Construction Legal Counsel - Infrastructure/Projects

Heriot Brown In-House Legal Recruitment; England; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading legal recruitment firm seeks a Construction Legal Counsel to join an in-house team for significant UK infrastructure projects. The role involves drafting contracts, advising on joint ventures, and mitigating legal risks while working closely with project teams. The ideal candidate is a qualified solicitor experienced in construction, with strong negotiation skills and a commercial mindset. This position offers exposure to impactful projects and supports a proactive, collaborative legal environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in non-contentious construction and projects work.
• Ability to advise non-legal stakeholders directly.
• Comfortable in fast-moving project environments.

Responsibilities

• Drafting, reviewing and negotiating construction and project contracts.
• Advising on joint ventures and consultancy agreements.
• Managing legal and commercial risk on live projects.

Skills

Experience in construction sector

Strong drafting and negotiation skills

Commercial awareness

Effective communication

Ability to manage multiple priorities

Education

Qualified solicitor (or equivalent)

Tools

NEC, JCT and/or FIDIC contracts

Job description

Construction Legal Counsel - Infrastructure/Projects

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Direct message the job poster from Heriot Brown In‑House Legal Recruitment.

This is an opportunity for a construction lawyer to step into an in‑house role embedded in the delivery of complex UK infrastructure projects, working closely with commercial and project teams rather than advising from the sidelines.

The role suits a junior construction lawyer who enjoys contract work but wants greater ownership, closer involvement in decision‑making, and a clearer line of sight between legal advice and how projects are actually delivered on site.

The role

You’ll join a collaborative in‑house legal team supporting a portfolio of high‑value, strategically important infrastructure and construction programmes across the UK.

The work is predominantly non‑contentious, with some exposure to dispute avoidance and resolution, and a strong emphasis on providing practical, commercially grounded advice to teams operating in live project environments.

Over time, the role offers increasing autonomy and visibility across projects as you build relationships with internal stakeholders and develop a deeper understanding of the business.

What you’ll be doing

• Taking ownership of drafting, reviewing and negotiating construction and project contracts, with a strong focus on standard forms (NEC experience particularly relevant)
• Advising on associated arrangements including joint ventures, consultancy and professional services contracts, variations, settlement agreements, heads of terms and collaboration agreements
• Supporting both upstream (client‑side) and downstream (supply‑chain) contracting on live projects
• Working closely with project, commercial and procurement teams to identify, manage and mitigate legal and commercial risk
• Managing and instructing external advisers where appropriate, with a focus on efficiency and value
• Contributing to the development of practical templates, processes and ways of working within the legal team
• Supporting compliance and governance matters relevant to infrastructure delivery, including ESG, competition and ethical business requirements
• Providing clear, pragmatic advice that balances legal risk with commercial outcomes

What they’re looking for

• A qualified solicitor (or equivalent) with experience in the construction sector
• A background in non‑contentious construction and projects work, with exposure to standard form contracts such as NEC, JCT and/or FIDIC
• Strong drafting and negotiation skills, with the confidence to advise non‑legal stakeholders directly
• Commercially minded, with a genuine interest in how projects are delivered in practice
• Comfortable managing multiple priorities in a fast‑moving project environment
• Clear, practical communicator who can translate legal issues into actionable advice
• Prior in‑house or secondment experience is helpful, but not essential

Why this role stands out

• Direct exposure to high‑value, nationally significant UK infrastructure projects
• A genuine in‑house position with day‑to‑day interaction with project and commercial teams
• Broad scope across non‑contentious work, with insight into dispute management and risk strategy
• A strong platform for lawyers considering their first or second move in‑house
• An environment that values ownership, curiosity and practical problem‑solving over hierarchy

This role is particularly well suited to construction lawyers who want to be closer to delivery, take on greater responsibility, and develop as commercially astute in‑house advisers.

Seniority level

Associate

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Legal

Industries

Construction

London, England, United Kingdom