Legal Counsel

Legal Counsel

• Annual Salary: £70,000 - £75,000
• Location: Kent, UK
• Job Type: Full-time, Permanent, Hybrid

Job Purpose: We are seeking an experienced and pragmatic Legal Counsel to join our dynamic legal team. Reporting to the Head of Legal UK, you will provide commercial, contractual, construction, and compliance-related legal services to internal customers across our UK and France operations. This role requires strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with clients and colleagues at all levels.

Principal Accountabilities:

• Draft, review, negotiate, and approve a wide range of commercial contracts, including supply of goods and services, construction and engineering projects, IT/IP contracts, and marketing agreements.
• Identify legal considerations arising from day-to-day operational and commercial activities.
• Work closely with other business functions, ensuring key stakeholders are informed of progress and developments.
• Collaborate with the Head of Legal UK and the Legal Director to meet the objectives of the legal department.
• Identify and mitigate legal risks for operational and commercial activities.
• Provide training on key UK legal issues and arrange training for colleagues across the business.
• Offer legal advice on regulatory and compliance requirements, particularly in Data Protection and Competition law.

Qualifications and Experience:

• UK qualified solicitor/barrister with 3+ years PQE.
• Experience in both private practice and in-house legal roles dealing with corporate, commercial, and regulatory issues.
• Fluent in English; fluency in French is highly desirable.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to apply the law pragmatically in the best interests of the business.

Person Specification:

• Stay updated on legal developments to advise internal clients on legal, technical, commercial, and financial implications.
• Assist with compliance-related work to minimize exposure to financial and reputational penalties.
• Maintain and monitor legal department activities and the utilization of external advisers.
• Demonstrate a focus on customer satisfaction and the delivery of high-quality legal services.
• Be committed to working on-site at terminals in the UK and France.
• Combine excellent technical legal knowledge with a keen commercial focus and practical judgment.
• Be a team player, able to work with a variety of personalities and manage peers and stakeholders effectively.

To apply for the Legal Counsel position, please submit your CV and cover letter detailing your relevant experience and why you are interested in this position or reach out to Mark Watts at Reed for an informal chat / further details about this or other Legal opportunities.