Senior Disputes Counsel (9 month Fixed Term Contract)

Christie's

13d ago

Job
Full-time
Senior & Expert Level
Legal
London
Quick Apply
8d left

AI generated summary

You must be a UK-qualified solicitor/barrister with 8-15 years of litigation experience, strong legal skills, and effective time management. Art law knowledge and languages are a plus.
You will manage litigations, settlements, and mediations, oversee outside counsel costs, provide strategic dispute resolution advice, and draft agreements in collaboration with internal clients.

Requirements

Qualified as a solicitor or barrister within the UK.
8-15 years of experience in private practice or in-house as a litigator with experience in broad areas of business law for an international organisation including managing complex commercial disputes.
A background and knowledge of art law and the art sector and/or consumer law is desirable but not essential.
European language skills and a working knowledge of handling disputes in Europe would be an advantage.
Experience in best practices with respect to e-discovery and other investigative methods.
Excellent legal and analytical skills including drafting, negotiation and presentation skills.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
Works collaboratively while maintaining an independent mind.
Exhibits sound commercial judgment when balancing legal risks against business benefits.
Isn’t afraid to make decisions – particularly when time pressured.
Develops productive internal and external relationships.
Possesses strong and effective time management skills and is able to juggle many projects at once.

Responsibilities

In this role, you will be an integral part of the dispute resolution practice group, working closely with senior members of the Global Legal team. Your primary responsibilities will involve managing litigations, settlements, and mediations across the EMEA region. You will collaborate with a global team of lawyers and other professionals to develop best practices and training programs aimed at dispute avoidance and resolution.
Additionally, you will manage outside counsel and oversee external spending related to litigation. You will be responsible for responding to government and third-party subpoenas in the EMEA region, ensuring compliance and timely responses.
Your role will also involve working with internal clients to navigate and resolve disputes early in their life-cycle, providing strategic advice and support. Furthermore, you will draft, negotiate, and review various commercial and other agreements from a dispute perspective, ensuring that all agreements are aligned with the company's legal and business objectives.
Provide a comprehensive dispute resolution legal service to the art business (live, online and private sales) and the business more generally with the aim of resolving disputes in a commercial and pragmatic way
Work closely with other members of Christie’s Legal and Compliance team to deliver globally a seamless legal and compliance risk management service to the Christie’s Group
Develop strong relationships with external counsel in an appropriate and cost effective way keeping such relationships under continual review
Develop a strong ethos of financial management, working strictly to agreed budgets and carefully managing external legal and other professional costs
Develop as a business lawyer, continually improving your business skills across all commercial disciplines and develop yourself as a credible business partner, not just as a legal technocrat

FAQs

What is the duration of this position?

This is a 9-month fixed-term contract.

What are the primary responsibilities of the Senior Disputes Counsel?

The primary responsibilities include managing litigations, settlements, and mediations across the EMEA region, collaborating with global teams, managing outside counsel, and providing strategic legal advice to internal clients.

What qualifications are required for this role?

Candidates must be qualified solicitors or barristers within the UK with 8-15 years of experience in private practice or in-house as litigators.

Is experience in art law necessary for this position?

A background in art law and the art sector is desirable but not essential.

Are European language skills an advantage for this role?

Yes, European language skills and a working knowledge of handling disputes in Europe would be an advantage.

What kind of benefits does Christie’s offer?

Christie’s offers a variety of benefits including 25 days annual leave, a Christmas office closure, flexible fitness fund, private health insurance, and a generous retirement plan, among others.

Are there opportunities for professional development in this role?

Yes, there are opportunities to develop business skills and improve as a credible business partner, not just as a legal technocrat.

How is external legal spending managed in this position?

The Senior Disputes Counsel will manage outside counsel and closely oversee external spending related to litigation, adhering to agreed budgets.

What is the company's policy on maternity leave?

Christie’s offers 16 weeks of full pay on maternity leave, plus a four-day work week for eight weeks at full pay upon return.

When is the closing date for applications?

The closing date for applications is 20th October 2024.

Christie's

Careers at the world's leading Art Business

Retail & Consumer Goods

Industry

1001-5000

Employees

1766

Founded Year

Mission & Purpose

Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business. Renowned and trusted for its expert live and online auctions, as well as its bespoke private sales, Christie’s offers a full portfolio of global services to its clients, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s has a physical presence in 46 countries, throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, with flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. It also is the only international auction house authorized to hold sales in mainland China (Shanghai). Christie’s auctions span more than 80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $200 to over $100 million. In recent years, Christie’s has achieved the world record price for an artwork at auction (Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvador Mundi, 2017), for a single collection sale (the Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller, 2018), and for a work by a living artist (Jeff Koons’ Rabbit, 2019). Christie’s Private Sales offers a seamless service for buying and selling art, jewellery and watches outside of the auction calendar, working exclusively with Christie’s specialists at a client’s individual pace. Recent innovations at Christie’s include the groundbreaking sale of the first NFT for a digital work of art ever offered at a major auction house (Beeple’s Everydays, March 2021), with the unprecedented acceptance of cryptocurrency as a means of payment. As an industry leader in digital innovation, Christie’s also continues to pioneer new technologies that are redefining the business of art, including the creation of viewing and bidding experiences that integrate augmented reality, global livestreaming, buy-now channels, and hybrid sales formats. Christie’s is dedicated to advancing responsible culture throughout its business and communities worldwide, including achieving sustainability through net zero carbon emissions by 2030.