Associate Legal Counsel

JR United Kingdom; City Of London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is looking for an Associate Legal Counsel to manage legal affairs in the UK. This strategic role involves contract oversight, compliance management, and support for business initiatives. The ideal candidate will possess a strong legal background and the ability to navigate complex regulatory environments.

Qualifications

• Eligibility to practice law in England & Wales or equivalent.
• 2+ years of relevant legal experience, preferably in a multinational corporation.
• Solid understanding of UK contract law, data privacy, and corporate law.

Responsibilities

• Draft and manage legal agreements for UK business operations.
• Conduct legal research and manage regulatory compliance.
• Support establishment and rollout of business in Ireland.

Skills

Legal research

Analytical skills

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Law (LLB, LLM, or JD)

Tools

Legal software

Microsoft Office

Job description

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Associate Legal Counsel, london (city of london)

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Client:

POP MART

Location:

london (city of london), United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Views:

3

Posted:

16.06.2025

Expiry Date:

31.07.2025

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Job Description:

Position Overview:

Following a recent acquisition, this Legal Counsel role is a pivotal member of our legal team, responsible for comprehensively leading and managing all legal affairs for our operations in the United Kingdom. This includes providing dedicated support for key strategic initiatives in the UK and championing Group-level compliance within the UK entity. The role will also extend to supporting new company establishment and business rollout efforts in Ireland. This position requires strong independent project-managing abilities, robust legal research and analytical skills, and excellent communication abilities to effectively collaborate with internal teams, group headquarters, and external stakeholders including governmental departments.

Work Place: United Kingdom

Responsibilities:

• Draft, review, negotiate, and finalize a wide range of contracts, agreements, and other legal documents essential for the company’s business operations in the UK, including but not limited to commercial agreements, vendor contracts, partnership agreements, and potentially leases or construction agreements as relevant to the business.
• Organize and manage the contract approval matrix and ensure systematic archiving of legal documents for the UK entity.
• Provide dedicated and specialized legal support for key strategic projects and initiatives within the UK, advising on all related legal and regulatory aspects from inception to completion.

Legal Risk Management & Compliance (UK Focus):

• Conduct legal research and manage legal risks in relation to the company’s operations in the UK (both offline and online, if applicable).
• Independently manage and handle comprehensive legal projects and advisory related to UK regulatory requirements, including but not limited to importation/exportation compliance, product labeling/marking (if applicable), advertising compliance, data protection (UK GDPR, DPA), employment law, and consumer protection requirements.
• Develop, implement, and monitor compliance programs and policies for the UK entity, ensuring adherence to local laws (e.g., Companies Act, UK GDPR, anti-bribery laws) and Group-level compliance standards.
• Manage corporate secretarial matters for the UK entity, ensuring good corporate governance.

Ireland Company Establishment & Business Rollout Support:

• Act as a key legal partner supporting the Group's establishment strategies and business rollout in Ireland.
• Provide legal due diligence, risk assessment, and strategic advice for market entry, new business setups, and potential M&A activities in Ireland, coordinating with HQ and external counsel as needed.

Intellectual Property Protection:

• Oversee the protection of the company’s intellectual property rights (trademarks, copyrights, patents, etc.) in the UK and support regional IP strategies.
• Review and negotiate IP licensing and related contracts and agreements to ensure compliance with applicable laws and in the best interest of the company.

Stakeholder & External Counsel Management:

• Liaise effectively with external legal counsel in the UK, Ireland, and government agencies to ensure smooth operations and compliance with legal obligations.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (local, regional, and Group) to understand business needs and provide practical, commercially-sound legal solutions.
• Assist the headquarters (HQ) legal team with legal affairs in relation to auditor’s reviews, adjustments of shareholding structure (if applicable to UK/Ireland), M&A activities affecting the UK or Ireland, and other legal matters as assigned by the HQ legal team from time to time.

Knowledge Sharing & Development:

• Participate in and, where appropriate, conduct legal training sessions to enhance the legal knowledge and compliance awareness of internal teams in the UK.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or above in Law (LLB, LLM, or JD preferred) from a recognized university.
• Eligibility to practice law in England & Wales (or equivalent UK jurisdiction); alternatively, qualification in another common law jurisdiction with substantial experience in UK law.
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant legal experience, ideally with a combination of law firm and in-house counsel experience, preferably within a multinational corporation. Experience in [mention specific industry if relevant, e.g., tech, retail, manufacturing] is a plus.
• Strong legal research and analytical skills, with the ability to independently manage projects, interpret, and apply complex legal provisions relevant to the UK and Ireland.
• Solid understanding of UK contract law, commercial law, corporate law (Companies Act), data privacy (UK GDPR, DPA), and relevant industry regulations.

Desired Skills:

• Experience working in a transnational corporation and familiarity with navigating matrix organizations.
• Excellent command of English (both written and spoken) is a must.
• Proven ability to work independently, take ownership of assigned tasks, and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Creative and pragmatic thinker with the ability to provide innovative yet practical legal solutions to complex business challenges.
• Positive attitude, commercially astute, and results-oriented approach, with a strong commitment to the company's values and mission.
• Proficient in legal software and technology tools, as well as Microsoft Office suite.