JMW Solicitors

Full-service UK law firm for clients

Senior Associate - Commercial Road Transport

Legal Counsel & Legal SupportUpdated on Nov 15

Full-timeManchester, UKNo salary listed

About the Job

Requirements

At least 5 years of post-qualification experience is preferred for the role.
Strong regulatory experience, ideally in road transport regulation, Traffic Commissioner hearings, criminal or motoring defence, or broader regulatory work involving the DVSA, Health and Safety Executive, Environment Agency, Police or Trading Standards.
Experience of advocacy, or a genuine appetite to develop advocacy skills, with confidence to represent clients at hearings.
Ability to run cases, manage competing priorities and progress matters with appropriate independence.
Willingness and ability to travel nationally for hearings, client meetings, training and sector events, including attending Parliament and industry forums.
Presentation, communication and drafting skills, with confidence to advise clients clearly and build relationships with professional contacts.
A commercial, client-focused approach and ability to tailor advice to varied clients, from SMEs to large organisations.
Interest in business development, profile raising and producing blogs, articles, guidance and training materials for clients and the wider sector.
Analytical and problem-solving skills.
Ability to supervise and develop junior colleagues while contributing to the team’s growth.

Responsibilities

Manage a varied caseload of commercial road transport regulatory matters with appropriate support and supervision.
Provide sector-based regulatory compliance advice and represent clients in related criminal and civil matters.
Assist and represent clients at Traffic Commissioner Public Inquiry Hearings, Preliminary Hearings, Driver Conduct Hearings and Magistrates’ Court Hearings.
Support operators with Operator Licence applications and investigations involving the DVSA, Trading Standards, Environment Agency, Border Force, Police and Health and Safety Executive.
Advise on operator licensing aspects of business restructures, acquisitions, mergers and insolvency matters in the sector.
Provide ongoing consultancy advice on best practice, compliance risk management systems and road transport audits.
Deliver client training on sector-related topics.
Produce articles, blogs and sector guidance for internal publication, trade press and client engagement.
Take part in business development opportunities, including industry events and sector-focused initiatives, with scope to grow a personal network.
Respond to potential new client enquiries, convert appropriate opportunities and support the continued growth of the Commercial Road Transport practice.
Run matters with appropriate supervision, including day-to-day client contact and case progression.
Supervise, mentor and develop junior team members, including the team’s solicitor, trainee and paralegal.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of legal, regulatory and sector developments.

Desired Qualifications

Direct commercial road transport experience.
Experience in Traffic Commissioner hearings, criminal or motoring defence, or broader regulatory work involving the DVSA, Health and Safety Executive, Environment Agency, Police or Trading Standards.

Our Commercial Road Transport team provides specialist sector-based advice to businesses operating commercial vehicles, including HGVs, coaches and buses, ranging from SMEs through to large FTSE organisations.

The work is varied, fast-paced and often high profile and encompasses contentious and non-contentious matters including regulatory compliance, operator licensing applications, investigations, Traffic Commissioner public inquiries and wider road transport-related risk management.

This is a great opportunity for an experienced Associate or Senior Associate to gain client exposure, run their own matters and help develop a growing, market leading practice.

You will manage a varied caseload of commercial road transport regulatory matters with appropriate support and supervision. Responsibilities include:

Providing sector-based regulatory compliance advice and representing clients in related criminal and civil matters
Assisting and representing clients at Traffic Commissioner Public Inquiry Hearings, Preliminary Hearings, Driver Conduct Hearings and Magistrates’ Court Hearings
Supporting operators with Operator Licence applications and investigations involving the DVSA, Trading Standards, Environment Agency, Border Force, Police and Health and Safety Executive
Advising on the operator licensing aspects of business restructures, acquisitions, mergers and insolvency matters within the sector
Providing ongoing consultancy advice on best practice, compliance risk management systems and road transport audits
Delivering client training on sector related topics
Producing articles, blogs and sector guidance for internal publication, trade press and client engagement
Taking part in business development opportunities, including industry events and sector-focused initiatives, with scope to grow your own network
Responding to potential new client enquiries, converting appropriate opportunities and supporting the continued growth of the Commercial Road Transport practice
Running matters with appropriate supervision, including day to day client contact and case progression
Playing an active role in supervising, mentoring and developing junior team members, including the team’s solicitor, trainee and paralegal
Maintaining up to date knowledge of legal, regulatory and sector developments.

This role is suited to an ambitious Associate or Senior Associate, ideally with at least 5+ years’ PQE. We welcome candidates with direct commercial road transport experience, as well as those from broader regulatory, transport, criminal or motoring defence backgrounds who are keen to pivot into a specialist and growing sector. You will also bring:

Strong regulatory experience, ideally gained in road transport regulation, Traffic Commissioner hearings, criminal or motoring defence or broader regulatory work involving bodies such as the DVSA, HSE, Environment Agency, Police or Trading Standards
Experience of advocacy, or a genuine appetite to develop advocacy skills, with the confidence to represent clients at hearings
The ability to run cases, manage competing priorities and progress matters with appropriate independence
A willingness and ability to travel nationally for hearings, client meetings, training and sector events, including opportunities such as attending Parliament and industry forums
Excellent presentation, communication and drafting skills, with the confidence to advise clients clearly and build relationships with professional contacts
A commercial, client-focused approach and the ability to tailor advice to a varied client base, from SMEs to large, sophisticated organisations
An interest in business development, profile raising and producing blogs, articles, guidance and training materials for clients and the wider sector
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
An ambitious and driven approach with a collaborative mindset and the ability to supervise and develop junior colleagues while contributing to the team’s growth.

About the Company

JMW Solicitors

Full-service UK law firm for clients

JMW Solicitors provides legal services across corporate and private client work through a team of partners and staff based in three UK offices (Manchester, London, and Liverpool). Their approach centers on delivering high-quality, cost-effective legal advice and practical, commercial solutions tailored to each client’s needs. The firm emphasizes strong, client-focused relationships and a warm, open service style to build long-term partnerships with individuals, SMEs, and international corporations. With more than 500 people, JMW trains its team to prioritize quality and efficiency while maintaining strong ties to the communities they serve. Their goal is to offer an accessible, comprehensive legal service that meets clients’ expectations and delivers practical results.

Company size: 501-1,000
Company stage: Not listed
Total funding: Not listed
Headquarters: Manchester, United Kingdom
Founded: 1978

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