Legal Counsel

Description

This is an exciting role in which you will be responsible for advising the Global Businesses and Partnerships team on a broad range of legal, risk and compliance matters including primary management of legal requests and supporting the commercial aspects of the business from a legal perspective.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Draft contracts including templates and new agreements to answer the business needs, ensuring adequate protection to the Company and adaptability to the different situations and partnerships.
Negotiate contract terms with clients and other third parties (including licensors, partners etc.) efficiently, balancing working relationships with such third parties. Contracts vary from NDAs, to MSAs, SaaS and consulting services agreements (including proposals, LOEs, special terms and conditions, purchase orders, work orders) and include the company’s standard terms and conditions, client-specific contracts, government contracts and vendor contracts, competitive tenders and associated documentation (such as guarantees, bid/performance bonds, NDAs and MOUs).
In addition, the role will require the ability to draft (in some cases practically from scratch) contracts and documents as varied as IP licences, professional advisers’ engagement letters, settlement agreements, shareholder contracts / investment agreements, company policies and procedures, research and guidance notes, board memoranda, letters before action and a variety of other corporate and business documentation with both legal and non-legal impacts.
Advise and support on other substantive legal areas of involvement which may include: corporate, compliance (including anti-bribery and information security), data protection, IP, IT, insurance, employment and procurement.
Directly handle legal issues material to Control Risks, provide strategic and operational guidance with the goal of mitigating risk and ensuring sustained future business growth.
Directly support the Global General Counsel in providing legal advice, strategic and operational input into key global projects.
Ensure consistent provision of legal advice in dealings with external stakeholders including clients, partners, suppliers and governments.
Solve problems against a wide spectrum of issues and geographies.
Clearly articulate to business leaders and their teams the risks attendant on particular legal, regulatory / policy matters or contractual provisions and advise accordingly, including recommending appropriate risk mitigation strategies.
Interact in an efficient and constructive way with both the business team and other members of the legal team.
Monitor key legal developments globally; ensuring that the business considers legal trends in the formulation of its business strategy.
Problem-solve against a wide spectrum of issues and geographies

Requirements
Essential

The ideal person will have trained in a law firm and have credible, hands-on in-house experience as a commercial contracts lawyer with a minimum of 5-7 years post-qualification experience
Demonstrated experience with a variety of common contract types including: contracts for provision of services (such as MSAs, general / special terms and conditions, purchase orders / call offs / work orders) as well as technology contracts (SaaS agreements, Service Level Agreements); corporate documentation (such as NDAs, MOUs, referral agreements, collaboration, teaming and consortium agreements); bid documentation (such as RFPs / competitive tender packages); contracts governing other third party relationships (including suppliers, subcontractors); templates and precedents
A generalist with broad experience who enjoys the commercial and operational aspects of business.
Demonstrate ability to interact with all levels of a fascinating business and understand its fundamental drivers, including different types of risks the business may face particularly in conflict zones.
Excellent drafting and negotiating skills, including an ability to explain legal concepts in plain English.
Must display emotional intelligence and cultural sophistication: an ability to moderate tone and language to engender trust and display insight so as to engineer positive outcomes for the business in negotiations with international clients and other parties.
Diligent and conscientious, with strong analytical skills and excellent attention to detail, while understanding the commercial context behind an assignment.
Demonstrate an understanding of all categories of risk – prioritising business imperatives without jeopardising the integrity of the organisation, its employees and clients or putting it at legal risk.
Law degree.
Member of Legal Profession in England (Solicitor or Barrister).
Knowledge of data privacy, anti-bribery and corruption and employment laws will be favoured but not essential.
Good understanding of data protection laws.

Preferred

Ability to speak other European languages (in particular Spanish or French).
International experience is advantageous.