Associate: Construction - EMEA

We are looking for a mid-level associate to join our non-contentious construction team in London.

White & Case's construction practice advises clients across the globe on all their construction-related needs. Our experience covers all major sectors including transport infrastructure (airports, ports, roads, rail and water), oil & gas, petrochemicals, hydrogen, power, renewables, transmission infrastructure, data centres, mining & metals and commercial property.

Our clients turn to us for advice on their most complex and high value construction projects. Our work is both cross-border and cross-practice. We work on standalone procurement and construction mandates, as well on with our project finance colleagues on projects being projected financed, our real estate and technology practices on the development of real estate and digital infrastructure assets, and our M&A and private equity teams on complex infrastructure acquisitions and disposals.

You will have the opportunity to work with and learn from our colleagues across the network, with a particular focus on projects in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia. We have deep relationships with key clients in these regions, which we have built over many years, and are also constantly growing new relationships and seizing new opportunities. Our clients include sovereign states, major multinational companies, state owned companies, major tech companies, PE houses, infrastructure funds and financial institutions.

Our Construction Practice, as well as the firm’s wider Projects & Energy offering, are highly ranked in all leading legal directories, and our team is focused on fostering a collegial working environment where the firm’s values of pioneering, united and human are promoted.

Duties And Accountabilities1

• Review, draft and negotiate all forms of construction contract
• Advise both sponsors and lenders in the context of construction contracts being funded by project finance
• Build a strong network within White & Case, both within London and cross-office, to collaborate with colleagues across the firm and various practices
• Support business development activity, create and maintain strong client relationships and identify new business opportunities.
• Ability to travel at short notice when business requires
• Supervise and support more junior staff, including trainee solicitors

Qualifications And Skills

• England & Wales (or other common law) qualified lawyer
• Experience with front end construction work, including EPC and EPCM contracts
• Experience of having worked on project finance transactions involving large construction contracts
• Experience of FIDIC and other standard form construction contracts (such as JCT, NEC and LOGIC)
• Strong understanding of key legal principles in respect of construction law, and key issues and expected risk allocation in major international construction contracts
• Strong attention to detail
• Highly client-focused, with an excellent ability to multi-task, and prioritize work with tight deadlines
• Commercial and business awareness, and interest in and knowledge of the energy and infrastructure sectors
• Ability to learn quickly
• Collegial attitude and team player, though self-motivated and able to work independently when required
• International experience
• Fluency in English, and other language skills valued

Location & Reporting

• This is a permanent role based in London, with potential for international travel
• Our standard office hours are 09:30-18:00, with a current requirement for 3 days in the office per week.

Firm Benefits

We offer a flexible range of benefits, services and programmes designed to help support your lifestyle requirements. Some of the benefits currently available include:

• Private medical insurance
• Pension plan
• Yearly wellbeing fund
• Income protection
• Holiday purchase
• Life insurance
• Critical Illness insurance
• Private GP services
• Travel insurance
• Dental coverage
• Cycle to work

Equal Opportunities

White & Case is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and is committed to creating a fair workplace. It is our Firm’s policy to recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law.

If you require assistance and/or adjustment to participate in our application and/or interview process, please email us. We will be happy to work with you.

Note to recruitment agencies: Our internal Recruitment team are responsible for all end-to-end lateral recruitment processes. All agencies must sign White & Case terms of business, which are office specific. Candidates submitted by an agency without terms of business agreed with the appropriate office, and/or outside of our online application tracking system, will not be considered a formal introduction.

Any applications and CVs sent directly to White & Case Partners and employees will not be accepted as formal introductions. If you have any questions, please contact the London Recruitment team.

When engaging with agencies, we are supported by our preferred suppliers.

1The above is only a general description of the essential duties associated with this position and does not represent an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all duties.