Position Location (City) : Jeddah & Riyadh

Jobs Description :

The firm’s practice groups are each led by a Senior Counsel, who works closely with the Manading Director and the Special Counsel to the Firm to provide professional supervision and business leadership to Lawyers and Legal Assistants in each group. There are currently two Senior Counsel positions in the firm

Because of the size of the firm, a Lawyer might practice from time to time in a practice group to which he is not permanently assigned. The supervisory and management roles and authority of a Senior Counsel extend to such part-time members when they are practicing with the group, as well as to permanent members of the group.

A Senior Counsel reports to the Manading Director. He directly supervises the lawyers and other fee earners assigned to his practice group, full-time or part-time. A Senior Counsel participates in the professional performance appraisals of each member of his practice group, including part-time members, by providing information, observations, and comments to the Special Counsel to the Firm, who conducts those reviews. 

A Senior Counsel is appointed by the Manading Director, with the concurrence of the Senior Partner, and serves at the pleasure of the Manading Director.

The performance of a Senior Counsel is evaluated by the Special Counsel to the Firm.
 

This is a full-time position.

Principal responsibilities

Delivery of legal services

• A Senior Counsel is expected to continue to provide fee-producing legal services to the firm’s clients, in addition to his management responsibilities. The firm recognizes, however, that the management duties outlined in this position description will sometimes involve a significant portion of a Senior Counsel’s available time.

Delivery of the business plan

• Recommend to the Manading Director the annual goals and performance measurements for fee income, operating costs, and net profitability of the practice group.

• Manage the profitability of client engagements served by the practice group.

• Manage fee earners in the practice group to deliver the highest levels of service quality to the firm’s clients.

• Assemble and coordinate client service teams of lawyers and other fee earners from the practice group.

• Contribute to and participate in interdisciplinary client service teams as needed.

• Ensure compliance with the firm’s internal administrative and financial management procedures within the practice group.

• With the assistance of the Marketing Coordinator, implement the firm’s marketing plan with respect to the services provided and client sectors served by the practice group.

• Identify marketing targets and execute action plans to convert them into clients of the practice group.

• As guided by the Manading Director, review proposals and sales efforts for specific clients and projects.

• Create a positive image of the firm, both in Saudi Arabia and also internationally.

Performance management
• Assist other fee earners in the practice group to develop individual performance goals linked to the business plan and the marketing plan.

• Provide informal coaching and mentoring to members of the practice group as needed to assist each member to achieve his full professional potential.

• As requested by the Special Counsel to the Firm, provide input for the formal performance appraisals of members of the practice group.

• With the assistance of the Marketing Team, collect industry knowledge, with particular emphasis on current and probable future business issues and objectives characteristic of the practice area, and disseminate it throughout the firm as appropriate.

• Provide for the development of industry knowledge, professional knowledge, and business skills among members of the practice group.

• Reinforce the highest ethical standards among all members of the practice group.

• Provide a positive leadership example for all fee earners and staff throughout the firm.

Required education and experience
A fully-qualified occupant of this position possesses these educational and experience credentials:

• A minimum of seven years successful experience in the practice of law 

• Litigation experience.

• Knowledge of Sharia law and principles 

• A minimum of five years successful practice experience in the practice area or legal discipline of the group that the Senior Counsel leads.

Required skills and competencies
To perform the responsibilities of this position at a satisfactory level, a Senior Counsel must demonstrate mastery of these business skills and competencies on a regular, frequent basis:

• Demonstrated entrepreneurial skills such as marketing of legal services, growth of long-term client relationships, building a reputation in the local legal and business communities, and profitable management of the delivery of legal services.

• Fluency in Arabic. English language fluency is preferable. 

• Demonstrated leadership skills as evidenced by successful management of other lawyers, fee earners, and staff in the delivery of legal services

• A demonstrated ability to explain and communicate policies and procedures clearly to other lawyers and staff

A demonstrated ability to communicate sophisticated legal advice and its practical business implications to clients