Senior Knowledge Lawyer - Pensions

Freshfields · London

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Overview

This is an exciting opportunity for a candidate with deep expertise in pensions law and practice to join our highly successful People & Reward practice and our valued global Knowledge function, working in an international and diverse team, in an inclusive environment, directly contributing to the firm’s client and people strategies.

The work carried out by UK People & Reward is a mix of transactional, advisory and contentious work and is split into three main specialist areas – employment, benefits and pensions.  On the pensions side, we advise companies and pension scheme trustees on establishing, merging and winding up large company pension schemes. We also advise our clients on the wide range of challenging issues companies face in relation to managing their pension scheme liabilities, in addition to the complex legal and tax issues that can arise on pensions de-risking projects or scheme restructuring exercises. Our work often involves advising clients on their interactions with the Pensions Regulator, particularly on transactions.

While this role is envisaged as up to 3 days per week, we are committed to fostering a flexible working environment. For the right candidate, we are open to discussing further reduced hours, with a corresponding and mutually agreeable adjustment to the scope of work. This offers a unique opportunity to shape a pivotal role within our Knowledge function around other commitments, providing meaningful contribution within a supportive and adaptable framework

Role summary/purpose of job

The Knowledge Lawyer will focus on pensions law, working principally with pensions lawyers in the UK practice to deliver pensions knowhow to maximise efficiency and minimise risk in line with business priorities. The Knowledge Lawyer will bring deep expertise of this area and a willingness and ability to continue to develop in this space, with a view to:

• Integrating Freshfields’ proprietary knowledge into client service: leveraging the firm's valuable knowledge (including precedents and insights from client matters) to enable market-leading client service, supporting on legal/market current awareness with a commercially-minded and practical approach to help lawyers understand the impacts for clients and their work, developing Knowledge products and tools, and helping drive Knowledge innovation workstreams including AI-enabled workflows;

• Deploying knowledge to drive client engagement and thought leadership: applying insights to deepen client relationships and position the firm as the definitive thought leader on the critical pensions issues clients face – both today and on the horizon; and

• Developing the legal skills of the lawyers in the practice: Delivering and contributing to best-in-class legal training and upskilling our lawyers in this continually developing area of the law.

Collaboration is key to the success of our Knowledge function. The Knowledge Lawyer will work closely with other Knowledge Lawyers within the People & Reward practice and will be welcomed into the wider Knowledge community, made up of Knowledge Lawyers and other Knowledge & Information specialists, led by the firm’s Co-Chief Knowledge Officers who focus on creating the framework for career satisfaction, high performance and excellence by fostering a supportive, inclusive, innovative, collaborative and purpose-driven culture across the function. Our Knowledge & Information Services team support the Knowledge Lawyers (e.g. maintaining internal knowledge collections, preparing newsletters and managing external resources). All Knowledge Lawyers also work closely with colleagues with other specialisms, e.g. marketing and business development, innovation and learning and development.

Key responsibilities

Integrating Freshfields’ proprietary knowledge into client service (including through the use of AI and legal tech)

• Monitor and analyse key legal and regulatory developments in the pensions legal field and disseminate to lawyers in the practice – always considering the impact on internal knowledge products, profile raising and business development potential. 

• Create and update internal knowledge products (e.g. guidance notes, templates or checklists), working with lawyers in the practice to identify products offering the most value-add.

• Work with partners and other senior stakeholders to identify priority areas of focus within the evolving pensions regulatory landscape and to develop house views on legal developments or market practice.

• Capture insights from client mandates, able to draw out trends and themes and share internally, and reflect them as needed in internal knowledge products or internal training.

• Engage lawyers in the practice at all levels, encouraging knowhow contribution, direct access to knowhow systems and collaboration on knowledge projects.

• Seek opportunities for innovation in the delivery of Knowledge services, including using, promoting and helping guide adoption of the firm’s legal innovation tools – in particular AI.

• Provide technical support to the broader Knowledge team, for example, on development and delivery of pensions training programmes. 

• Provide ad hoc technical legal support on client projects and guidance to fee earners, particularly to more junior team members.

• Ensuring that updates, guidance, training, or other knowledge products produced by the Knowledge lawyer are captured and accessible to the team and disseminated as appropriate.

Deploying knowledge to drive client engagement and thought leadership

• Keep up to date on developments in pensions regulation and practice and help relevant stakeholders identify and pursue business opportunities and raise profile in accordance with the firm’s strategy and priorities – including fostering their own external network.

• Drive the practice’s approach to the market by identifying opportunities for client-facing knowledge products and thought leadership, writing blogs, alerts, briefings and other client content, and contributing to larger publications and articles, in all cases demonstrating the practice’s leading-edge legal technical capability and market awareness.

• Play a key role in client relationships by developing and, where appropriate, delivering, client training, seminars and talking points.

• Participate in industry body working groups and contribute towards strategic industry consultations relevant to pensions law and practice.

Developing the legal skills of the firm’s lawyers

• Act as an internal advisor/consultant to lawyers working on pensions matters, understanding the developments and acting as a trusted sounding board on complex points.

• Working with other colleagues, to design, deliver and contribute (and to engage lawyers in the practice at all levels in delivering and contributing) to relevant training sessions.

Day-to-day priorities and goals will be discussed and agreed with the London pensions partners.  

Experience and qualifications

• Qualified lawyer in the UK with a strong academic background.

• A high level of relevant successful experience as a fee earner or a knowledge lawyer/professional support lawyer (or a combination) in pensions law, regulation and practice.

• Experience either working with or for The UK Pensions Regulator.

The individual

• Have a very sound knowledge of pensions law and practice.

• Demonstrate strong commercial awareness, always considering legal developments in the practice area through a commercial lens and anticipating the impact for clients.

• Have a growth mindset, a positive approach to managing change and be a self-starter.

• Have the aspiration and commitment to continuously acquire, build on and share knowledge, acting as a Knowledge champion and a role model.

• Be willing and able to act as a leader and take ownership of projects and drive them forward.

• Have a strong technology skills set, including a good understanding of new technologies, and an approach that fosters innovation.

• Have excellent oral communication skills, including strong presentation skills, and strong written communication skills in legal drafting and when writing in other styles, with the ability to judge content, style and tone for written work as appropriate to the audience.

• Be a team player who builds effective relationships at all levels, recognised and respected by partners and other fee earners and by other Knowledge colleagues.  As part of our core values, demonstrate a collaborative, positive approach when working with others. 

• Have sound judgment, be able to establish a high level of credibility with others and act as a sounding board for other lawyers in the practice and Knowledge colleagues. Demonstrate an ability to identify the key elements of complex problems, directing colleagues to appropriate legal or market source materials, and considering the practical nature of advice when proposing a solution, including the risks. Be able to support lawyers in their decision-making process on challenging issues, participating confidently in the analysis as a trusted adviser.

• Have strong networking skills and the ability to create and maintain relationships both internally and externally, and identify opportunities for collaboration.

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