Business Disputes Senior Associate at Duma works

Job Purpose

1. To help our client’s business successfully operate and grow.
2. To focus on issues that affect businesses and innovatively resolve them.
3. To offer our client’s a satisfying legal experience.

Key responsibilities

Legal Services

• To understand the fundamentals of our client’s work and their business goals.
• To understand the client’s industries and the stakeholders involved.
• To ensure compliance with local, county, national, and international laws that regulate the economic sector or industry to which the business belongs.
• To manage both big and small legal concerns that the client might have during regular business.
• To do everything in our power to protect our client.
• To collaborate with our clients and take a proactive – rather than reactive – approach to litigation and ensure that our clients are never caught off guard by an unexpected turn of events.
• To take immediate action/steps that need to be taken to mitigate client’s risk of liability.
• To help our clients navigate the complexities of their business disputes from beginning to end.
• To choose the correct path for legal disputes.
• To help clients make informed decisions focused on securing a cost-effective and favourable resolution.
• To quickly identify clients’ disputes strengths and any potential weaknesses when facing litigation.
• To work with the client to understand their business priorities and build a case strategy cantered on what matters most to the client.
• To develop litigation strategies and provide court precedents that support the client’s goals.
• To file and defend clients in business litigation suits.
• To identifying legal claims and counterclaims when clients are sued, and defenses clients can raise when sued.
• To talk to the people in the client’s company who were involved and look for potential witnesses who can corroborate the issue.
• To obtain evidence, including finding expert witnesses if necessary to testify on clients behalf.
• To manage the discovery process, including turning over required information, reviewing the information provided and interviewing witnesses.
• To submit all litigation paperwork, including motions and pleadings, during the pre-trial and trial phase.
• To negotiate settlements or explore possibilities for other out-of-court dispute resolution alternatives.
• To present evidence in support of client claims and make arguments court/mediation or arbitration proceedings.
• To appeal unfavourable decisions resulting from commercial cases in which legal or procedural errors occurred.
• To provide legal advice/opinions on the implications of government actions, new laws, court decisions and regulations and other stakeholder actions.
• To minimize the client’s exposure to litigation.
• To ensure that the necessary documents are filed with the appropriate governmental authorities and that the documents contain all the information and disclosures required by law.
• To understand and navigate the effects of modern technology.
• To ensure all legal documents are complete, accurate and properly stored.
• To educate our clients regarding various legalities and illegalities throughout their day-to-day business.
• To work with in-house legal departments and provide advice to the people running and working in the business.
• To act as the liaison between the client and its stakeholders.
• To tap into your networks to assist our clients.

Legal Operations

• Work in accordance with detailed procedures and quality standards contained office handbook and relevant procedures contained in the server and practice management tool.
• Managing multiple clients, matters, and legal activities that carry varying deadlines.
• Ensure services are provided in a timely and efficient manner.
• To take initiative to ensure the client is informed regularly on progress and costs.
• Provide weekly matter work in progress reports to the Partner.
• To use technology in the delivery of legal services.

Finance & Accounting

• To discuss with clients the possible costs of the litigation including the legal fees.
• To bill and collect monthly personal billings of five times your salary.
• To ensure upfront payment of: 100% of disbursements, tax & government fees and 70% of legal fees.
• With 30% balance of legal fees at conclusion of the matter.

Business Development

• Continuously innovate on how to provide great client experiences.
• Obtain at least 1 new instruction from each client monthly.
• Attend & organise conferences, trade shows and other networking events.

People & Culture

• To put your own personal agenda aside and always consider what is the right thing for the firm.
• To behave according to the guidelines in the firm’s employer brand book.
• To build strong working relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders.
• Share information, knowhow, and best practice with colleagues.
• Develop and maintain the competencies necessary to provide a proper standard of service to clients and maintain a record of professional development.

Knowledge, skills and qualifications

Qualified advocate

• Admitted to the Bar as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya;
• Kenya School of Law – Diploma in Law
• Masters in Law or business (LLM/MBA/MSc)
• Undergraduate Law Degree (LLB) OR) Graduate Law Degree with upper second-class honours
• Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) OR A-Levels, IGSCE’S OR Relevant High School Diploma
• Minimum Grade B in both English & Mathematics