CV - John Dowd

John Dowd

E-Mail: ********@*******.***

Contact: 440-***-****

Personal Summary

Over ten years experience in the Legal industry with particular experience in the Property and Commercial Litigation fields. Development of project management methodologies and the implementation plans to deliver customer satisfaction and business success. I am an innovative, lateral and conscientious thinker who is able to adapt to and provide new ways of working as well as responding to rapidly changing situations. A highly decisive and motivated individual with a proven record of meeting and delivering strict deadlines and prevail in high-pressure environments.

Education & Qualifications

Current seeking enrolment to Prince 2 Foundation & Practitioner in Project Management for 2009

2002 - 2004 The Queensland University of Technology.

Master of Laws

1998 - 2002 The Queensland University of Technology.

Bachelor of Laws

1992 – 1994 The University of Queensland

Bachelor of Information Technology/Bachelor of Mathematics (part complete)

1991 Newmarket State High School

Completed Senior year of High School

Career History

November 2007 – Present. Contractor – Senior RBS Estates Property/Litigation Lawyer

Vodafone Headquarters, Newbury, Berkshire.

Job Purpose:

I am presently undertaken the role of Senior Property/Litigation Lawyer in the Vodafone UK Estates Department managing all the external Solicitors and liaising with acquisition surveyors for the entire United Kingdom and to ensure the timely delivery of site renewals, all relevant legal documentation/advices and litigation matters.

To manage all the external agents and solicitors on estates led activities for the United Kingdom. To ensure that the renewal acquisition process was adhered to and inline with the RBS Estates guidelines and any outside of the guide are recorded and escalated through the Terms Approval process via the Estates Manager. To conduct and supervise Lease Renewal negotiations and manage them through to completion. To ensure all litigation and Landlord and Tenant issues escalated within RBS are dealt with efficiently in order to maintain healthy relationships between Vodafone and its Landlords.

Key Skills and Achievements

• Qualified Solicitor and expert in property law and litigation and able to deal with highly complex and high risk issues in relation to property law and transactions involving property and acquisition.

• To provide legal advice, support and assistance to the UK Business in order to develop and maintain appropriate policies in relation to RBS matters

• Experienced manager of professional, legal and external agents.

• Expert drafting skills and able to draft all necessary documentation up to the highest level of complexity.

• Manage legal risk relating to issues affecting radio base stations and to drive compliance in the business with the requirements of relevant UK property law

• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills and able to perform competently in negotiation meetings on complex property-related transactions including mediation and Dispute Resolution scenarios

• Excellent decision making skills on conduct of all matters within the working area and able to provide significant contribution and advice on commercial/strategic relating to property, litigation and acquisition matters.

• Excellent communication skills and able to deliver concise, clear, commercial and logical advice tailored to all stakeholders and at all levels.

• Ability to build and maintain excellent network of client contacts across the business, other relevant industry groups, relevant professional external contacts.

• Maintain carriage and control of all property litigation issues relating to the RBS portfolio whilst working within the company’s commercial and operational objectives.

March 2006 - November 2007. Contractor – Principal Legal Executive.

Vodafone Headquarters, Newbury, Berkshire.

Job Purpose:

To Coordinate the legal and acquisition activities of Vodafone with the activities of the Nokia Siemens through the ATP Project and to deliver the upgrade of over 3000 sites within a 3 year project.

To manage a team of solicitors and to proactively assist the external agents in order to acquire and deliver sites within forecast target dates and as a result report key milestones back to Senior Management. To meet regularly with the external contractor Nokia Siemens Networks to ensure correct information and site requirements are provided in order to ensure smooth running of in-house surveyors activities. To report weekly to Senior Management on acquisition of sites being dealt with by in-house surveyors. Report on a weekly basis to Senior Management on sites that need to be taken off external contractors and escalated back into Vodafone. To sit on the Terms Approval Board and assess along with the Project Directors difficult deals that have been done by external contractors and approve or reject the deals in hand. To report monthly to Senior Management on Vodafone estates issues and performance of Nokia Siemens Networks and external contractors. To alter and improve ways in which external contractors / in-house surveyors report back on site activities.

Key Skills and Achievements

• Providing timely and accurate tactical advice and legal guidance to Vodafone team members, acquisition Agents and external solicitors on site leases and all acquisition issues • Overseeing 3rd party solicitors and agents in undertaking legal work required for ATP upgrades and maintaining the best interest of business as a whole in acquisition process

• Drafting of various correspondences to various third parties to enforce Vodafone’s rights under the agreement

• Providing and maintaining forecast dates and large number of files in a professional manner within an aggressive roll out environment

• Drafted third party agent’s manual for the procedures and guidelines for ATP Project.

• Providing intelligent IT solutions for tracking instructions and site analysis

• Reporting on a weekly basis to Senior Management forecasts, delivery dates, delivery achievements and external contractors performances

• Proactively maintain a healthy coordinated approach between Vodafone business as usual and Siemens ATP upgrade activities

May 2004 – January 2006. Senior Property/Litigation Solicitor. Brisbane City Council, Brisbane, Australia.

Job Purpose:

Working for one of the largest Council’s in the world I have worked in two roles within the firm.

My first role was that of a Litigation solicitor and Prosecutor where I was responsible for the carriage and control of litigation and prosecution matters for the Council. As a commercial litigator, I have a great depth of experience in every field of civil litigation and have conducted litigation matters both as a plaintiff and defendant. I have tried cases that focus on statutory infringements, construction controversies, environmental issues, gaming and real estate. I have also undertaken several criminal defense trials. This practical experience is coupled with an in-depth knowledge and ability to draft the requisite forms and procedures of litigation and prosecution together with quality court experience and knowledge of appearance etiquette. In addition to having knowledge of the court’s resolution of litigious matters I am also well versed in mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution procedures and have extremely good negotiation and communication skills.

My second role was as a senior Property solicitor wherein I was responsible to assist the council with the property boom in Brisbane during this time by undertaking hands on negotiations and to facilitate the massive construction and infrastructure projects being undertaken. I was also responsible for Telecommunication Leases, including advising on legal implications long term ramifications, zoning issues, licensing, co-location, negotiations with Telco for area requirements, rental and terms of lease and compliance with legislation at all levels. The council had a portfolio of over 50 sites. I was also responsible for all relevant legal aspects of the Development, Infrastructure Management, Project Management and extensive work for the Public Sector including: negotiation and acquirement of access easements for sewerage works under the Metropolitan Water and Sewage Act; Acquisition of property for road development under the City of Brisbane Act, the Local Government Act and the Acquisition of Land Act; Negotiation of compensation for affected landowners and acquisition of property under the Acquisition of Land Act as part of the development of roads in the City of Brisbane.

Key Skills & Achievements:

• Drafting and advising on all relevant property documents including sale and purchase agreements, security documents, leases and relevant company document requirements

• Extensive interaction, negotiation and advising with various facets to the project transaction to the local and state governments and large commercial stakeholders

• Consultation within Brisbane City Council authorities to obtain relevant consents and approvals such as environment and town planning approvals

• Resolving the property issues that arose in the course of the work undertaken by the Council in acquiring land for major infrastructure works

• Drafting and registering general and specific security agreements (charges)

• Extensive experience in drafting, registering and implementing statutory covenants and easements

• Drafting of Infrastructure agreements pursuant to Development Approvals and in accordance with the Integrated Planning Act

• Drafting of Complaint and summons documentation, a variety of applications, witness statements and affidavits, advices as to suitability of witnesses, subpoenas for attendance and provision of evidence, advice to clients and applicable third parties, other correspondence involved in the conduct of matters

• Appearances at Magistrates, District and Supreme Courts. Appearances with and without counsel, attendance to call-overs in various jurisdictions carriage of guilty plea matters and ex-parte hearings, instructing Counsel at trials in all Jurisdictions

Summary of additional work experience

10/2003 – 05/2004 Employed Solicitor, Toogoods Solicitors, Australia

10/2002 – 10/2003 Legal Officer, Commission for Children and Young People, Australia

06/1998 – 09/2002 Employed solicitor (former Articled Clerk), Lawrence and Associates Solicitors, Australia

Systems Experience

Microsoft Office systems, E-mail, Internet search engines, and extensive experience in the use of computerised databases related to the legal profession and property.

Interests & Activities

Golf, Snow Skiing, Rugby, Slavic Languages, Martial Arts and my family.

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