Expansion Legal Counsel GB/IE

H&M group; London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a legal counsel for Expansion to manage legal matters related to store leases and expansion projects. This role involves advising on leasing deals, collaborating with various teams, and providing insights on real estate matters. Join a vibrant company committed to sustainable fashion, where your expertise will contribute to strategic growth and innovation. With a focus on teamwork and development, this position offers a unique opportunity to thrive in a fast-paced environment while making a significant impact on the business.

Benefits

Staff Discount Card

H&M Incentive Program

Extensive Development Opportunities

Qualifications

• 1-3 years PQE in commercial real estate for major retail tenants.
• Ability to draft and interpret real estate contracts.

Responsibilities

• Advise and negotiate leasing agreements and contracts.
• Collaborate with internal teams on real estate transactions.
• Support paralegal development within the legal team.

Skills

Commercial Real Estate Law

Negotiation Skills

Contract Drafting

Communication Skills

Team Collaboration

Legal Research

Education

Solicitor Qualification in England and Wales

University Degree in Law

Job description

As legal counsel for Expansion, you will play a key role in legal matters relating to our store portfolio, our lease agreements, and our wider expansion projects and processes – managing internal and external stakeholders and business partners. As a strong informal leader, you advise, lead, and guide the business on a variety of real estate matters (and potentially other matters!)

Key responsibilities include:

• Advise on, draft and lead negotiations (as necessary) across all Leasing deals (including agreements for lease, leases, side letters, deeds of variation, licences to alter).
• Working with outside counsel and H&M’s internal teams (accounts, construction, facilities etc.) in connection with real estate related transactions and issues.
• Preparing standard heads of terms and assisting the leasing team in the negotiation of terms for each new deal.
• Advising H&M in connection with planning, litigation and a variety of other real estate related matters (together with some general commercial issues).
• Advising H&M in connection with Landlord & Tenant 1954 Act issues.
• Work collaboratively with global legal teams to advise on UK market specific legal goals and challenges.
• Draft and negotiate commercial contracts for all facilities management aspects of the business.
• Tracking lease deals to drive strategy and ensuring lease actions are not missed.
• Reviewing landlord strategy and monitoring improvements in leases, creating precedents and building internal relationships.
• Constantly driving improvements to legal standards in leasing and wider Expansion.
• Supporting the paralegal in the legal team in their development.

WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH

In this role, you will collaborate with multiple teams to ensure the successful expansion of the business. You will work closely with Leasing and Construction and Facilities teams, providing key insights and recommendations.

WHO YOU ARE

We are looking for people with…

• University degree and qualification as a solicitor in England and Wales together with a current Law Society practicing certificate (or appropriate jurisdiction).
• Between 1 - 3 years PQE commercial real estate experience acting for major retail tenants at a leading UK firm, ideally including in-house experience.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage a high workload.
• Ability to understand, interpret and draft real estate contracts.
• Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing with Expansion leadership team, outside counsel and opposing counsel.
• Ability to work as a team member with non-lawyers and in teams with a wide variety of experience and levels of qualification.
• Ability to explain legal processes and issues to non UK based colleagues.
• Ability to give training to members of the UK and Irish team.

WHO WE ARE

H&M Group is a global company of strong fashion brands and ventures. Our goal is to prove that there is no compromise between exceptional design, affordable prices, and sustainable solutions. We want to liberate fashion for the many, and our customers are at the heart of every decision we make.

We are made up of thousands of passionate and talented colleagues united by our shared culture and values. Together, we want to use our power, our scale, and our knowledge to push the fashion industry towards a more inclusive and sustainable future.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE WORKING HERE

At H&M Group, we are proud to be a vibrant and welcoming company. We offer our employees attractive benefits with extensive development opportunities around the globe.

All our employees receive a staff discount card, usable on all our H&M Group brands in stores and online. Brands covered by the discount are H&M (Beauty and Move included), COS, Weekday, Monki, H&M HOME, & Other Stories, ARKET, Afound. In addition to our staff discount, all our employees are included in our H&M Incentive Program – HIP. You can read more about our H&M Incentive Program here .

JOIN US

Our uniqueness comes from a combination of many things – our inclusive and collaborative culture, our strong values, and opportunities for growth. But most of all, it’s our people who make us who we are.

If you feel your experience, skills and ambitions are right for this role, apply by sending your application through the career site as soon as possible but no later than May 11, 2025, and initiate the dialogue with your current manager if a current employee.

This is a Permanent position. The position is based in our Support Office in London and reports to the Expansion Manager.

Take the next step in your career together with us. The journey starts here.

*We are committed to a recruitment process that is fair, equitable, and based on competency. We therefore kindly ask you to not attach a cover letter in your application.