Temporary Associate General Counsel, Maternity Cover

Sotheby's; Paris; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Sotheby’s in Paris seeks a French-qualified lawyer on a maternity cover basis for 6 months to support the Legal Department’s commercial activity in France, Belgium and Monaco. You will draft and negotiate contracts for auctions and private sales, advise on regulatory issues, and coordinate with global Litigation and Compliance teams.

The role requires strong drafting, analytical and communication skills, with the ability to work across time zones and with external counsel.

Qualifications

• French qualified lawyer with approximately 8–10 years of post-qualification experience.
• Strong drafting and negotiating skills for auction and private sales contracts.
• Experience working across France, Belgium and Monaco is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide general commercial and contract drafting support for auction and private sales in France, Belgium and Monaco.
• Advise on marketing, procurement and operations agreements.
• Provide commercial guidance on corporate matters and regulatory requirements in the three countries.
• Advise on deal structures and legal risk with business teams.
• Supervise outside law firms and manage external legal budget.
• Develop policies and maintain compliance procedures with global teams.

Skills

Drafting contracts

Negotiation

Regulatory compliance

Cross-border collaboration

Analytical thinking

Education

French qualified lawyer with 8–10 years PQE

Job description

About Sotheby's

Established in 1744, Sotheby’s promotes access and ownership of exceptional art and luxury objects through auctions, private sales and retail. Our deep expertise across 70 selling categories is supported by a leading technology platform and a global network of specialists spanning 40 countries. Selling categories include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits and Design, as well as collectible cars and real estate through RM Sotheby’s and Concierge. Sotheby’s Financial Services is a leading art lender and provides capital solutions for collectors around the world, having originated more than $12 billion in loans since its inception. Sotheby’s new global headquarters is now open at the iconic Breuer building at 945 Madison Avenue in New York City.

THE ROLE

This is a Temporary contract as a Maternity Cover starting in February 2027 for 6 months. We have an exciting opportunity for a business-minded, autonomous and self-motivated lawyer to join and lead the Sotheby’s Legal Department in Paris. This lawyer will be responsible for supporting Sotheby’s core business and its other commercial activity in France, Belgium and Monaco, including but not limited to auction and private sales, supporting Sotheby’s operations and procurement team in those locations and working collaboratively with our global Litigation and Compliance teams to address day to day regulatory queries and issues on the ground. This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious, bright, hardworking and experienced lawyer looking to gain legal experience in a dynamic and fast-paced environment and at a global company.

Responsibilities

• Provide support to the business in France, Belgium and Monaco in the general commercial practice of the global Legal Department, including the drafting and negotiating contracts for auction and private sales, as well as various commercial contracts.
• Providing legal support to the marketing, procurement and operations teams, including drafting and negotiating marketing, vendor and other procurement and operations related agreements.
• Provide general commercial advice on any matters relating to Sotheby’s business, including corporate matters, licensing requirements, digital activities and any new initiatives across France, Belgium and Monaco.
• Advise all levels of the Company on deal structure and legal and reputational risk.
• Advise on local claims and disputes, including restitution matters and support the global Litigation team as required.
• Update template contracts, conditions of business and any client facing documentation as and when required.
• Assist the business in France, Belgium and Monaco to deal with non-standard legal and related commercial matters as and when they arise.
• Draft and maintain compliance policies and procedures in conjunction with the global Compliance Department, and address day to day compliance enquiries within France, Belgium and Monaco.
• Provide relevant training and coaching for appropriate employee groups in France, Belgium and Monaco.
• Drive continuous growth and development of our internal processes with an emphasis on efficiency and scalability, creating playbooks and proactively identifying opportunities for enhancement.
• Ensure that Company policies and procedures are followed and that all related documents comply with Company policies and applicable laws and regulations.
• Supervising outside law firms and managing external legal budget.
• Keep abreast of business developments and initiatives as well as relevant areas of law affecting the business.

Ideal Experience & Competencies

• French qualified lawyer with approximately 8-10 years of post-qualification experience.
• Art industry experience is preferred, but not necessary. In-house experience is a plus.
• Confident about working across multiple time zones and jurisdictions, both independently and with the assistance of external counsel.
• Commercially pragmatic - able to take a commercial view on legal risks and comfortable taking personal responsibility for judgment calls when instructions are incomplete or ambiguous.
• Preferably have one or more European languages in addition to English and French.
• Strong work ethic and ability to multitask, prioritize and manage numerous projects and demanding deadlines simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong attention to detail and quality of work product.
• Exceptional drafting, communication, analytical and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent business judgment and ability to assess legal risk while also thinking strategically and providing practical advice.
• Practical approach to legal drafting and problem solving and ability to translate legal issues into clear, "plain English" and or "plain French" guidance for non-lawyers.
• Team player who will work collaboratively with their colleagues and will roll up their sleeves and take on additional responsibilities, while also being able to work independently.
• Curious about new areas of law and business opportunities and willingness to learn.
• Ability to work effectively with individuals at all organizational levels.
• Must demonstrate the highest degree of integrity, ethical judgment and professionalism at all times.

The Company is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applicants for employment without regard to race (including, without limitation, traits historically associated with race, such as natural hair, hair texture, and protective and treated or untreated hairstyles), color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership/union status, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, genetic predisposition, genetic information, reproductive health decision, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, alienage or citizenship status, domestic violence victim status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/province or local law. The Company complies with applicable state and local laws prohibiting discrimination in employment in every jurisdiction in which it operates.