Senior Associate, 5+ years PQE – Construction (Contentious)

Job Purpose

This is an opportunity for individuals with a PQE of no less than 5 years and with a passion for construction law to join our busy construction department.

We are looking for an ambitious construction Senior Associate, who is prepared to work hard, hit the ground running and make their mark within a thriving construction department.

The successful candidate will have at least 5 years PQE as a contentious construction solicitor, with some non-contentious experience preferable but not essential.

In addition, they will be self-motivated and have enthusiasm for business development and building our business.

The Team

Our Construction, Engineering and Procurement team is ranked Tier 4 (Legal 500) for contentious construction. With 40 fee earners, we are a large and highly regarded contentious construction practice that provides pragmatic, straightforward and commercially focused advice on complex construction disputes.

We acted for successful parties in precedent-setting cases of considerable importance to the construction industry, including the most widely discussed judgments of the past year:

• Supreme Court: Providence Building Services v Hexagon Housing Association [2026] UKSC 1;
• Court of Appeal: National House Building Council v Peabody Trust [2025] EWCA Civ 932;
• Adjudication enforcement: Providence Building Services v Hexagon Housing Association (unreported).

We act in First-tier Tribunal proceedings concerning remediation orders and remediation contribution orders, and in cases before the Technology and Construction Court. We additionally act on arbitrations, adjudications, and expert determination.

We act for registered providers of social housing (RPs), reflecting the firm’s leading reputation in social housing. We advise RPs on contentious construction matters arising from the development, refurbishment, remediation and maintenance of extensive residential portfolios, often involving complex contractual, technical, and regulatory issues.

We act for all members of the G15 housing associations, London’s largest housing associations, which collectively own or manage more than 850,000 homes across the UK and deliver approximately 15% of all new affordable homes in England. This places us at the forefront of the most significant residential construction and remediation activity in the country. The scale and complexity of these operations generate high-value, intellectually challenging and strategically important construction disputes.

We also have a significant private sector client base, acting for specialist contractors, construction professionals and international property investors.

We maintain a thriving practice advising on disputes involving time and money, final accounts, insolvency, warranty claims and construction defects. Post-Grenfell litigation and Building Safety Act advice forms an integral part of our practice because our clients own significant portfolios of high-rise and new-build residential properties affected by fire safety and structural defects. We are nationally recognised as thought leaders in this area, regularly speaking on specialist panels and contributing to the trade press.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for the day to day running of files;
• Advising on every aspect of construction contracts (e.g. payments, extensions of time, loss and expense, defects, procurement and insurance issues);
• Acting on all forms of dispute resolutions including adjudication, arbitration and mediation;
• Drafting submissions and witness statements for the purpose of proceedings;
• Managing proceedings in the Technology & Construction Court;
• Drafting concise advice tailored to different client types;
• Liaising directly with clients;
• Supervising and delegating to junior members of the team;
• Preparing and delivering seminars and contributing to the department’s publications;
• Proactively developing client relationships and business development;
• Organising and maintaining tidy and accurate files;
• Following department procedures, the Solicitors’ accounts rules and the Firm’s policies and procedures as detailed in the Staff Manual, including LEXCEL; and
• Undertaking such duties and tasks that are appropriate for the role of Senior Associate such as changes in information systems and new technology as may reasonably be required.

This is not an exhaustive list and from time to time it may be necessary to vary these to meet the department and business needs.

Person Specification

• A minimum of five years’ PQE contentious construction experience working within the construction sector, with some non-contentious experience preferable but not essential;
• A strong academic background, with at least a 2:1 at degree level;
• A thorough understanding of the Housing Grants, Construction & Regeneration Act 1996, the Scheme for Construction Contracts (England & Wales) Regulations 1998 and the Civil Procedure Rules;
• Proactive and prepared to work independently and intelligently exercise your own judgment with minimal supervision;
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal;
• Experience of acting on adjudications, mediations and court proceedings;
• Experience of running own files;
• Experience of delegating to /supervising junior members;
• Able to identify key issues in cases, understand the business parameters within a case and reflect that in advice to clients;
• Commercially aware, proactive and able to convey clear and concise information and advice to clients;
• Excellent attention to detail to produce work / documentation which is consistently of a high standard;
• Demonstrate a flexible approach to work to ensure client deadlines are met; and
• A collaborative and collegiate approach to matters.