BDU 396723 - Junior Associate Attorney (COMMERCIAL AND CORPORATE LAW) (Johannesburg North)

Employer Description

Firm specializing in Commercial, Corporate and Company Law.

Job Description

Our client is looking for an Associate Attorney to join their firm in Johannesburg.

Duties will include –

Legal:

• Prepare and process correspondence, legal documents and papers, and court forms (including summons, pleadings, appeals, motions, briefs, pre-trial agreements, discovery documents and subpoenas).
• Perform client presentations.
• Perform legal research and examine national, international and local laws to identify any rules the clients must follow or conflicts that might arise.
• Collect information such as employment, medical, and other records for FICA processing and other purposes.
• Consult and correspond with Firm Principle, clients, colleagues, associates and other stakeholders.
• Analyse legal issue, situations and determine the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
• Examine legal data to determine advisability.
• Advise clients concerning business transactions, liability, prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.
• Prepare and provide commercial legal advice and services.
• Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation or summarization of cases.
• Guide clients and ensure compliance with rules and regulations.
• Conduct and manage dispute and litigation support.
• Edit and review documentation prepared by Candidate Attorneys.
• Represent clients in legal proceedings (administrative boards, court trials etc).
• Support the Principal Attorney in all corporate and other legal processes (e.g. intellectual property, mergers & acquisitions, financial/securities offerings, compliance issues, transactions, agreements, lawsuits, patents).
• Structure, review, edit, draft, and administer a wide range of legal documents, agreements, and reports, company/commercial paperwork, contracts/agreements, and business reports/documents.
• Support the Principal Attorney in negotiating and facilitating business deals from a legal perspective.
• Collaborate with other law firms, advocates, clients and/or government agencies.
• Research, anticipate and guard clients against legal risks.
• Ensure that the Candidate Attorneys appropriately FICA all clients.
• Develop internal and external company policies and procedures when the need arises.

Administration:

• Schedule site inspections, court cases, hearings and attorney/client meetings.
• Keep records up to date and maintaining complex docket systems to track the myriad of legal filing deadlines; index and update pleadings and discovery binders.
• Manage calendars and organising diaries, interaction with both internal and external clients as well as consultants and co-ordinate, schedule and manage a variety of meetings.
• Communicate and handle incoming and outgoing electronic communications on behalf of the Principle Attorney.
• Organize and maintain law libraries, documents, and case files.

Business Development, Sales and Marketing:

• Attend internal business meetings when required.
• Assist with the revising of current, and development of new procedures, precedents and related ways of enhancing the provision of legal support.
• Contribute ideas, content and feedback to the business development, sales and marketing efforts of the firm.
• Provide input and/ or compile proposals.
• Assist the Principal Attorney with the mapping and plotting of all internal and external legal and business processes.

Qualifications

• LLB
• Admitted with the right of appearance in the High Court
• Multi-jurisdictional qualification will be advantageous.
• Member of the Law Society of the Northern Provinces.
• Valid code B driver’s license and own transport.

Skills

• Minimum 2 – 3 years’ post admission experience focusing on commercial law.
• Ghost Practice legal and accounting software skills will be a bonus.
• Super user in MS Word