Head of Disputes & Risk Knowledge

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Head of Disputes & Risk (D&R) Knowledge

Osborne Clarke • London or Bristol (Hybrid) Employment Type: Full-time or 4 days/week (Permanent)

Role Overview

Osborne Clarke is seeking a Head of D&R Knowledge to lead the knowledge management strategy for one of its most significant practice groups. This role is a strategic leadership position that sits at the intersection of technical legal expertise, practice group management, and legal innovation. You will oversee a dedicated team of Knowledge Lawyers and a Paralegal, driving the firm’s ambition to leverage knowledge as a competitive advantage for growth.

The D&R Practice Group

You will support a massive, high-performing group consisting of over 40 partners and 150 fee earners covering diverse service lines including:

  • Commercial Litigation & International Arbitration

  • Property, Construction & Intellectual Property Disputes

  • Business Crime, Investigations & Regulatory Disputes

  • Restructuring, Insolvency, and Contentious Financial Regulation

Key Responsibilities

  • Strategic Leadership: Define how the D&R Knowledge team leverages its collective expertise to meet the group’s business plan and commercial growth objectives.

  • Technical & Training Leadership: Oversee the development of training programmes, precedent libraries, and internal legal updates.

  • Innovation & Legal Tech: Work alongside the wider Knowledge Team to integrate legal technology to drive productivity and cost-efficient service delivery.

  • Technical Advisory: Act as a high-level consultant for partners and clients, providing authoritative views on complex legal and regulatory issues.

  • People Management: Manage, mentor, and inspire a team of Knowledge Lawyers and a Knowledge Paralegal.

  • Client Engagement: Support Business Development (BD) initiatives by presenting at seminars, roundtables, and bespoke client training sessions.

What We Are Looking For

  • Expertise: Extensive, up-to-date knowledge of commercial litigation. You are likely currently an experienced Professional Support Lawyer (PSL) or a senior litigator looking to transition into a knowledge-focused strategic role.

  • Managerial Experience: Prior line management of a team is highly desirable. You must be comfortable leading a team through a fast-paced, changing professional environment.

  • Commercial Acumen: A client-oriented mindset; you understand how knowledge management directly impacts revenue and client relationships.

  • Tech-Savvy: You don’t just use legal tech; you understand how it can be applied to solve specific workflow bottlenecks within a large firm.

  • Leadership Presence: You possess the gravitas to influence partners and the approachability to mentor junior associates.

Why Osborne Clarke?

Osborne Clarke is an international firm with over 1,260 lawyers and a reputation for a unique, “approachable” culture. They prioritize a sector-based approach, meaning you will not just be dealing with legal theory, but helping clients solve practical, sector-specific challenges.

Interview Preparation Insights

  • The “Strategy” Focus: The interview will likely focus on your vision for the Knowledge function. Don’t just talk about “updating precedents.” Be prepared to explain how you would measure the ROI of your knowledge strategy.

  • Managing Up and Across: You will be reporting to the Director of Knowledge while sitting on the D&R Practice Group management team. Prepare examples of how you have successfully navigated matrix-style reporting structures.

  • Tech Adoption: Osborne Clarke is interested in how you use tech for efficiency. Research current trends in Generative AI for legal research and contract lifecycle management (CLM). Be ready to discuss the balance between using AI tools and maintaining the firm’s strict standard of technical accuracy.

  • Soft Skills: This role requires you to be an ambassador for the firm. Prepare to discuss how you would keep a large, busy group of partners engaged with the Knowledge function—how do you make legal training “must-attend” rather than “must-ignore”?

    Gemini said

    This summary outlines the strategic leadership requirements, operational focus, and professional environment for the Head of Disputes & Risk (D&R) Knowledge role at Osborne Clarke.

    Core Role Summary: Head of D&R Knowledge

    Category Details & Specifications
    Institution Osborne Clarke
    Practice Group Disputes & Risk (D&R)
    Location Bristol or London (Hybrid working available)
    Contract Type Full-time or 4 days/week
    Reporting To Director of Knowledge
    Team Size Direct management of 6 (4 senior lawyers, 1 junior lawyer, 1 paralegal)

    Strategic & Operational Responsibilities

    • Strategic Development: Leading the evolution of the D&R knowledge strategy, ensuring it aligns with the Practice Group’s business plan and growth ambitions.

    • Technical Excellence: Driving best-practice professional support, overseeing a high-quality collection of legal precedents, and acting as the primary point of contact for complex technical legal queries.

    • Innovation & Tech: Supporting the delivery of legal services through the integration of legal technology and promoting efficient working processes.

    • Internal/External Influence: Keeping the D&R team abreast of regulatory changes, producing high-quality client publications, and speaking at seminars and client training sessions.

    • People Leadership: Directly managing the D&R Knowledge team, fostering enthusiasm, and building confidence among Partners and senior Business Services leadership.

    Ideal Candidate Profile

    Osborne Clarke is seeking a senior practitioner with deep commercial litigation expertise and a flair for professional support.

    • Experience: Experienced Professional Support Lawyer (PSL) or senior commercial litigator in a top-tier law firm environment.

    • Knowledge Management: Strong appreciation for how knowledge supports business development, client engagement, and fee-earner productivity.

    • Leadership: Demonstrable experience in proactive leadership and managing small teams within a fast-paced environment.

    • Communication: Exceptional ability to synthesize complex legal issues into clear, professional, and reader-friendly content.

    • Technical Aptitude: A solid understanding of legal technology and how it can be leveraged to drive cost efficiencies and productivity.

    Practice Group Context

    The D&R Practice Group is significant in scale, featuring 40+ Partners and ~150 fee earners across multiple locations. The team covers a broad spectrum of specialist areas, including:

    • Core Disputes: Commercial Litigation, International Arbitration, Property Litigation.

    • Specialist Areas: Business Crime, Financial Regulation, Competition, Regulatory, Construction, IP, Restructuring/Insolvency, and Crisis Management.

    Benefits & Culture

    • Approachability: Osborne Clarke prides itself on a “unique approachable culture” as a fundamental pillar of its success.

    • Inclusion: The firm actively encourages applicants from all backgrounds, offering various diversity networks and interest groups.

    • Recruitment Approach: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; there is no automated decision-making in the recruitment process.

To apply for this job please visit www.osborneclarke.com.