Senior Lawyer; Litigation and Advisory

Overview

Our office is in central Reading. We offer flexibility in where you work and we’ll expect you to attend the office a minimum of two days a month. When you join us, we expect you to be in the office more frequently to settle into the TRA. You will also need to attend court as required.

About the job

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing team of expert and well-respected lawyers providing a range of in-house legal services to the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA).

We are a growing organisation of over 150 people, with our headquarters in central Reading. The TRA carries out investigations into unfair trading practices and recommends measures to the Secretary of State. This work is novel within the UK, and the Legal team at the TRA is at the forefront in developing this new field of law based on complex legislation and the underpinning World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.

This Senior Lawyer position is a hybrid role, covering both litigation and advisory work, with a focus on litigation (depending on business needs).

Litigation: you will be responsible for leading the TRA’s defence of any appeals brought in the Upper Tribunal (Tax and Chancery Chamber) and any judicial review proceedings.

Advisory: you will also be responsible for providing legal advice and support to case teams carrying out trade remedies investigations and reviews, to help ensure that our decisions and processes are legally robust.

Litigation:

• Lead and manage trade remedies litigation efficiently and effectively, drafting instructions to counsel and providing advice and support to TRA colleagues and counsel;
• Coordinate the TRA’s response to litigation across all court levels, from the Upper Tribunal to the Supreme Court;
• Manage junior lawyers and staff working on litigation;
• Work closely and collaboratively with finance team to manage litigation costs and budgets;
• Set up and manage processes and systems to support litigation delivery;
• Provide guidance and training to legal and non-legal colleagues to strengthen readiness for litigation; and
• Build and develop relationships with external stakeholders, including counsel and the tribunal and court systems
• Advise on trade remedies investigations, providing high-quality, solutions-focussed and risk-based advice to help inform decision making, covering domestic trade remedies law, WTO law and public law;
• Make interpretive decisions, which create precedent and provide authoritative specialist advice to senior decision makers; and
• Proactively develop your legal skills and expertise in domestic trade remedies and WTO law.

General:

As a senior leader in the TRA, contribute to the wider leadership of the TRA and be involved in projects and initiatives beyond your immediate business role, which help to support the TRA’s values of Dynamism, Expertise, Integrity and Openness, and deliver the TRA’s strategic goals and business plan priorities.

Personal Attributes &

Skills:

• You will have experience in leading and managing litigation, including public law litigation, efficiently and effectively.
• You will have excellent judgement and strong analytical skills with the ability to conduct high-quality legal research and produce robust legal analysis and advice.
• You will be proficient in interpreting and applying statute, case law and public law, and demonstrate a sound awareness of legal risk in your decision making.
• You take a solutions-focussed approach to legal problem solving, considering broader contextual and policy factors to inform your advice.

Litigation: Experience leading and managing litigation, including public law litigation, efficiently and effectively, including:

• developing the strategy for responding to a legal challenge and coordinating the response across internal and external stakeholders (including counsel);
• preparing submissions and meeting tribunal or court deadlines;
• managing disclosure of documents and compiling and filing statements of case, witness statements and bundles; and
• conducting correspondence with parties to litigation, including applicants/claimants, and tribunals or courts.

Legal advice: Demonstrable expertise in…