Commercial & Technology Senior Associate

Acuity Law; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK law firm in Cardiff seeks a Senior Associate in its Commercial & Technology team. This role involves managing complex legal matters and mentoring junior lawyers. Candidates should have substantial post-qualification experience in commercial and technology law, alongside excellent drafting and negotiation skills. The firm offers competitive compensation and a supportive, inclusive culture with hybrid working options.

Benefits

Competitive compensation

Hybrid working

Career development opportunities

Mentoring and training

Qualifications

• 4-7 years post-qualification experience is desired.
• Experience in commercial/technology law across various sectors.
• Ability to manage multiple matters under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage complex commercial and technology matters.
• Draft and negotiate various contracts.
• Provide strategic legal advice and insight into tech and regulatory issues.

Skills

Commercial mindset

Strong interpersonal skills

Excellent drafting skills

Negotiation skills

Project management

Education

Qualified solicitor in England & Wales

Tools

Matter management tools

Job description

About Acuity Law

We are a leading UK law firm renowned for our commitment to excellence, client service, and delivering innovative legal solutions. Our firm is recognised for its collaborative and dynamic working environment, offering high-quality legal advice to a diverse range of clients, from multinational corporations and financial institutions to SMEs, start-ups and high-net-worth individuals. We pride ourselves on fostering professional growth, encouraging innovation, and maintaining an inclusive and supportive culture.

About the role

Do you thrive at the intersection of innovation, business strategy and law? As a Senior Associate in our Commercial & Technology team, you will be a trusted commercial adviser to a wide variety of clients from high-growth fintech’s and SaaS businesses, to med-tech innovators, digital platforms, and spinouts. You will lead projects, mentor junior lawyers, and be deeply involved in shaping the direction and reputation of our practice.

You’ll be helping clients negotiate, draft and structure commercial and tech arrangements in fast-moving markets. Your work will go beyond “legal boilerplate” and you’ll think strategically, spot risks, and convert complex commercial issues into pragmatic legal solutions.

About the team

You’ll be joining our Commercial & Technology team, known for delivering clear, commercially focused advice and watertight contracts that protect clients’ interests and manage risks.

Our expertise spans a broad range of tech-driven sectors, including fintech, software, med-tech, digital media, telecoms, start-ups, and education.

We work closely with clients on both supply-side and end-user issues, helping them navigate complex legal, regulatory, and commercial challenges with practical, strategic solutions.

The team handles diverse matters such as joint ventures, outsourcing, software licensing, data protection, and financial regulation, offering a dynamic and collaborative environment to grow your expertise.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and manage a portfolio of medium-to-high complexity commercial and technology matters, from inception to delivery.
• Draft, negotiate and advise on software licences, development & consultancy agreements, SaaS and cloud arrangements, outsourcing, reseller/distribution, APIs/integrations, joint ventures, strategic alliances, and complex supply/procurement contracts.
• Provide insight into evolving technology, data, digital, IP, and regulatory issues (e.g. fintech, data privacy, cybersecurity) as they affect commercial deals.
• Act as a day-to-day legal adviser to clients by building relationships, understanding their business models, commercial drivers, and risk appetites.
• Leading and mentoring more junior team members: reviewing their work, delegating tasks, guiding development, and helping build confidence.
• Project managing multi-stakeholder transactions and coordinating across internal teams (e.g. regulatory, corporate, IP) ensuring milestones, workflows, and client expectations are met.
• Proactively contribute to business development: pitch support, client proposals, thought leadership (articles, seminars, webinars), internal training.
• Keep up to date with relevant industry trends, emerging technologies, regulatory changes and case law; bring “horizon scanning” insights into team thinking.
• Play an active role in shaping the firm’s culture: collaborate across practice areas, contribute to continuous improvement of processes, templates, and knowledge sharing.

About you

We are looking for a highly motivated and commercially driven solicitor with a strong technical background, excellent strategic thinking, and experience handling complex and high-value disputes.

Personal specification

• Qualified solicitor (or equivalent) in England & Wales with substantial post-qualification experience (typically 4-7 years, or more, depending on size/complexity).
• Strong track record in commercial / technology law across a variety of sectors (for example: software/IT, digital media, fintech, life sciences, telecoms).
• Excellent drafting, negotiation and advocacy skills. You can distil complex legal issues into clear, sharp advice.
• Commercial mindset: you appreciate business drivers, commercial constraints, and can advise clients on risk versus reward trade-offs.
• Ability to manage multiple matters in parallel, prioritise effectively, and deliver to deadlines under pressure.
• Strong interpersonal & client-facing skills: you enjoy building relationships, working cross-functionally, and managing client expectations.
• Experience in supervising and mentoring junior colleagues.
• Ambition, initiative, and intellectual curiosity. We want someone who will shape the team and push boundaries.
• A team player with a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach.

Desirable experience

• Experience working with start-ups, scale-ups or in-house legal teams.
• Exposure to regulated sectors (e.g. financial services, healthcare and MedTech).
• Knowledge of data privacy and cybersecurity law or regulatory experience.
• Experience in business development (e.g. winning new clients, writing pitches) or in thought leadership.
• Familiarity with process improvement, matter management tools, legal operations.

Why join us?

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a highly respected Commercial & Technology team within a highly reputable UK law firm, offering high-profile work, career development, and a supportive, team-driven culture.

• A seat at the table - genuine involvement in strategic decisions, new initiatives, and shaping the future of the team.
• Exposure to cutting-edge tech and high-stakes commercial work across dynamic sectors.
• Mentoring, training and a culture of professional growth.
• Competitive compensation and benefits.
• A collaborative, intellectually stimulating environment: we value creativity, cross-practice collaboration, and the drive to push boundaries.
• Flexibility: hybrid working, autonomy over your diary, and support for work–life balance.

Next steps

For a confidential discussion, please contact our recruitment team. We look forward to welcoming a talented professional to our growing team.