Managing Associate - Litigation & Insolvency (8+ PQE)

Salary: Competitive + performance bonus | Location: Hybrid

Build something here

Most senior litigation roles will give you a caseload. This one gives you the opportunity to help grow and shape a practice.

KaurMaxwell is a growing boutique law firm based in High Holborn. We are looking for an experienced Managing Associate to play a significant role in the development of our Litigation and Insolvency practice while continuing to handle complex client work of their own.

The role sits between Senior Associate and Head of Department. You will have greater responsibility for leadership, client development and the commercial performance of the team, while remaining actively involved in legal work.

For someone who wants more ownership of their practice and a clear route towards departmental leadership, this is an opportunity to take that next step.

The role

You will combine strong technical legal work with commercial judgement, client relationship management and leadership.

You will run complex and high-value matters, develop trusted client relationships and help junior colleagues progress. You will also have an active role in winning work, strengthening the department and contributing to how KaurMaxwell develops as a firm.

This is a senior role, and we are looking for someone who wants the responsibility that comes with it.

What you'll do

1) Run excellent matters and manage a team

You will manage your own caseload of litigation and insolvency matters from instruction through to conclusion, including complex and high-value work.

You will set clear strategies, provide commercially focused advice and produce legal work of a consistently high standard with minimal supervision.

Clients should see you as a trusted adviser, not simply someone they contact when a particular issue arises. You will understand their wider objectives, build lasting relationships and identify where colleagues elsewhere in the firm can provide additional support.

You will also keep your technical knowledge current, including relevant legal, regulatory and market developments within your practice area.

2) Lead and develop people

You will supervise, mentor and support junior lawyers and paralegals, helping them improve both technically and professionally.

You will take responsibility for the quality and progression of work within your team and work closely with the Head of Department to improve performance and achieve departmental objectives.

Leadership here also means setting the right standard yourself. We expect accountability, integrity, collaboration and a willingness to help others develop.

You will contribute to recruitment, onboarding, training and the ongoing development of the team as the practice grows.

3) Build your name and your practice

At this level, developing relationships and generating work forms part of the role.

You will strengthen existing client relationships and build connections with introducers, professional networks and referral partners. You will identify new opportunities through networking, referrals, partnerships and other business development activity.

You will represent KaurMaxwell at relevant events, meetings and industry forums and contribute to the firm's wider marketing activity.

Over time, the aim is to develop a strong and loyal client base and become increasingly self-supporting in terms of work generation.

4) Understand the numbers

You will have a clear understanding of the commercial performance of your matters and practice.

That includes pricing, profitability, WIP, disbursements, billing and debtor management, alongside agreed fee contribution, utilisation and performance targets.

You will work with the Head of Department to make sure matters are appropriately resourced and commercially sound, and consider the return generated by networking, marketing and other departmental expenditure.

Good legal work and good commercial judgement should sit together.

5) Uphold the standard

You will maintain high professional and regulatory standards across your own work and the work you supervise.

That includes compliance with SRA requirements, KYC and AML obligations, KaurMaxwell policies and procedures, and The KM Way.

Your files should be accurate, organised and properly managed. You will identify and manage legal, commercial and operational risks and protect client and firm confidentiality at all times.

6) Help us improve how legal services are delivered

We want senior lawyers who are prepared to question whether there is a better way of doing something.

You will contribute to departmental and firm-wide initiatives, identify ways to improve quality, efficiency and the client experience, and adopt technology and working practices where they genuinely improve the way we work.

You will also contribute to the firm's wider professional commitments, including B Corp and Lexcel.

Your own development continues too. You will take responsibility for goal setting, feedback, training and ongoing professional development as you work towards the next stage of your career.

Who you are

You are an experienced litigator who combines technical ability with sound commercial judgement and wants more responsibility for people, clients and the direction of a practice.

You will ideally bring:

• Qualification as a Solicitor of England and Wales
• Around 8+ years' PQE, as a guide rather than a strict rule
• Extensive experience across litigation and insolvency
• Strong technical knowledge and experience managing complex matters
• A track record of managing cases and achieving strong outcomes for clients
• Experience supervising or leading others, or clear readiness to take on greater leadership responsibility
• Experience developing business and maintaining long-term client relationships
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• A commercial and proactive approach to legal practice
• The ability to remain calm and organised when managing competing priorities
• Accountability, integrity and a collaborative approach
• The ability to work effectively both in the office and remotely
• The right to work in the UK
• Tech-savviness, we're an innovative firm looking use innovative tools.

What you'll get

• A competitive salary reflecting your experience
• Performance-based bonuses and incentives
• A clear progression pathway towards Head of Department
• Flexible, hybrid working
• Professional development and leadership training
• Significant responsibility for the development of your practice area
• The opportunity to develop your own client relationships and professional profile
• A senior role within a growing boutique firm where your contribution can have a visible effect on what comes next

Our culture

Our mission is to break barriers within the legal industry.

We believe the personality and authenticity of our people is part of what sets KaurMaxwell apart. Whoever you are and wherever you have come from, there is room here to contribute, grow and build a career around the lawyer and leader you want to become.

What makes you unique makes us exceptional.

We are an equal opportunity employer. If you do not meet every requirement but believe you have the experience, judgement and values to excel in the role, we would still like to hear from you.

We hire for potential as well as experience.

Ready to talk?

Send us a covering letter written by you and your CV to recruitment@kaurmaxwell.com.