Blair West are supporting Watkin Jones Group to find a Legal Director. This is a senior and influential appointment within the Group, reporting into the Executive Team. The role has been created to provide dedicated leadership over all litigation and dispute matters across the business, particularly in areas such as cladding, fire safety, and commercial contract issues.

The opportunity:

• Act as the lead authority for all legal disputes and litigation across the Group, with ownership from initial issue to resolution.
• Provide strategic and practical dispute resolution advice directly to senior leadership, including the Executive Team.
• Play a key role in managing high-profile and high-value disputes, especially in construction and property development.
• Conduct or oversee all formal proceedings including court cases, arbitration, mediation and adjudication.
• Take a proactive role in identifying legal risks and implementing preventative strategies across the business.
• Manage and monitor all external legal spend, driving efficiencies and value from third-party advisors.
• Oversee internal dispute resolution processes, setting clear responsibilities and aligning legal outcomes with business objectives.
• Ensure regular reporting on ongoing cases and legal matters to relevant stakeholders across the organisation.

You’ll be the ideal candidate for this position if you have:

• A law degree and are a qualified solicitor with at least four years PQE, gained either in-house or in private practice.
• A proven track record of managing legal disputes, ideally within the construction or property development sector.
• Experience handling complex litigation, including fire safety, cladding, and commercial contract disputes.
• Strong ability to influence at senior levels, presenting legal risks and strategies clearly and persuasively.
• A commercial mindset with the ability to weigh legal outcomes against business goals.
• Experience managing external counsel and legal budgets effectively.
• Exceptional organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple high-stakes cases simultaneously.
• A strong sense of professional integrity and resilience under pressure.

Our commitment:

Blair West is an equal opportunity employer. We embrace diversity and inclusion at every stage of the recruitment process. We are committed to fairness, equality, and ongoing diversity training for our team to give candidates and clients a feeling of belonging during their experience with us. If you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during your experience with us, please speak to one of our consultants. 

If you’d like to speak to someone about this opportunity:

Mark Dale: [email protected] / 07873 614808