Director of Litigation and Recovery
Reporting to: The Principal / the board of the claimant entity Works alongside: Consultant solicitor and instructed litigation counsel Location: London / hybrid Engagement: Consultancy Status: Confidential. A full briefing on the matter will follow under NDA.
1. Purpose of the role
We are seeking a capable, commercially-minded litigation lead to drive, on the claimant’s behalf, a large-scale, multi-jurisdictional civil fraud and asset-recovery effort. This is the client-side quarterback for the whole matter: the person sets and holds the strategy, instructs and coordinates the external professionals (litigation solicitors, counsel, foreign lawyers, experts and funders), controls budget and timetable, and carries the effort from pre-action through to recovery.
This is a client-side directing and coordinating role. It does not involve the conduct of litigation or the exercise of rights of audience, which are reserved to authorised persons and performed by the instructed solicitors and counsel (see section 6).
2. Context
The matter is a substantial, cross-border civil fraud and asset-recovery claim with several coordinated workstreams and related proceedings in more than one jurisdiction. It will be pursued on a funded basis. Further detail on the parties, evidence and quantum will be provided to shortlisted candidates under a non-disclosure agreement.
3. Immediate priorities
The two immediate deliverables are:
- Firm selection. Finalise the choice of litigation solicitors (and, through them, counsel), running a disciplined selection and conflict-clearance process against the relevant parties and any co-recovery counterparty, and agreeing the basis of engagement.
- Letter before action. Drive the preparation and issue of a well-evidenced letter before action, working with the instructed firm and counsel, on a timetable that protects the claimant’s position.
Supporting these, the Director will complete conflict-clearance, help secure any necessary limitation protection, and support the funding process. The Director may also be asked to help coordinate a potential joint venture with a co-recovering financial institution on one strand of the recovery.
4. Ongoing responsibilities
Strategy and case ownership. Own the overarching strategy, translate it into a sequenced, costed plan, and keep it current as the evidence develops — maintaining clear separation between the different workstreams.
Instructing and managing external professionals. Act as the single point of instruction to the solicitors and, through them, counsel; manage foreign counsel; and select and manage experts. Hold all providers to budget, quality and timetable.
Litigation funding. Manage the funder relationship and the associated commercial and structuring considerations, including any after-the-event insurance and security-for-costs exposure.
Evidence and disclosure. Oversee the evidence programme, including document and e-disclosure management, provenance discipline, and the handling of any material subject to use restrictions or foreign-law consents.
Cross-border and related proceedings. Coordinate the civil claim with related proceedings in other jurisdictions and manage the interface between them.
Joint venture / co-recovery. Progress and manage any co-investment or inter-creditor arrangement with a co-recovering institution.
Recovery and enforcement. Drive asset tracing, freezing and enforcement strategy, and the eventual recovery and distribution.
Governance, privilege and reporting. Keep the matter within legal privilege; report to the Principal on strategy, risk, budget and timetable; and maintain disciplined records.
Settlement. Develop and hold the settlement and leverage strategy, and lead or support negotiations as instructed.
5. Person specification
We are open on seniority. What matters most is judgement, drive and the credibility to instruct and hold to account external counsel. Experience of complex litigation is a major asset.
Essential
- Strong experience of complex, contentious matters, whether gained in private practice, in-house, litigation funding or asset recovery.
- The judgement and standing to instruct and manage external solicitors, counsel and experts.
- First-class organisational and strategic judgement, discretion, and a sound understanding of confidentiality and privilege.
- The temperament to run a demanding, adversarial, long-duration matter with autonomy and composure.
Desirable
- Experience of multi-jurisdictional fraud and/or asset-recovery matters and cross-border enforcement.
- Familiarity with litigation-funding structures.
- Familiarity with foreign civil and criminal procedure and mutual-legal-assistance frameworks.
6. Nature of the role — reserved activities and privilege
The conduct of litigation and the exercise of rights of audience are reserved legal activities performed by the instructed solicitors and counsel; the Director coordinates, instructs and directs those professionals but does not perform reserved activities. To preserve instruction authority and privilege, the Director will be appointed as an officer or expressly authorised agent of the claimant, and their communications in that capacity are intended to fall within legal privilege. Where the successful candidate is a qualified lawyer, the role remains a client-side principal role and is not an engagement to act as the claimant’s litigation solicitor.
7. Terms and remuneration
Remuneration is expected to combine a base fee or salary with an outcome-aligned element. Any success-linked component should be structured with legal advice to ensure alignment with funding-regulation, maintenance and champerty considerations and with the funder’s requirements.
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