Commercial & Data Privacy Solicitor – 2+ PQE

A growing and genuinely progressive law firm is looking to appoint a Commercial & Data Privacy Solicitor at 2+ PQE to join its established commercial practice.

The firm has built a strong position advising entrepreneurial businesses, start-ups, scale-ups and established SMEs, giving its lawyers exposure to clients at important stages of their development. Its approach is modern and commercially minded, with an emphasis on building lasting client relationships and providing practical advice that reflects how those businesses actually operate.

The role offers a broad mix of commercial contracts and data privacy work, with the successful solicitor taking responsibility for their own matters while working closely with more experienced colleagues on larger or more complex instructions.

On the commercial side, the work will include drafting, reviewing and negotiating supply and services agreements, terms and conditions, agency and distribution arrangements, introducer agreements, SaaS and software contracts and a range of other day-to-day commercial agreements. There may also be opportunities to support corporate transactions, including advising on intra-group arrangements and transitional services agreements.

The data privacy element is equally varied. You will advise clients on UK GDPR and wider data protection matters, including privacy policies, data processing agreements, DSARs, cookies and e-marketing, international data transfers, controller and processor relationships and the handling of special category data.

A particularly interesting aspect of the practice is its established subscription-based virtual general counsel offering. This gives lawyers the opportunity to develop close relationships with clients and become a trusted point of contact for their ongoing commercial and legal requirements. For an associate looking to develop stronger commercial judgement and gain experience similar to an in-house environment, this provides valuable exposure beyond traditional private practice work.

As you develop within the team, there will be opportunities to take greater ownership of client relationships, contribute to the coordination of matters and work allocation, support more junior colleagues where appropriate and become involved in the continued development of the commercial practice.

The firm also encourages its lawyers to build their external profile and develop their own professional networks over time. There is no expectation that someone at this level arrives with a significant following; instead, there is a supportive approach to developing those skills through client relationships, cross-referrals, seminars, networking and dedicated business development and marketing resource.

The firm would be interested in speaking with England & Wales qualified solicitors from around 2+ PQE who have experience across commercial contracts together with a good grounding in data protection and privacy matters. Previous in-house or secondment experience would be particularly useful, although lawyers who have developed a similarly commercial and client-focused approach in private practice will also be considered.

You should be comfortable dealing directly with clients, able to draft clearly and accurately and confident managing competing priorities. The nature of the client base means the role will particularly suit someone who enjoys working with founders, management teams and growing businesses and who can provide pragmatic advice without losing sight of the underlying legal detail.

The culture is open, collaborative and personable, with considerable emphasis placed on how lawyers work with both colleagues and clients. In the current market, this is a strong opportunity for a commercial solicitor who wants greater client exposure, a varied commercial and privacy workload and a clear route towards increased responsibility, without having to wait until a much later stage of their career to gain that experience.

For further information or a confidential discussion about the opportunity, please get in touch.