Head of Legal

Job Description

 

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Outstanding opportunity for a commercially minded lawyer to be the first lawyer at a private equity  backed group:  that acquires business in the professional services space throughout the UK.

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The role will act as the key internal legal lead, partnering closely with the executive team and operational leaders, whilst managing relationships with outsourced legal advisers who will continue to support on larger, more complex or specialist matters.

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This is an opportunity for someone who enjoys being close to the business, solving problems quickly, creating practical solutions and helping build scalable legal processes as the group continues to grow through acquisition and transformation.

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The successful candidate will be confident operating independently, commercially aware, and comfortable balancing legal risk with business pace and pragmatism.

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Key Responsibilities

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Corporate & Growth Activity

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• Support business acquisitions and integration activity, including legal due diligence coordination.
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• Assist with corporate governance and company secretarial matters where required.
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• Work closely with senior stakeholders during periods of business change and transformation.
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Managing External Counsel

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• Act as the primary internal contact for outsourced legal partners.
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• Coordinate and manage external legal advisers on more complex or high-value matters.
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• Ensure external legal spend is effectively managed and commercially appropriate.
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• Escalate material legal risks appropriately to leadership.
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Commercial Contracts & Legal Support

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• Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements, including:
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• Client contracts
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• Supplier agreements
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• Consultancy agreements
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• NDAs
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• SaaS and technology agreements
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• Partnership and service agreements
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• Provide practical legal advice to business stakeholders on day-to-day operational matters.
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• Support the business with contract management and legal administration processes.
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Employment & Operational Legal Matters

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• Provide legal guidance on employment-related matters alongside the People team, including:
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• Employment contracts
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• Policy reviews
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• Employee relations matters
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• Settlement agreements
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• TUPE considerations
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• Organisational change projects
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• Support on compliance and governance matters across the group.
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Risk & Compliance

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• Identify legal and commercial risks across the business and work with stakeholders to implement practical mitigation plans.
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• Help ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations and internal governance frameworks.
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• Support the maintenance and development of legal templates, processes and playbooks.
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Process Improvement

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• Build scalable and efficient legal processes suitable for a growing group structure.
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• Create practical guidance and training for operational teams to improve legal awareness and reduce risk.
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• Help establish a commercially pragmatic legal function that enables the business rather than slows it down.
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About You

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• Qualified solicitor in England & Wales (or equivalent jurisdiction).
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• Strong experience in commercial contracts and day-to-day business legal support.
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• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial and evolving environment.
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• Pragmatic, solutions-focused and commercially minded.
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• Confident managing multiple priorities with minimal supervision.
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• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
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• Experience working with outsourced legal providers or external counsel desirable.
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• Exposure to employment law and M&A activity would be advantageous.
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What Success Looks Like

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• The business has a responsive, commercially practical internal legal partner.
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• Legal processes become more streamlined and scalable