American Express
Director & Counsel - Consumer Litigation
Job Location
London, United Kingdom
Job Description
You Lead the Way. We've Got Your Back.
With the right backing, people and businesses have the power to progress in incredible ways. When you join Team Amex, you become part of a global and diverse community of colleagues with an unwavering commitment to back our customers, communities and each other. Here, you'll learn and grow as we help you create a career journey that's unique and meaningful to you with benefits, programs, and flexibility that support you personally and professionally.
At American Express, you'll be recognized for your contributions, leadership, and impact-every colleague has the opportunity to share in the company's success. Together, we'll win as a team, striving to uphold our company values and powerful backing promise to provide the world's best customer experience every day. And we'll do it with the utmost integrity, and in an environment where everyone is seen, heard and feels like they belong.
Join Team Amex and let's lead the way together.
The Role
We are looking for an experienced litigation lawyer for the role of Director & Counsel, reporting directly to the EMEA Vice President & Senior Counsel In the Litigation and Investigations Team overseeing mainly the Consumer world.
In this role you will be based at Belgrave House in London (minimum 3 days in-office), and will play an integral part of the legal team who sit within the General Counsel's Organization ("GCO"). You will play a key role as trusted advisor in the GCO and provide key support and advice predominantly on the UK Consumer business line. You will partner closely with other teams dedicated to the support of this business line within and outside the GCO. Given the international breath of the Team's remit, though, you will also play a crucial role in advising Business and GCO Colleagues of different Markets on mitigation risk strategies, in collaboration where necessary with local Outside Counsel, or supporting the delivery of trainings and/or participating or leading projects especially where there is a consumer related angle.
You will be responsible for managing your own portfolio of UK matters varying from litigation to advisory matters, as well as managing a paralegal and any more junior lawyers in the team from time to time. You will closely support and become a trusted advisor to colleagues and stakeholders of all levels from all business units, particularly senior leaders in the GCO or Business such as the UK Country Manager and the Head of Amex's UK consumer lending, as well as merchant businesses.
You will also provide legal advice and support to Amex's businesses and management throughout the Europe, Middle East and Africa ("EMEA") region in connection with a broad range of contentious or non-contentious, consumer and non-related issues.
The role will also require ability to manage other work varying in significance and complexity and will include civil/commercial litigation as well as contentious financial regulatory issues.
The work involved and related responsibilities will include the following:
Candidates must have significant PQE Solicitor qualified in England & Wales with extensive experience in a wide range of civil litigation at all stages gained in a financial services context, with a main focus on consumer litigation. Experience with section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, PPI, and strong knowledge of the Consumer Duty is required as well as Financial services litigation in a consumer credit context.
We back our colleagues and their loved ones with benefits and programs that support their holistic well-being. That means we prioritize their physical, financial, and mental health through each stage of life. Benefits include:
Location: London, GB
Posted Date: 9/27/2024
With the right backing, people and businesses have the power to progress in incredible ways. When you join Team Amex, you become part of a global and diverse community of colleagues with an unwavering commitment to back our customers, communities and each other. Here, you'll learn and grow as we help you create a career journey that's unique and meaningful to you with benefits, programs, and flexibility that support you personally and professionally.
At American Express, you'll be recognized for your contributions, leadership, and impact-every colleague has the opportunity to share in the company's success. Together, we'll win as a team, striving to uphold our company values and powerful backing promise to provide the world's best customer experience every day. And we'll do it with the utmost integrity, and in an environment where everyone is seen, heard and feels like they belong.
Join Team Amex and let's lead the way together.
The Role
We are looking for an experienced litigation lawyer for the role of Director & Counsel, reporting directly to the EMEA Vice President & Senior Counsel In the Litigation and Investigations Team overseeing mainly the Consumer world.
In this role you will be based at Belgrave House in London (minimum 3 days in-office), and will play an integral part of the legal team who sit within the General Counsel's Organization ("GCO"). You will play a key role as trusted advisor in the GCO and provide key support and advice predominantly on the UK Consumer business line. You will partner closely with other teams dedicated to the support of this business line within and outside the GCO. Given the international breath of the Team's remit, though, you will also play a crucial role in advising Business and GCO Colleagues of different Markets on mitigation risk strategies, in collaboration where necessary with local Outside Counsel, or supporting the delivery of trainings and/or participating or leading projects especially where there is a consumer related angle.
You will be responsible for managing your own portfolio of UK matters varying from litigation to advisory matters, as well as managing a paralegal and any more junior lawyers in the team from time to time. You will closely support and become a trusted advisor to colleagues and stakeholders of all levels from all business units, particularly senior leaders in the GCO or Business such as the UK Country Manager and the Head of Amex's UK consumer lending, as well as merchant businesses.
You will also provide legal advice and support to Amex's businesses and management throughout the Europe, Middle East and Africa ("EMEA") region in connection with a broad range of contentious or non-contentious, consumer and non-related issues.
The role will also require ability to manage other work varying in significance and complexity and will include civil/commercial litigation as well as contentious financial regulatory issues.
The work involved and related responsibilities will include the following:
- Mainly leading the conduct of Consumer litigation, managing and advising stakeholders of all levels of seniority on the strategy, merits, brand and litigation risks of a wide range of pre-action and issued consumer litigation types, including:
- Section 75 Consumer Credit Act 1974 ("CCA") claims - including a fortnightly advice clinic to the Section 75 claims handling team;
- Data privacy related claims;
- Equality Act 2010 issues;
- Unfair relationship claims under s140A CCA including PPI;
- Unauthorised and authorised fraud claims under the Payment Services Regulations 2017 and/or CCA regimes;
- Alleged breaches of FCA handbook rules (e.g. CONC); and
- Contractual disputes arising during the life of a consumer product.
Candidates must have significant PQE Solicitor qualified in England & Wales with extensive experience in a wide range of civil litigation at all stages gained in a financial services context, with a main focus on consumer litigation. Experience with section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, PPI, and strong knowledge of the Consumer Duty is required as well as Financial services litigation in a consumer credit context.
- Relevant experience should have been obtained in a strong private practice law firm and at least 5 years of in-house experience with another significant financial institution.
- Experience of managing or working with foreign lawyers, or cross-border litigation where cases span several jurisdictions would be an advantage.
- Experience of managing junior lawyers or paralegals desirable.
- Experience of managing/conducting substantial litigation (as a team leader or member) and experience of running case-load of smaller cases, and managing the strategy of specific case portfolios, such as Group Litigation Orders is required.
- Fluency in spoken and written English is essential.
- Familiarity with other European languages an advantage, but not a pre-requisite.
- Competency with office software essential (Outlook, Powerpoint, Word etc.)
- Commercial Acumen, team spirit, initiative/proactiveness but at the same time an ability to follow instructions are key to this role.
- Ability to manage and adapt to different working and communication styles according to the different level of internal stakeholders, always enabling stakeholders and GCO colleagues to maintain an open and constructive communication channel.
- Flexibility - the role will mainly rotate about the Consumer Uk World but there is a broad range of work. The successful candidate will be involved in work at all levels and should be prepared to 'roll up his/her sleeves'.
- Resourcefulness and commercial awareness - ability to respond to business issues often under critical time pressure.
- Ability to raise awareness when certain gaps identified, propose remedial actions, delivery of trainings including but not limited to, to upskill colleagues where deemed necessary
- Communication skills - ability to relay precise information orally and in writing in a concise manner.
- Ability to work independently - to include preparedness to take the lead in making appropriate recommendations but equally ability to escalate to senior leaders without any delay.
- Client Focus - ability to deliver excellent levels of client service.
- Excellent Team approach - ability to promote collaboration within own peer group and throughout the organization, across different teams acting as people leader at all times
- People management skills - ability to nurture talent and further development of more junior members of the team.
- Excellent strength and sound judgment - ability to distil information rapidly in order to identify and advise upon key legal and business issues; ability to identify when to escalate issues to line manager.
We back our colleagues and their loved ones with benefits and programs that support their holistic well-being. That means we prioritize their physical, financial, and mental health through each stage of life. Benefits include:
- Competitive base salaries
- Bonus incentives
- Support for financial-well-being and retirement
- Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits (depending on location)
- Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need
- Generous paid parental leave policies (depending on your location)
- Free access to global on-site wellness centers staffed with nurses and doctors (depending on location)
- Free and confidential counseling support through our Healthy Minds program
- Career development and training opportunities
Location: London, GB
Posted Date: 9/27/2024
Contact Information
Contact | Human Resources American Express |
---|