Company Counsel

RELX Group; Oxford; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellbeing initiatives

Shared parental leave

Study assistance

Sabbaticals

Job summary

RELX Group, a global information and analytics company, seeks a Company Counsel for Elsevier to support content acquisition teams with legal and transactional guidance across publishing ethics, research integrity, contracting, rights clearance, disputes and compliance. You will help balance risk with commercial objectives while delivering practical advice and consistent processes.

You will collaborate with the Legal Department and cross-functional teams to develop templates, training, and

Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to calmly and independently prioritise and execute tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Interest in developing AI fluency and leveraging technology to enhance legal service delivery.

Responsibilities

• Advising on publishing ethics and research integrity issues and related compliance matters.
• Developing and negotiating contracts with rightsholders, identifying key risks and practical paths forward.
• Supporting content acquisition teams by assessing legal and reputational risks and balancing with commercial needs.
• Developing and maintaining templates, training, processes and policies.
• Communicating advice clearly with practical recommendations and timelines.
• Working with cross-functional teams to achieve optimal results while minimising risk.

Skills

Strong stakeholder management

Excellent written/verbal communication

Ability to prioritize independently

Team player

AI fluency interest

Business English

Education

Qualified lawyer in UK or another recognised common or civil law jurisdiction

Job description

Are you passionate about helping advance high-quality research and publishing practices while providing practical legal guidance in a dynamic global environment? Do you enjoy partnering with stakeholders to solve complex legal and ethical challenges, balancing risk with commercial objectives to achieve positive outcomes? About the Role As Company Counsel, you will report directly to the General Counsel, Content, and support Elsevier's content acquisition teams. You will provide legal and transactional support across publishing ethics and research integrity, contracting, rights clearance, disputes, and compliance matters, helping teams navigate risk while enabling business objectives. You will work closely with colleagues across the Legal Department and cross-functional business teams, delivering clear, practical advice and contributing to effective and consistent legal processes across the organization.

Responsibilities

• Advising on publishing ethics and research integrity issues, defamation, infringements, contract and other disputes, and related compliance matters.
• Developing and negotiating contracts with rightsholders, including identifying key risks, approval requirements and practical ways forward.
• Supporting content acquisition teams by assessing legal and reputational risks clearly and early, and balancing those risks with commercial needs.
• Developing and maintaining templates, training, processes and policies.
• Communicating advice clearly and professionally, with practical recommendations and realistic timescales.
• Identifying recurring issues and opportunities to improve guidance, standardisation and ways of working.
• Working with Legal Department colleagues and cooperating across cross-functional corporate business units and departments to timely achieve optimal results while minimising risk.

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer in UK or another recognised common or civil law jurisdiction.
• Previous experience in a law firm or an in-house legal department.
• Prior publishing or intellectual property experience preferred.
• Sound legal and commercial judgement, with the ability to assess issues, make recommendations and escalat with context and proposed solutions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to calmly and independently prioritize and execute tasks and demonstrate flexibility in a fast-paced environment.
• Team player/ willingness to develop new skills.
• Interest in and openness to developing AI fluency and leveraging technology to enhance legal service delivery.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Requires business-level English.

Company Overview

RELX is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers, enabling them to make better decisions, get better results and be more productive.

Our purpose is to benefit society by developing products that help researchers advance scientific knowledge; doctors and nurses improve the lives of patients; lawyers promote the rule of law and achieve justice and fair results for their clients; businesses and governments prevent fraud; consumers access financial services and get fair prices on insurance; and customers learn about markets and complete transactions. Our purpose guides our actions beyond the products that we develop. It defines us as a company. Every day across RELX our employees are inspired to undertake initiatives that make unique contributions to society and the communities in which we operate.

We promote a healthy work/life balance across the organisation. We offer an appealing working prospect for our people. With numerous wellbeing initiatives, shared parental leave, study assistance, and sabbaticals, we will help you meet your immediate responsibilities and your long-term goals.

Working Pattern

Working flexible hours - flexing the times when you work in the day to help you fit everything in and work when you are the most productive.

About the Business

A global leader in information and analytics, we help researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. Building on our publishing heritage, we combine quality information and vast data sets with analytics to support visionary science and research, health education and interactive learning, as well as exceptional healthcare and clinical practice. At Elsevier, your work contributes to the world's grand challenges and a more sustainable future. We harness innovative technologies to support science and healthcare to partner for a better world.