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We are currently recruiting for a Professional Support Lawyer (PSL) or Senior PSL (dependant on level) to join our General Banking team on a 12 month FTC (maternity cover).

Role purpose

To identify the need for, create and maintain, core reference materials on complex legal matters to support Partners and Associates in all aspects of their transactional work and client relationships, ensuring accurate, relevant and up to date information/tools are available within the Banking department.

Key relationships

• Banking Partners and other fee-earners
• Global Banking Know-How and PSL team
• Global A&O Know-how and PSL community

Role and responsibilities

Legal Knowledge

Can prepare updates, answer enquiries, and create sophisticated guidance using legal skills developed through some experience in the finance area and specifically some or all of investment grade syndicated lending, asset finance, leveraged finance, project finance, real estate finance and Restructuring.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Under general guidance about priorities, maintain high quality documentation such as SFPs to provide partners and associates with cost effective and timely documents, which help progress client business
• Prepare, when requested, effective guidance material such as practice notes to enable colleagues to access material, which is fully up to date with precedent and practice
• Prepare updates in line with legal developments to inform colleagues and the advice they give to clients
• Evaluate material for suitability to be included in the firm’s Know-How systems
• Respond accurately, usefully and in a timely way to specific requests from associates on complex legal matters within own area of expertise
• As requested research legal or client/market related material to provide senior colleagues with clear and authoritative analyses
• Support partners and associates as required in their client relationship development through preparing and/or identifying useful written and electronic materials
• Gather, synthesise and produce good quality, up to date and readable material for inclusion in the firm’s opinion pieces
• Assist and when necessary, participate in important Practice Group projects designed to ensure A&O’s knowledge base and documentation is maintained in line with new legislation, significant case law etc.
• Participate in the design and delivery of training programmes to inform colleagues about current law and legal developments
• Maintain and develop own knowledge of law, practice areas, clients and current issues to grow expertise, reputation and usefulness to A&O

Key requirements

• Qualified lawyer – Minimum 4 years PQE or similar
• Technical competence in finance law as expected at level of qualification
• Self-starter with the desire and ability to continuously acquire, build upon and share knowledge
• Will have worked successfully as an associate or PSL/Knowledge Lawyer or Senior PSL/Senior Knowledge Lawyer in a bank or law firm
• Strong commercial/business acumen with the ability to deliver creative and pragmatic solutions and advice
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interface at all levels and particularly to win the respect of the partner and fee-earner community, building and developing strong (internal and external) client relationships
• Collaborative team player with the ability to develop and work in a fast paced, intellectually rigorous environment
• Individual who enjoys both the operational and strategic sides of this role and shows great flexibility
• Resilient; able to understand that credibility has to be earned in this environment and may take time
• A person of sound judgment, able to establish a high level of credibility in the organisation and act as a trusted advisor to fee-earners

Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of Allen & Overy’s recruitment team who will work with you to provide any reasonable adjustments as required.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

At Allen & Overy, we recognise that our people are our most valuable asset, which is reflected in the wide range of benefits that are available to our employees. Some of these benefits include: our occupational pension scheme, group income protection cover, private medical insurance, mental health resources and free apps, health and wellbeing services encompassing an onsite gym, wellbeing centre and GP service, emergency back-up care support, parental and special leave, holiday entitlement increasing with length of service, holiday trading, season ticket loans and online discounts and lifestyle management services.

Allen & Overy recognises the value of flexible working and embraces hybrid working, allowing our people to work from home up to 40% of their working time. We do however remain committed to working together in person for the remaining 60% of time so that we can learn, grow and succeed together. If you would like additional flexibility we will of course consider this in line with business needs.

Allen & Overy is a leading global law firm operating in over thirty countries. We work on some of the most challenging and important deals and have built a reputation for delivering exceptional legal solutions that help our clients grow, innovate and thrive. The legal industry is changing, and we're committed to leading that change, putting our people first, embracing new ways of thinking and integrating technology into our everyday work.

Our culture is one of high-performance and we have high expectations of one another, in everything we do. Being a proud team player is essential. We work together, listen and learn from one another and achieve results we could never achieve on our own. When you join our team, you’ll become part of a flexible, inclusive environment underpinned by openness and consistent support for one another. At A&O, you're not only valued for what you do, but for who you are.

We have a powerful commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and we’re working hard to create an environment where you can bring your authentic self to work. We know that to excel, we must nurture an environment where our people feel they belong.