Legal Advisers (Litigation)

Location:         Canary Wharf, London

Contract:         Permanent

Hours:             Full time, Part time, Flexible

Salary:            Grade 7C: £52,736 - £59,868 (depending on experience)

We are looking for Legal Advisers to join our Litigation Group within the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) Legal Service. With markets changing fast, and the prospect of legal change related to EU exit, this is an exciting time to join us. 

Our litigation lawyers are at the heart of the CMA Legal Service and act for the CMA in all its civil litigation in a wide range of courts and tribunals including the Competition Appeal Tribunal, High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Successful applicants will conduct competition and consumer enforcement appeals, challenges to merger decisions, director disqualification proceedings and related public law litigation. You will also provide advice on litigation risk and procedure to decision makers across the CMA in their inquiries and decision making, throughout the CMA and externally.

You will need litigation experience in the Competition Appeal Tribunal and/or High Court (or similar courts or tribunals in other jurisdictions), the ability to work under pressure, persuasive communication and analytical skills, flexibility and a willingness to work across the organisation. Experience of competition law and/or competition litigation is an advantage and successful candidates will need to show a grasp of public law at interview.

If you want to gain valuable skills and experience working on varied and interesting cases and make a difference to people’s lives, then we encourage you to apply to work with us. Joining us now as we work on our next phase of transformation will offer uniquely rewarding professional opportunities.

As an international and diverse organisation we also welcome applications from international candidates who have the skills and experience we are looking for. For exceptional candidates, we may be able to sponsor your right to work. Sponsorship will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Main responsibilities will be to

• Assist in the day to day conduct and management of CMA litigation which includes assisting in the preparation of pleadings and statements of case and drafting pre-action correspondence, the preparation and drafting of witness evidence; retaining and instructing counsel; making applications to court; attending court;
• Assist the case-teams at the pre-litigation stage in advising and decision making to ensure the strengths and weaknesses of a case are considered before litigation is commenced. This may include reviewing evidence and considering the merits of the case ahead of providing advice.
• Assist in providing advice on litigation risk and litigation procedure to decision makers across the CMA. You may also be required to advise on press releases and other cross cutting issues.
• Play a constructive role in the development of the CMA’s Litigation Group.
• Monitor and assimilate developments in relevant legislation and case law and litigation practice and inform CMA staff of developments within the law.
• Liaise with Counsel, the Assistant Legal Directors, the Litigation Directors and build relations with other stakeholders as necessary and generally support CMA colleagues in developing a flexible and highly effective litigation team.

Essential criteria

It is essential that you provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application.

• Practical experience of litigating in the UK, or other common law jurisdictions, preferably in the Competition Appeal Tribunal and the High Court (or their equivalent) and with a focus on competition, consumer and/or public law litigation.
• Fully qualified lawyer entitled to practise in the UK or evidence of preparedness to sit and pass the QLTT within two years of appointment.
• Degree educated (2:2 or above) or evidence of an equivalent high level academic or professional achievement.
• Excellent communication skills, experience of dealing with internal and external stakeholders, working with project delivery teams.

In return we offer generous benefits, including an excellent pension scheme, 25 days leave and generous maternity/paternity leave provision, plus interest-free season ticket loans, a cycle to work scheme and favourable consideration of flexible working.

Please click on the APPLY button as this will lead you to the full advert on Civil Service Jobs.

Closing date: 26 October 2020.

The CMA is an accredited Disability Confident Employer and are Stonewall Diversity Champions. As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome suitably qualified applicants from all backgrounds and recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.