Herbert Smith Freehills' pioneering global Digital Legal Delivery business harnesses the firm's key legal and client technology expertise around the world to offer cost-efficient legal products and technology services for clients. The South African practice launched in June 2017, bringing together the key parts of our Digital Legal Delivery offering to create a global team of over 400 lawyers, legal analysts and technologists.
The team works seamlessly and 24/7 from offices in Belfast, London, Shanghai, Johannesburg, New York, Beijing, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane, under one trusted legal services provider brand. The business offers all clients globally a range of alternative legal services which include document review, regulatory claims assessment, due diligence, verification, commercial contracts, repapering, specialist funds work, asset management for real estate clients and eDiscovery and client data technology services (including advisory and document review software).
Digital Legal Delivery utilises leading technology to support high-volume matters such as disputes and investigations. It is a market leader in the use of technology assisted review for e-disclosure in the UK and worked on the first UK Commercial Court matter to use it. Our clients benefit fully from the enhanced quality and time-saving that leading technology and innovation in delivery can provide, while also saving money.
Legal
In Legal, we help shape how the firm delivers legal matters to clients. We have longstanding experience in thinking differently about law, and we are at the forefront of making legal services more efficient - particularly at scale.
We have a deep knowledge across a broad range of sectors, and a wealth of experience in delivering large and complex mandates. We are specialists in contract management, document review, volume claims and remediation, and due diligence.
Working collaboratively with colleagues from across the firm, we use our expertise in law, process design and technology to deliver solutions for our clients. Underpinned by our legal project management capability, we organise our collective effort as efficiently and seamlessly as possible. This ensures consistent delivery throughout and enables our clients to achieve efficiencies across their operations.
Legal Technology
In Legal Technology, we deploy the firm's established technology efficiently and reliably across a range of client matters and projects.
We combine our expertise in document automation, custom development, eDiscovery and data analytics and client reporting - to work collaboratively across the firm on disputes, transactions and projects.
Digital Change
In Digital Change, we innovate, invest and push our firm's boundaries when it comes to new uses of legal technology.
We experiment with technology and pilot tools to understand them deeply: their potential challenges and benefits, and how they can be used in our day-to-day work to provide better solutions for clients.
And we ensure we have the right internal governance when it comes to making decisions, so we can minimise risk, maximise our opportunities and provide consistency for our stakeholders.
Advisory
In Advisory, we bring deep expertise in legal operations and emerging technologies, working across any sector, alongside our teams or directly with clients.
We are trusted advisers to our clients on new ways of working as we scan the horizon, together.
International Legal Development Programme ("ILDP")
The ILDP is an 18-month programme that will offer legal graduates the opportunity to gain employment and work experience through a structured learning and development programme.
Taking part in the ILDP will offer you the opportunity to develop your legal skills through working on large scale projects including document review. You will also have the opportunity to enhance your commercial awareness, and build your personal leadership qualities, all whilst gaining valuable experience as a Legal Analyst in an innovative environment. The role will give you the chance to grow your skills and profile for future candidate attorney positions.
You will also have the opportunity to work with the firm's disputes, corporate and finance practices, alongside Partners and Associates across the firm's international network, giving you exposure to global clients.
The Role
Legal Analysts are part of our Digital Legal Delivery team, working closely with Managers, Senior Lawyers, Lawyers and Trainees across our international network.
Key responsibilities
- Conducting document review, due diligence and other fee-earning work as required
- Providing general support to the Digital Legal Delivery Management team in the Johannesburg office
- Maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of relevant areas of law to the Digital Legal Delivery practice
- Ensuring compliance with financial disciplines on matters
Commitment to the ILDP
As participants of the ILDP, Legal Analysts will also be expected to:
- Attend, participate in and complete all learning and development modules
- Apply the learning in their day-to-day roles
- Complete and keep up to date their personal learning log
- Support the performance and effectiveness of colleagues joining the programme as part of further cohorts by transferring knowledge and skills
Qualifications and skills
- Essential; Law graduate - (LLB or equivalent) and/or a post-graduate (LLM or equivalent) qualification. Applications are welcome from undergraduates who expect to obtain this in advance of the programme
- Ability to review, analyse and organise documentary and factual evidence
- Excellent attention to detail; aims to get it right first time
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Aptitude for learning (and becoming proficient in) the use of software and IT applications, and using software tools intelligently to navigate large databases/document management systems
Eligibility
All applicants must be eligible to work in South Africa at the time of application and for the duration of the programme. Due to the nature of the programme we are unable to accept applications from individuals who have previously completed articles.
Please note that applications will close at 12:00pm (SAST)on Friday 6th September 2024.
