Commercial Litigation - Principal Associate

Job title

Principal Associate

Department

Dispute Resolution – Commercial Litigation

Our Purpose

To forge long-term relationships that have a positive impact on our people, our clients, our business partners, and our community.

Our Commitment to Our People

We do not think there is a magic formula to the Higgs culture. The key is to listen to and respect our people. If we take care of our people and our people take care of our clients, then everything we want as a firm will take care of itself. We are friendly and open to new ideas.

Our Core Values

Higgs core values are “CLEAR” – Care, Legacy, Excellence, Authenticity, Relationships

Role Purpose

To manage a broad caseload of commercial litigation cases and assist Partners with more complex high value business critical commercial disputes.  The caseload will be diverse and include commercial contract disputes, restrictive covenant claims, IT contract disputes, sale of goods and supply of services disputes, shareholder disputes, partnership disputes, defamation claims, general reputation management advice, warranty and indemnity claims, IP disputes and consumer claims.

This will vary from pre-action advice through to claims in the County Court, High Court and where necessary Court of Appeal.

The role will involve dealing with a range of disputes for the firms clients who range from high net worth individuals, SME’s through to PLC and global large corporates.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide clear, strategic and results‑focused legal advice aligned with clients’ commercial or personal objectives and all relevant legal principles.

• Comply with, and advise clients on, all relevant pre‑action protocols and procedural requirements.

• Draft high‑quality litigation documentation and manage all aspects of Court and arbitration proceedings as required.
• Build strong working relationships by liaising effectively with clients, counsel and experts, and representing clients in settlement negotiations, including mediations.
• Manage all matters diligently and efficiently, ensuring excellent financial hygiene and adherence to firm processes. 
• Participate in and support firmwide initiatives while fostering long-term relationships with both internal and external clients.
• Contribute to team success by supporting colleagues within the Commercial Litigation Team and the wider Dispute Resolution Department, including supervising and developing junior team members.

Person Specification

The criteria below will be assessed via application (A), interview (I), Test (T), or multiple (A/I/T).

Essential Criteria

• Experience leading a team or function and providing recognised expertise that supports good decision-making, consistent quality, and the development of others. (A/I)

• Demonstrates efficient and commercially aware practice, with an ability to recognise sector developments and adjust approach to meet evolving client needs. (A/I)

• A proven ability to understand what matters to stakeholders and strengthen relationships.
• A people centered approach to identify opportunities and contribute to the firm’s success through collaborative engagement. (A/I)

• Ability to model constructive behaviours, support colleagues and help create a clear sense of direction through good judgement and positive influence (A/I)

• Ability to manage complex and competing demands with confidence, provide clear and reasoned guidance, and build effective working relationships with key stakeholders across the business. (A/I)

• Shows a clear understanding of financial hygiene and contributes to achieving team and individual performance goals. (A/I)

Technical Knowledge

• Proficient user of core business and legal systems, adopts relevant tools and stays informed about new technologies  (A/I)
• Excellent understanding of data security, confidentiality and risk. (A/I)

What We Offer You

We offer more than just a job. Our benefits reflect our commitment to your development, wellbeing and work-life balance. Click here to discover more.

Higgs offers hybrid working wherever possible. Our Higgs’ Best FIT (flexible, inclusive, together) principles are designed to ensure that people can complete their best work from the most appropriate location. If you are looking to work flexibly then let us know and we will do what we can to accommodate your request.

Equal Opportunities

Higgs LLP is proud to be a signatory of The Law Society’s Diversity, Inclusion Charter and a Disability Confident Committed Employer. These commitments reflect our dedication to building a workplace that is inclusive, accessible, and welcoming to all. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities.

As part of our Disability Confident commitment, we offer a guaranteed interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role and choose to opt into the Disability Confident Interview Scheme.

We are also committed to ensuring that all applicants can fully participate in the recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments, please let us know by contacting us at recruitment@higgsllp.co.uk

We recognise that inclusion is an ongoing journey, and we regularly review and publish our diversity data, which can be accessed here.

People Driven. Legal Excellence.