Knowledge Lawyer

The Role

Walkers is currently seeking to recruit an experienced and enthusiastic Knowledge Lawyer to join our highly regarded Finance and Capital Markets team in Dublin, on a permanent and full-time basis (5 days). The option of a 4 day working week may be considered for the right candidate.  Hybrid working options and flexible hours available.

This is an exciting new role in our market-leading and award-winning structured finance & securitisation practice.

The successful candidate will work closely with the partners in the Irish office to help ensure that the team's knowledge and development objectives are achieved. We advise clients on the full range of banking, debt capital markets, finance, private credit, fund finance, real estate finance, securitisation and structured credit transactions. Your work will be interesting, rewarding, challenging and impactful. This is an excellent opportunity to work in an internationally focused, professional organisation which places huge emphasis on continuous personal professional development, mentoring and career development within a collegiate team-based environment.

The successful candidate will join our existing KM team and will support the strategies and processes to develop and maintain legal and professional resources including:

• precedents;
• know-how;
• client-facing guides;
• practice notes;
• management of knowledge dissemination to Walkers lawyers; and
• familiarity with Walkers external resources (for example library, journal subscriptions and online resources),

In addition, they will also have the opportunity to support the Legal and Technical Training Manager in the development and delivery of training to the fee earners to enable them to effectively meet the needs of the clients in an evolving legal and regulatory landscape.

This role offers the opportunity to drive excellence within the practice group while working closely with partners and senior knowledge lawyers to deliver high-impact knowledge management and training for a high-performing, dynamic and fast-paced team.

Reporting

The role will report to the Co-Heads of the FCM group.

Key Focus Areas

• Banking & Finance
• Debt Capital Markets
• Derivatives & risk transfer arrangements
• Fund Finance
• Green Finance and ESG products
• Insurance-Linked Securities
• Private Credit
• Real Estate Finance
• Securitisation including ABS, CMBS, CLOs, RMBS & synthetic securitisations
• Securities law and regulatory considerations
• Structured Credit
• Structured Products
• Company law 

Duties & Responsibilities

Precedents and Know-How

• Impact Assessments: monitoring and carrying out impact assessments on the implications of new legal and regulatory developments, identifying potential risks and opportunities for clients
• Precedents & Protocols: assisting with the maintenance and development of the Firm’s precedents, processes and knowledge systems, including automated documentation on DocumentDrafter, and providing related training and support where required
• Current Awareness: management of timely knowledge dissemination to relevant fee earners
• Horizon Scanning: reviewing existing, new and proposed legislation and case law, keeping abreast of developments in Irish & EU legislation generally and disseminating the information thereon to relevant fee earners and other relevant practice groups

Training

• New Joiner Training: designing and maintaining suitable pre-joining materials to be provided to new staff and assisting with the training of new fee earners in relation to the legal resources available, precedents, documentation standards & protocols and other relevant knowledge materials
• Legal Resources Training: train new lawyers, secretaries and corporate services executives on the availability of legal resources
• Fee Earner Training: assisting with the coordination of a team-wide training programme and assisting where possible with targeted training including the delivery of training sessions to fee earners on relevant aspects of Irish & EU law and in relation to legal developments
• Client Training: Preparing and delivering high-quality briefing papers and presentations for clients on relevant legal and regulatory topics

Management and Administration

• Actively participating in the evaluation and implementation of legal technology solutions to improve knowledge management processes, internal protocols and to enhance research efficiency within the Firm
• Support the development and/or reinforcement of relationships with stakeholder practice groups and offices through a variety of channels including face-to-face meetings, regular group calls, attending wider practice group meetings, social events and incentive-driven projects.
• Support the development and/or reinforcement of relationships with other business services departments (for example, preparing first drafts of thought leadership pieces/directory entries with the marketing and business development teams).
• Support as directed the activities of the various Precedents and Know-How Committees and/or the Global Opinion Committee, as applicable, as well as other working groups and committees by specific request.

Business Development

• Assisting in the production and/or updating of relevant Guides, thought leadership pieces, articles and practice notes
• Liaising with senior fee earners and the Business Development Group in relation to website updates, thought leadership pieces, legal journal submissions etc

Skills & Personal Attributes

The successful candidate should be a qualified solicitor or barrister in Ireland, Northern Ireland or England & Wales with at least 4-5 years PQE, ideally with a leading Irish or international law firm or in independent practice in the Law Library, or equivalent, with experience in one or more of finance, capital markets, structured finance & securitisation, regulatory & compliance, or general corporate.

Candidate should have a proven strong academic track record including at least a 2:1 honours degree in any discipline.

We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate the following:

Essential

• collegiate and thoughtful team player;
• strong academic and experience credentials;
• excellent research, analytical, technical, drafting skills and attention to detail;
• an in-depth knowledge of the types of resources for which a Knowledge Lawyer is responsible (for example, library resources, journals and online resources) and strong understanding of the importance of effective knowledge management within a law firm, with a particular focus on the needs of a busy Finance department;
• client focused and commercial aptitude with an interest in/experience of business development and growing a service offering;
• a calm and measured approach to problem solving;

• excellent oral and written communication skills and ability to tailor this to communicate with partners, colleagues and (where appropriate) with the Firm's clients;
• ability to work under pressure and responsive to the expectations of partners and clients;
• able to prioritise competing demands;
• excellent time management, project management and organisational skills; and
• participate in continuously improving services through critically evaluating systems of work, promoting new ideas and actively developing service improvements.

Desirable:

• experience in Banking Asset Finance or Finance & Capital Markets desirable, but not essential
• experience with traditional online resources including BetterRegulation, WestLaw IE, Practical Law (PLC), Bloomsbury, Lexis+, LMA online etc;
• experience with Harvey AI, Co-Pilot and other legal AI tech;  
• strong experience with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and MS Excel.
• knowledge of SharePoint, document management and document automation software an advantage.

Benefits

We offer excellent progression opportunities along with a competitive remuneration package and benefits including:

• Competitive Salary
• Supportive, collegiate environment and open culture
• Prominent international clients and challenging work
• Working directly with partners
• 'Dress for your day' dress code
• Discretionary annual bonus scheme;
• Generous annual leave
• Agile Working Policy
• Health insurance cover
• Pension scheme and firm contribution  
• Life Assurance
• Paid Maternity & Paternity leave
• Income Protection
• Taxsaver and Bike to Work schemes
• Professional Membership Fees paid
• Learning & Development and Mentorship programmes
• Educational bursaries and assistance
• Client secondment opportunities
• Social Committee, DEI Committee, CSR Committee and various sports, social and charity initiatives
• Subsidised gym access/fitness classes
• Employee Assistance Programme
• VDU eye testing and medical screening
• Wellness programme