Corporate Solicitor (Legal Director)

eNL; Gloucester; On-site; GBP 113,000 - 138,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Career progression

Job summary

eNL is seeking a Corporate Solicitor with 8+ years PQE to join its Education team in Cheltenham. The role focuses on acquisitions, disposals and strategic transactions for independent schools and education groups, with counsel on governance and long-term growth.

You will lead matters, mentor juniors, develop client relationships, and help grow the specialist corporate education practice while building a trusted adviser profile.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 8 years PQE with experience in the education sector.
• Strong corporate transactional experience and the ability to lead matters with confidence.
• Experience at Legal Director or Partner level, or readiness to move there.
• Excellent drafting skills and high-quality technical knowledge.
• A commercial approach with practical advice.
• Interest or experience within education and/or charity sectors.
• Business development mindset to turn relationships into opportunities.
• Strong interpersonal skills to engage with senior stakeholders.
• Collaborative approach to develop colleagues.
• Aspiring to build a recognised personal profile in corporate education.

Responsibilities

• Advise independent schools and education groups on acquisitions, disposals and strategic transactions.
• Support charities and educational organisations with mergers, restructurings and collaborative arrangements.
• Advise on models for long-term sustainability, growth and succession.
• Provide corporate governance and constitutional advice to boards, trustees and senior leadership teams.
• Take responsibility from inception through to completion, working with the Education team.
• Develop long-term client relationships and become a trusted adviser on corporate needs.
• Identify opportunities to introduce clients to other areas of the firm and build referral networks.
• Support the profile of the practice through networking, events and sector-focused thought leadership.
• Play an active role in developing and mentoring junior lawyers.

Skills

8+ PQE

Education sector exp

Corporate transactions

Legal Director level

Drafting skills

Commercial approach

Education/charity interest

Business development

Stakeholder engagement

Mentoring juniors

Job description

Corporate Solicitor (Legal Director), 8+ Years PQE, Cheltenham, £125,000+ (DOE) - This highly regarded Education team is looking to appoint a senior Corporate Solicitor / Legal Director to help shape the continued growth. REF:5115.

THE ROLE

• You will be responsible for advising independent schools and education groups on acquisitions, disposals and other strategic transactions.
• Supporting charities and educational organisations with mergers, restructurings and collaborative arrangements.
• Advising clients as they consider different models for long-term sustainability, growth and succession.
• Providing corporate governance and constitutional advice to boards, trustees and senior leadership teams.
• Taking responsibility for matters from inception through to completion, working closely with colleagues across the wider Education team.
• Developing strong, long-term relationships with clients and becoming a trusted adviser on their wider corporate needs.
• Identifying opportunities to introduce clients to other areas of the firm and building strong internal and external referral networks.
• Supporting the profile of the practice through networking, events, seminars and sector-focused thought leadership.
• Playing an active role in developing and mentoring junior lawyers.

SKILLS REQUIRED

• Applications are sought from Corporate Solicitors with a minimum of 8 Years PQE with experience within the education sector.
• You will have strong corporate transactional experience and the ability to lead matters with confidence.
• Experience operating at Legal Director or Partner level, or be ready to make that step.
• Excellent technical knowledge and high-quality drafting skills.
• A commercial approach and the confidence to provide practical advice rather than simply legal answers.
• An interest in, or existing experience within, the education and/or charity sectors.
• A genuine appetite for business development and the ability to turn relationships into opportunities.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the confidence to engage with senior stakeholders.
• A collaborative approach, with an enthusiasm for supporting and developing colleagues.
• Ambition to build a recognised personal profile and contribute to the growth of a specialist corporate education practice.

ON OFFER

• Competitive salary
• Genuine career progression

At eNL we value diversity and inclusion. We want to attract people at all levels and encourage applications from all suitably qualified candidates whatever your ethnicity, religion, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other characteristics protected by law in the jurisdictions in which we operate