Sectors

Economic austerity, changing patterns of consumption, rapidly evolving technologies and an increasing focus on environmental and ethical issues – these are just some of the forces that will reshape the consumer economy in the years ahead. How should companies respond? What strategies and resources do they need to drive innovation? Can they navigate more effectively through an increasingly complex legislative and regulatory landscape?

Every day, our international Food and Drinks and Retail teams work with many of the biggest names in the sector to explore such questions and develop solutions that add real value to their businesses.

Our Food and Drink team, for example, has more than 300 clients in the sector and vast experience in advising and partnering with those clients. We address legal issues such as food safety, environmental standards and labour conditions, of course. But we also provide specialist advice in everything from corporate finance and intellectual property protection to contracts and tax.

You will find a similar breadth and depth of expertise in our Retail team. With capabilities that include contracts, dispute management and regulation – and extend into other vital areas such as franchising, human resources and risk reduction - we have by far the leading presence in the retail sector and are top-ranked by Chambers for our retail work.

The result is a varied, intellectually stimulating and truly international career environment. If you have the knowledge and experience to advise at the highest level, we can promise you ample opportunity to embrace the business of law and become an influential member of a team recognised as one of the very best of its kind.

The challenges facing diversified industrials are significant. The global downturn has led to large numbers of downsizings, restructurings and plant closures. The emergence of South Korean, Brazilian, Russian, Chinese, Indian and other industrial powers has radically transformed the competitive landscape. And the extraordinary pace of change – economic, political and technological – is placing ever greater operational and strategic demands on industrial management teams.

That’s where the Eversheds Diversified Industrials team comes into its own.

We focus on four specialist sectors - Industrial Engineering; Aerospace, Defence and Security; Automotive; and Chemicals. Combining market intelligence with legal know-how, our teams can support clients at every stage of the growth cycle. This could involve acquisition and disposal work, real estate, environmental compliance, competition, intellectual property or dispute management.

The scope of what we do and who we do it for is exceptional. We have over 100 clients in the Automotive sector, for example, working with regional and large multi-national companies ranging from manufacturers and suppliers to dealerships and auto finance houses. Our Chemicals team works with an equally wide range of clients in the chemicals sector on mainstream legal issues as well as highly technical and specific areas such as hydraulic fracturing and nanotechnology. In the Aerospace, Defence and Security sector, you will find our teams supporting major companies such as Rolls Royce and BAE Systems with complex issues relating to issues that include the Defence Procurement Directive, M&A transactions and export control. And our Industrial Engineering team is helping leading industrial players get to grips with anti-trust and regulatory compliance, counterparty risk, data protection – and much more besides.

Are you ready to engage with issues, challenges and cross-border projects that will help shape the diversified industrials sector of the future? Are you keen to connect with clients and harness the power of new models, new technologies and new ways of working? Then you’ll be in good company as part of our innovative and geographically diverse team.

Eversheds Sutherland is the leading legal adviser to the education sector, with more named experts in the legal directories than any other law firm. That should come as no surprise.. Whether dealing with higher education, further education or schools, our teams continue to help respond to often radical change - and to turn that change into a source of opportunity.

This could involve helping universities cope with increasing overseas competition by helping them set up overseas operations or develop joint ventures with the private sector. It could entail advising further education colleges on merger projects or on ways to collaborate effectively with private and public sector organisation. We are also helping schools to adapt to the new central government policies and have acted on the conversion of over 100 academies.

The sheer variety of work we undertake, and the range of organisations we work with across the globe, means that we can offer talented professionals a career of exceptional influence and intellectual stimulation. After all, you won’t just be joining a team whose experience and expertise are second to none - you will be right at the forefront of developments in this key sector.

Have you got the personal and professional qualities to excel in our responsive and rapidly evolving environment? Are you keen to challenge some of the more traditional aspects of the legal profession and develop your career in a way that fits in with your life’s ambitions? Then there’s no better place to be.

Sustainability, climate change, energy security, carbon trading - the Eversheds Sutherland Energy and Natural Resources team engages with some of the most urgent and complex issues facing the planet. And we are well placed to do so.

Combining a deep knowledge of the relevant legal issues affecting the energy sector with an acute understanding of the commercial challenges, we are successfully advising domestic and international energy and utility companies operating in this highly regulated industry. Our energy lawyers have extensive experience in a wide range of oil, gas, LNG, electricity, nuclear, renewable and sustainable energy projects. We understand the agenda of the major players and the regulatory and competitive framework in which they operate.

We act for many of the key players in the global nuclear industry including Toshiba, Westinghouse, BNFL and Sellafield Limited. In addition, our specialist clean energy and sustainability team is advising many commercial and public sector organisations across the globe. We also advise major global mining organisations on issues including project structuring, project financing and the granting of mining permits. And our water group acts for a significant number of the UK’s major statutory water companies. [What about Oil & Gas]??

Do you want more opportunity to connect with clients and exert professional influence in a truly international legal environment? Then it’s time to bring your powerful blend of technical and client management skills to a commercially-driven team that is actively embracing the business of law and developing innovative models that promise to reshape the legal sector and your role within it.

Financial institutions are facing unprecedented challenges in the wake of the credit crisis and global recession. Entire business models are being tested. Liquidity issues and expanding regulation are changing the commercial landscape. Organisations are responding to calls for better governance and risk management.

At Eversheds Sutherland, our dedicated team is working with some of the world’s leading organisations to address with these challenges – and turn them into sources of opportunity, innovation, value and growth.

Drawing on over two decades of experience in the sector, we have the technical expertise and market insight to meet the needs of asset managers, banks, consumer finance providers, insurers and brokers. We have over 600 clients – including global brands such as Schroders and Citibank International - and we bring a wide range of legal experience and relevant industry knowledge to each deal.

But if you think we’re bound by tradition, think again. We are commercially-minded and entrepreneurial in approach, constantly exploring new models and tapping into new technologies to connect more closely with clients and deliver results that have a bottom-line business impact. So it will come as no surprise that we’ve won a strong reputation in the mergers and acquisitions and financing fields. Or that we have the expertise to advise clients on everything from data protection and consumer credit to anti-money laundering and insider dealing. And because we aim to influence what’s happening within the wider sector, we have also developed close relationships with industry bodies and other key organisations including the FSC and HM Treasury.

If variety and continuous development matter to you, and your technical expertise is supported by market insight and experience, our professional environment won’t just keep you at the forefront of developments in the field. It will empower you to shape the field itself.

We specialise in managing and implementing highly complex projects for many of the world’s leading private health, public health and life sciences organisations. Our objective clear: to help health providers become more proactive, innovative and focused in their response to an increasingly challenging and interlinked healthcare environment.

It’s all about understanding the key industry drivers, staying abreast of changing operational needs and using our knowledge to strategically help businesses grow.

The complexity of the health environment is reflected in the diversity of our services. We regularly advise clients on mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and major capital investment programmes. But that‘s just the start. We are equally strong in areas such as Bribery Act compliance, environmental regulation and clinical trials.

In addition, we advise clients on a wide range of day to day matters such as employment and pensions, procurement, health and safety and even real estate transactions.

Whatever the need, whatever the jurisdiction, our team has the expertise to deliver solutions that have a real impact on each client’s performance and strategic development. We are also evolving quickly to respond to emerging needs, harness the potential of new technologies, develop innovative service models and – in all these ways – help move the legal sector as a whole into the 21st century. The result is a varied and stimulating career environment that has the resources to build on your individual strengths and keep you at the forefront of developments in this burgeoning area of legal work.

Do you have what it takes to connect with clients? Are you keen to challenge some of the traditional aspects of the legal profession? And have you got the ambition to help shape the way legal services are provided to public sector clients?

Then you’ll fit in perfectly in the Public Sector team at Eversheds Sutherland.

The idea of public sector transformation is hardly new. Ever since the introduction of the welfare state in the late 1940s, governments have sought to achieve a better balance between public need and available funds. What is different is the pace of change – and we are playing a vital role in helping public sector decision-makers manage competing priorities and deliver high quality services with limited resources.

Our expert lawyers work across all parts of the public sector including central and local government, NHS bodies, non-departmental public bodies, government agencies, educational institutions and regulators. With many of our lawyers having worked in the public sector themselves, we combine outstanding legal skills with a deep understanding of public sector values and organisational culture.

Our Local Government team consists of 300 lawyers, and we are now recognised as the leading local government provider in the UK. We have the flexibility to support in-house legal teams and the expertise to provide bespoke guidance on new policy, legislation and case law development – always making complex legal issues accessible and understandable to our clients. We also have the ability to advise other public sector bodies (including the police, fire and national park authorities) on their powers and governance frameworks

Our Central Government team acts for a broad range of clients including Whitehall departments, public corporations and trading funds. It will come as no surprise that we are appointed to the UK Government Legal Services Framework Agreement. Or that, in addition to our work with Central Government, we are recognised as a market leader in representing and advising sovereign States on issues of public international law.

Across both Local and Central Government, we adopt the same highly professional approach and provide advice that is always sound, clear and useful. This calls for professionals who can respond to change, connect with clients, handle increasing complexity and influence decisions that affect government and the wider society. Does that sound like you? Then it’s time to realise your potential as part of our innovative, flexible and forward-thinking team.

The past few years have been challenging ones to say the least for the UK and international property markets. Falling house prices, reduced sources of credit, the slump in town centre regeneration, the impact of welfare reform and weak housebuilding – amongst other factors – have created an altogether more complicated and demanding environment for companies, funds, investors and institutions who manage, trade and invest in property.

But this is an environment in which the Eversheds Propcos team continues to flourish.

Today, we act for all of the top 10 UK housebuilders as well as specialist residential developers and leading registered social landlords. In addition to dealing with FTSE and private property companies, we are meeting the needs of property funds, asset managers, inward investors and institutions – not just in the UK, but in markets and jurisdictions right across the globe And the variety of our clients is matched only by the range of our specialist skills, which now cover the full breadth of property development, management and investment in the retail, leisure, office, residential, healthcare and industrial sectors.

So whatever the challenge, whatever the legal jurisdiction, our teams have the expertise and resources to deliver innovative and effective solutions.

That could involve developing commercial contracts, creating joint venture partnerships or managing environmental risk. If disputes need to be resolved, we have the largest and most experience real estate litigation team in the country on hand. We also have the largest real estate finance practice in Europe, with an unrivalled track record in developing sophisticated funding solutions and both structuring and delivering acquisitions. And, as you would expect, we can field specialist lawyers with expertise in all the strategic, procedural, tactical and legal aspects of securing planning permission.

In short, this is one of the most varied and vibrant sector teams within Eversheds. By embracing the business of law, and actively developing new service delivery models and ways of working, we have created a career environment in which innovative and ambitious lawyers really can grow and achieve their personal and professional ambitions.

What makes the sport sector so interesting from a legal point of view? Its size, for one thing. Sport is a sophisticated, multi-billion pound global industry – one that already accounts for more than 3% of global trade and 1% of Europe’s gross national product. It is also offers a range of complex and often high-profile legal challenges, from developing sponsorship deals and arranging player transfers to negotiating broadcasting rights and drafting merchandising agreements.

So it will come as no surprise that Eversheds Sutherland is an increasingly effective player in the field.

In fact, we have now developed specialist sports law capabilities in the UK, France, Poland and the Czech Republic. The work we do is as varied as the organisations and individuals who call on our expertise. For example, we help clients exploit the value of their brands, advise on and manage trademark portfolios, and provide expert advice on data management issues. We also contribute to the finance-related dimensions of sport, from the funding of sports transaction to dealing with insolvency, restructuring and mergers and acquisition.

On the commercial front, you will find our lawyers engaging in contract development, resolving significant disputes and working on major bids with governmental bodies, sports governing bodies and private stakeholders. In addition, we have considerable experience of drafting rules, regulations and bylaws for organisations and governing bodies in sport. We also provide specialist advice relating to stadium real estate, event staging, construction and engineering, and property and planning.

And, as you would expect, we assist clients with the full range of sports-related telecommunications, media and technology issues. These include image rights, internet branding, merchandising, media litigation and the production and broadcast of radio and television programmes.

The result is a rapidly evolving and intellectually stimulating environment that calls for some of the best legal professionals in the sector – people, like you, who know how to connect with clients, generate effective solutions and add real value to client relationships. If innovation and exceptional service matter to you, you will quickly establish yourself as an integral part of a team that shaping the provision of legal services within the global sports industry.

By their very nature, technology, media and telecommunications companies tend to operate in rapidly evolving international environments - both commercially and technologically. They face continuous pressure from customers to cut costs, improve value and deliver continuous innovation and improvement. To achieve these goals in today’s tough economic climate, they must explore ways to maximise their own business in ways that allow them to remain successful whilst meeting customer needs.

And it is precisely our combination of business acumen, legal expertise and deep sector knowledge that allows Eversheds to deliver exceptional results. Combined with the significant experience we have in acting for customers who procure goods and services from TMT suppliers, this allows us to fully appreciate and understand the operational and strategic pressure points faced by our clients. We understand the jargon. We are familiar with the technical complexities of this sector. And we have the ability to adapt rapidly to change and find solutions tailored to the specific needs of more than 500 clients across the globe.

Our work includes protection and exploitation, reputation management, branding, coordination of international advice, corporate finance, acquisition and disposal, regulatory advice, HR, dispute resolution, contracts and outsourcing. We also assist in highly technical and specific areas such as export and import queries and trading in countries where the client business does not have a presence.

Do you have the mental agility to think clearly and quickly? Can you keep abreast of the extraordinary pace of technological innovation? And are you ready to grapple with the legal demands of the increasingly interconnected technology, media and telecommunications sectors? Then you could put your professional stamp on the commercial and intellectual development of a team that embraces change, promotes innovation and delivers results on an increasingly international stage.

The efficiency and development of the global marketplace depends crucially on the transport industry. Yet it's an industry that faces constantly changing pressures - increasing regulation, escalating insurance risks and growing environmental concern to name but three.

The Eversheds Sutherland transport team offers clients a distinctive level of service and access to expertise capable of providing a sustainable competitive advantage in this complex sector.

For a start, our global reach means that we can deliver specialist legal advice anywhere in the world. Our forward-thinking lawyers are passionate about the industry and focused on delivering tangible results for our clients. In fact, we are now a leading provider of transport-related advice to both the public and private sector and have one of the largest teams of specialist lawyers acting for major players in the road, rail, ports, shipping, logistics and automotive industries. In a very real sense, our commercially-focused and highly responsive model of service provision is taking standards forward within this highly competitive area legal activity.

The variety of work is exceptional, too. We have been involved in the acquisition of airports and airlines; established international joint ventures in the automotive industry; won awards for the quality of our business process review work in the logistics industry; contributed to major port infrastructure projects; obtained planning and parliamentary powers for rail projects; helped with major contracts for the procurement of buses using alternative energy sources; and advised on marine pollution and salvage contracts.

Are you ready to develop your career as part of a global team of experienced and dedicated specialists? Then as long you combine the right technical expertise with the confidence to build client relationships and deliver robust solutions, this is a career environment that will make the best possible use of your skills and give you the freedom to achieve your ambitions as part of supportive international team.