, and the habit of checking them
- Discretion: you will know a good deal about clients that you cannot discuss outside the matter team
- Willingness to join the out-of-hours rota once trained
What we offer
The salary band for associates is £44,000 to £52,000. Where you start within it depends on your experience, and salaries are reviewed each May.
- Twenty-seven days’ holiday, plus public holidays and a day off on your birthday
- A pension to which the firm contributes 6 per cent of salary
- Private medical insurance, life assurance at four times salary and a confidential employee assistance line
- An interest-free season ticket loan
- Two weeks of training in your first year, and a development budget of £1,500 a year after that
- Payment for each week on the out-of-hours rota, and time off in lieu for work at weekends
Working pattern
The role is based at our London office in Wrenfield Place. Our normal hours are 9.00 to 17.30, Monday to Friday. Most of the practice works in the office at least three days a week, and on any day when there is a hearing or a client meeting; the other days may be worked from home.
Hearings and deadlines mean that some days are longer. Once trained, associates join the out-of-hours rota as second on call, about one week in eight. We will consider requests to work part-time or compressed hours.
The selection process
Shortlisted applicants are invited to a first interview with Frances Idowu and a member of the practice, and to a written exercise of about ninety minutes: a short statement and a set of questions and answers drafted from a published judgment. A second interview follows with another partner.
How to apply
Send a letter of no more than one page, a CV and a short piece of your own writing to careers@haldenrook.com, with the title of the role in the subject line, by . We reply to every application.
Halden Rook LLP is an equal opportunities employer. We will make any adjustment you need to apply or to interview. We do not accept unsolicited CVs from recruitment agencies.