Assistant Legal Counsel

HDI; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

HDI, a Corporate & Specialty Insurer, seeks a commercially minded Solicitor to join its Legal team in Greater London. You will provide practical legal advice across insurance and commercial matters, with a focus on contracts, regulatory issues and data protection.

In a small, collaborative team, you’ll draft and negotiate service agreements, TOBAs and data processing terms, support day‑to‑day queries, and help improve templates while using Copilot and Harvey to work efficiently.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor with approximately 1–3 years PQE.
• Experience in insurance and/or commercial contracts preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication, able to explain legal matters to non-legal stakeholders.
• Good research, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Commercial mindset with focus on business objectives.
• Able to take initiative and progressively manage matters independently.

Responsibilities

• Review, draft and negotiate a variety of commercial contracts (service, consultancy, outsourcing, SaaS, engagement letters).
• Support renewal of binding authority agreements and TOBAs, negotiating amendments.
• Draft addendums, endorsements and business correspondence including termination letters.
• Provide practical legal and regulatory advice across the business.
• Advise on data protection matters and review data processing terms.
• Undertake legal research and translate findings into practical guidance.
• Monitor regulatory developments and communicate impact to the business.
• Maintain and improve legal templates and standard contracts.
• Collaborate with Underwriting and Claims; support senior team on larger projects.

Skills

Commercial contracts

Insurance knowledge

Communication

Analytical thinking

Negotiation

Data protection

Regulatory awareness

Independent initiative

Education

Solicitor qualification or equivalent

Tools

Harvey AI

Microsoft Copilot

Job description

HDI is a Corporate & Specialty Insurer part of the Talanx Group. With over 120 years of experience, HDI operates across five continents, around 40 countries and employs over 5,000 people worldwide.

The role

We are looking for a commercially minded Solicitor to join our Legal team, providing practical legal advice and support across a broad range of insurance and commercial matters.

This is a varied role offering excellent exposure across the business, with a particular focus on commercial contracts, insurance-related agreements, regulatory matters and data protection. Working as part of a small and collaborative Legal team, you’ll initially work with the support of experienced colleagues, with the opportunity to quickly develop your knowledge and take independent ownership of matters.

You’ll work closely with stakeholders across the business, including Underwriting and Claims, making this a great opportunity for an early-career solicitor looking to build their experience within a commercial insurance environment.

Key accountabilities

• Review, draft and negotiate a variety of commercial contracts, including service agreements, consultancy agreements, outsourcing arrangements, SaaS agreements and engagement letters.
• Support the review and renewal of binding authority agreements, developing towards independently managing certain matters.
• Take ownership of Terms of Business Agreements (TOBAs) and confidentiality agreements, including reviewing and negotiating amendments.
• Draft addendums, endorsements and business correspondence, including termination letters and letters of authority.
• Provide practical legal and regulatory advice in response to day-to-day queries from across the business.
• Advise on data protection matters, including DSARs and the review of data processing terms.
• Undertake legal research and translate findings into clear, practical advice for colleagues and stakeholders.
• Monitor relevant legal and regulatory developments and help the business understand their potential impact.
• Maintain, review and improve legal templates and standard contracts.
• Contribute to wider Legal projects, with the opportunity to take ownership of projects such as large-scale contract reviews as your experience develops.
• Build effective relationships with key stakeholders, particularly colleagues within Underwriting and Claims.
• Use approved legal technology and AI tools, including Harvey and Microsoft Copilot, to support efficient ways of working, alongside appropriate professional oversight.
• Support the day-to-day operation of the Legal team, including preparing execution copies, maintaining the contracts register and supporting document management.
• Provide support to the Insurance Wordings team and assist with company secretarial activities, including Companies House filings.

Skills & experience

We’re looking for someone who combines strong legal foundations with a practical, commercial approach. You’ll ideally have:

• Qualification as a Solicitor or equivalent, with approximately 1–3 years’ PQE.
• Previous experience in insurance and/or commercial contracts preferred.
• Experience reviewing, drafting and negotiating commercial agreements.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain legal matters clearly and practically to non-legal stakeholders.
• Good research, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• A commercial mindset and an interest in understanding how legal advice supports wider business objectives.
• The confidence to take initiative and progressively manage matters independently, while knowing when to seek support.
• Strong organisation and workload-management skills.
• A collaborative, team-focused approach and the ability to build effective relationships across different areas of the business.
• Good Microsoft Office skills, including an openness to using tools such as Copilot and legal AI to work more effectively.
• A proactive and flexible approach, with a willingness to support the wider team when required.

Other

As an equal opportunities employer, we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, recognising that a diverse and inclusive workplace is a creative and prosperous one.