Competition Associate

It’s your time. Seize the day.

DLA Piper understands that you’re building a future: inspiring outstanding results by collaborating with expert colleagues and delivering against complex client challenges. As a teams of dedicated Antitrust and Competition lawyers, we share your approach - and your ambitions. Your journey is our journey - and together we can redefine the possible.

If your vision matches ours, you’ll enjoy a culture which is supportive, collaborative and brings the best out of our people. A culture where we are reimagining the traditional law firm model, a culture where we can turn your ambitions into reality.

Be bold, make the call and look forward to a future where we will help you to define your success. Click here.

THE OPPORTUNITY

We are currently recruiting for an NQ Associate to join DLA Piper’s global Antitrust and Competition team, to be based in London.

Whether our clients are engaging in M&A activity, implementing new commercial arrangements, dealing with regulators or find themselves in a competition related dispute, the London competition team advises across the full spectrum of competition law matters.

The role will be based in our London office but will also require travel to client sites and our other UK and international offices from time to time.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

As part of our market leading global team, candidates will enjoy a high quality range of work across the full range of competition matters including:

• advising our clients on merger control matters
• representing clients before the regulators in antitrust investigations, appeals and market studies
• advising claimants and defendants in competition litigation
• advising on State Aid matters
• advising on all aspects of behavioural and commercial competition law
• working closely with the wider competition team and with clients as a trusted business partner
• taking a proactive approach to business development opportunities

ABOUT YOU

We do not set upper or lower limits of PQE for any of our vacancies. We have, however, given an indicative PQE as an approximate guide for applicants. Candidates who are newly qualified solicitors (0 years’ experience) are likely to have the right level of knowledge and have gained the right level of experience needed to be able to undertake this role.

The ideal candidate will:

• be a qualified solicitor, ideally qualified in England & Wales or a Commonwealth jurisdiction
• have strong antitrust and competition experience gained at a leading regional or City firm
• have multi-disciplinary experience, including investigations, behavioural and merger control work
• be able to demonstrate an understanding of the technical issues that are key to clients
• have experience working across jurisdictions and advising international clients
• non-English language skills are highly desirable, though not essential
• be capable of building and developing their own network of internal and external contacts
• draft documents using a commercial, client focussed style
• comply with professional standards and all relevant regulatory obligations
• comply with the firm’s systems, policies and procedures in all matters - including compliance, financial systems and time recording
• know and understand how to best utilise information and research resources

Behavioural skills:

• a values-based approach – the candidate should be bold, supportive, collaborative and exceptional
• commercially astute and stays current on key legal and business news
• excellent skills in communication, client relations, and team-working
• a proactive, self-driven, entrepreneurial and innovative outlook
• provide a professional, quality service in a timely manner, and responds effectively to requests from internal and external clients
• works co-operatively in a team, sharing information and knowledge
• manages time effectively and efficiently
• takes ownership for achieving agreed objectives
• recognises and seizes opportunities for the firm, including repeat business
• develops and awareness of business development initiatives in the department and identifies ways to contribute
• maintains a controlled, objective and flexible approach under pressure
• exhibits behaviour consistent with the firm’s values and builds relationships based on respect, trust and integrity

ABOUT US

DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Our global reach ensures that we can help businesses with their legal needs anywhere in the world. We strive to be the leading global business law firm by delivering quality, service excellence and value to our clients and offering practical and innovative legal solutions to help them succeed. Our clients range from multinational, Global 1000, and Fortune 500 enterprises to emerging companies developing industry-leading technologies, as well as government and public sector bodies.

OUR VALUES

In everything we do connected with our People, our Clients and our Communities, we live by these values:

• Be Supportive - we care about others, value diversity and act thoughtfully
• Be Collaborative - we give, we share and we join in
• Be Bold - we stand tall and challenge ourselves to think big
• Be Exceptional - we exceed standards and expectations

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

At DLA Piper, diversity and inclusion underpins how we live our values and everything we do. We believe that everyone has a voice, and that everyone’s voice counts. We know that the rich diversity across our firm makes us stronger, more innovative and creative, which helps us to better serve our clients and communities. We are committed to providing an inclusive working environment and culture across our global firm, where everyone can bring their authentic self to work.

Diversity of perspective, thought, background and culture combine to make us the leading global law firm; that’s why we actively seek to build balanced teams. We welcome the unique contribution that you will bring to our firm and actively encourage applications from all talented people – however your talent is packaged, whatever your background or circumstance and regardless of how you identify.

We support anyone with a disability or long term health condition to ensure they have the opportunity to perform at their best. If you have not done so already, please let us know if you require any support so we can make the right adjustments and considerations should they be required.

AGILE WORKING

We know that people have responsibilities and interests outside of their career and that as a business, we all benefit from working flexibly. That’s why we are open to discussing with candidates the different ways in which we are able to support requests for agile working arrangements.

PRE-ENGAGEMENT SCREENING

In the event that we make an offer to you, and where local legislation permits, we will conduct pre-engagement screening checks that may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, your eligibility to work in the relevant jurisdiction, any criminal records, your financial stability and references from previous employers.