Senior Counsels

Multiple Vacancies Walkers is a leading international law and professional services firm providing legal, corporate and fiduciary services to global corporations, financial institutions, capital market participants, investment fund managers, UHNWIs, entrepreneurs and family offices. With a global presence spanning the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, we advise on the jurisdictions of Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Ireland and Jersey. We are seeking to fill the role of Senior Counsel, an individual who will match the below key skills and qualifications, to join our dynamic and high achieving teams within a supportive culture. The Cayman Islands Insurance team advises global insurers and reinsurers, insurance managers, captive sponsors, P&C and life companies, cedants, insurance-linked securities issuers, and asset managers entering the reinsurance market. The team handles the full lifecycle of insurance regulatory and transactional matters across all licence classes, including SPC and PIC structuring, reinsurance platform formations, and insurance-linked securities transactions. We seek suitably qualified current or prospective Senior Counsels with a minimum of 8 years post qualification experience, preferably Caymanians or Residents with Employment Rights holders, who are talented and highly motivated to join our dynamic Insurance team, in the Cayman Islands. This is an exceptional opportunity to work on cutting-edge legal matters for high-profile clients and be involved in a wide range of complex and rewarding legal work.

SCOPE AND RESPONSIBILITY

• Proactively assist in the expansion and growth of the Cayman office’s Insurance practice, working alongside the Firm’s Insurance practices across Walkers’ offices. This will involve becoming engaged in, and (in time) leading the implementation of, cross-border and cross-practice group initiatives aimed at ensuring the Firm leverages its business across the global business.
• Participating as a senior team member in undertaking insurance cross-jurisdictional analysis and providing holistic solutions, advising regulated businesses on contentious insurance matters.
• Act as a senior advisor and matter leader on complex insurance mandates across M&A, governance, solvency, reinsurance, portfolio transfers, group restructurings, SPC and PIC structuring, insurance-linked securities transactions, and cross-border transactions.
• Provide strategic, high-level advice to boards, global insurers, reinsurers, insurance managers, captive sponsors, pension structures, intermediaries and financial institutions.
• Proactively lead the team in developing and expanding client relationships important to the Firm’s success and at the same time becoming a valued resource to clients. This will involve taking ownership of the development of relationships with core clients, referral of work and cross selling the Insurance practice across the Firm.
• Provide technically sound advice and highly responsive service to clients, and support colleagues, and partners on all client matters.
• Participate as a senior team member in the Insurance team, working alongside the Partners as a key figure within the team by supervising and supporting junior Fee Earners.
• Maintain a strong and sustained record of revenue generation and profitability; adhering to recommended billing rates; manage costs appropriately; ensure personal utilization meets expectations.
• Mentor, train and supervise junior lawyers and legal support staff, ensuring the delivery of consistently high-quality legal services. Proven ability to work in a collaborative environment, a team player and role model, able to empower others to deliver their best work.
• Adhere to Firm’s values and professional ethics and proactively seek resolution of conflicts.
• Lead in the development of the practice’s know-how, share knowledge, and participate in conferences, seminars and internal training.
• Leading on matters important to the Firm and using the global network to build Firm resources.

KEY SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Academics

• Qualified in the Cayman Islands or in another Commonwealth jurisdiction with a minimum of 8 years of post-qualification experience within a top-tier international or leading offshore law firm.
• Excellent academics, a minimum of an Upper Second-Class (2.1) Honours law degree from a Tier 1 University is preferred.

Technical skills and experience

• Ambitious and commercially driven lawyer with a keen intellect and experience, working for an established law firm is required.
• Excellent legal skills with competent understanding of relevant market and client industries and the particular sector of the financial services industry in which they advise, be it banking, insurance, securities investment business, corporate administration or investment funds and general cross-border investigations.
• Must have excellent technical drafting skills and be able to provide clients with innovative solutions to all manner of legal requirements tailored to meet each client’s needs.
• Highly skilled and proficient in written and verbal communication. Routinely able to demonstrate a thorough and careful analysis of legal issues.
• Demonstrates a clear interest in and enthusiasm for practicing law. Ability to identify and agree with Partner one key market sector to target and develop as part of own personal business development plan.
• Proven track record of leading and managing complex legal transactions. Works well with others and possesses the technical skills to work independently and lead on client matters providing sound advice on their commercial needs.
• Demonstrated ability to manage personal financial performance against pre-agreed targets and to contribute to team billing objectives.
• Good financial management (WIP and AR levels within firm guidelines).
• Demonstrated ability to perform above and beyond expectations in a fast-paced and high-performance culture while delivering an accurate and timely work product.
• Experience working with legal precedents and law firm management tools including timekeeping and billing systems. Able to achieve and exceed pre-agreed annual billing and collection targets.
• Adheres to firm’s matter administration procedures (including accurate and regular time recording).

Entrepreneurial mind-set

• Proactively assist in the expansion and growth of the Cayman Islands Insurance practice and the global group generally.
• Relevant business development and marketing experience within a top tier international or leading offshore law firm.
• Services existing relationships, core clients and referrers expertly and creates key strong personal links with clients.
• Cross-sells the group’s strengths across practice groups and offices and proactively participate in efforts to win new clients.
• Take responsibility for and procure the regular billing of all matters for which you are responsible, driving matters to conclusion without prompting by clients or Partners, ensuring invoices are sent out as soon as raised and that all time is recorded fully on a daily basis.
• Actively leads by example in the development and dissemination of knowledge and know-how for the practice group.

Good Counsel expertise

• Well regarded and trustworthy individual, both internally and amongst clients.
• Demonstrates leadership qualities, good communication, tolerance, respect and is a good role model for colleagues.
• Supports and helps drive the practice group and its strategic goals. Demonstrated track record of sound financial management.
• Manages risk with a flawless record of compliance with risk management procedures.
• Contribute to the team’s knowledge bank with memos on learnings, precedents, templates, emails, presenting trainings to colleagues.
• Become ranked or increase ranking in the Legal Directories. Act as go to person on the team for knowledge of the practice group.
• Commercial awareness of the international reinsurance market, including emerging trends in insurance-asset management convergence, NAIC Qualified Jurisdiction developments, and insurance-linked investment structures.