Director of Legal Services

JR United Kingdom; London; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative boutique professional services firm is seeking a Director of Legal Services and Business Development to lead their Legal function. This pivotal role involves driving business growth, managing a high-performing team, and providing strategic legal advice to clients. With a focus on corporate and commercial law, the ideal candidate will have a strong network and a passion for supporting SMEs. Join a dynamic leadership team and play a key role in shaping the firm's future success through effective client acquisition and team management.

Qualifications

• 8-10 years of relevant professional services experience.
• Experience advising fast-growth UK SMEs for at least 5 years.

Responsibilities

• Achieve revenue and profit targets through business development.
• Lead and manage the Legal team to meet objectives.

Skills

Business Development

Corporate Law

Commercial Law

Leadership

Strategic Thinking

Relationship Building

Communication Skills

Education

Legal Qualification

Job description

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DIRECTOR OF LEGAL SERVICES AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

THE JOB OPPORTUNITY

This is an exciting opportunity to lead and grow the Legal function of a boutique professional services firm, delivering real value to clients, the Legal team, and the business as a whole. The firm has four core disciplines in advisory, accountancy, legal, and tax, providing comprehensive guidance through joined-up expertise.

The Director of Legal Services role is central to the business's success. It sits on the Board, reports to the Managing Director, and is part of the Senior Leadership team.

The Legal team currently consists of three departments, each headed by a Department Head. To achieve their growth plans, they seek an experienced leader to create a cohesive, high-performing, and profitable team.

The departments include:

• Corporate/Commercial
• Employment & Immigration
• Litigation/IP & Art Law

Your primary goals include:

• Achieving revenue and profit targets through business development and client acquisition
• Leading and managing the Legal team, ensuring objectives are met
• Supporting clients with quality legal advice
• Maximizing team productivity
• Defining and executing departmental strategy

REQUIREMENTS

Growth-focused: You thrive on business development, have an established SME network, and experience speaking at events. You embody core values, represent the brand externally, and aim to support SMEs, the business, and the team to thrive.

Legal expertise: Ideally legally qualified and specialized in Corporate or Commercial law. Your ability to diagnose client needs and deliver appropriate legal and commercial solutions is vital. You should have a desire to grow your department and leverage your network for client acquisition.

Leadership: Experience leading a high-performing team, fostering an open, human-centered, and ambitious culture. You should be comfortable with strategic and practical thinking.

Personal qualities: Curious, collaborative, commercial, authentic, and confident in building relationships. You should be comfortable managing client portfolios and working with other teams to deliver integrated solutions.

Successful candidates are technically skilled, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and proactive in driving their growth.

REQUIRED/DESIRABLE SKILLS

• 8-10 years of relevant professional services experience
• Minimum 5 years advising fast-growth UK SMEs
• Strategic thinking and adaptability
• Leadership and experience building high-performance cultures
• Resilience and change management skills
• Strong relationship-building abilities
• Excellent communication skills, including handling challenging conversations

ON OFFER

• Competitive annual salary (c£100k-£140k, dependent on experience)