In-House Counsel

Clifton Search; England; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Market-leading pension

Competitive bonus scheme

Job summary

Clifton Search is seeking an In House General Commercial Solicitor for Somerset to join a close-knit legal team. You will lead major commercial contracts, manage risk, and work with senior leaders, procurement and operations to drive commercially smart decisions.

This role focuses on protecting the brand, enabling growth, and delivering legal excellence with a pragmatic balance of risk and reward across the organization.

Qualifications

• UK qualified solicitor with a proven track record in private practice and/or in-house commercial law.
• Expert in contract law with strong drafting and negotiation skills across a broad range of complex contracts.
• Good knowledge of data protection law and information governance.
• Experience with competition and regulatory law is desirable.
• Strong influencing skills and ability to present complex concepts clearly to senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Manage legal risk in commercial relationships, incl. tenders and supplier contracts for non-stock and stock goods.
• Draft and negotiate a wide range of complex commercial contracts, including intragroup, logistics, warehousing, tech and NDAs.
• Support contract lifecycle management with renewals, updates and dispute avoidance.
• Advise on contract structure and risks to support business teams.
• Develop and ensure compliance with templates, standard terms and playbooks.
• Provide expert legal support for strategic projects and ad hoc commercial law queries.
• Work with internal teams and external counsel to manage risks cost-effectively.
• Ensure data protection compliance in contracts and advise on data protection issues.
• Advise on regulatory issues (competition and consumer) and brand protection where relevant.
• Identify process improvements and provide training on contract risk and compliance.

Job description

In House Counsel - Somerset

Due to exceptional growth across the business, our client is looking for a General Commercial Solicitor to play an integral role within their high-performing Commercial Legal Team.

You’ll be a key partner to the business, leading on major commercial contracts, managing legal and regulatory risk, and working closely with senior leaders, procurement, operations and cross-functional teams to drive confident, commercially smart decisions.

Your expertise will protect the brand, unlock new opportunities and power the growth of a business built on trust, simplicity and exceptional customer focus.

This role is for a solicitor who thrives on pace and impact - someone who brings legal excellence while balancing risk and reward to enable optimal commercial decision-making across the organisation.

This is a very close knit, engaging and long-standing legal function closely aligned to the business.

The leadership of the legal function bring superb industry experience and have developed a team equipped to support a high growth and entrepreneurial organisation.

Responsibilities:

Commercial contracts

• Manage legal risk in commercial relationships with suppliers for goods and services not for resale (non-stock suppliers) and goods for resale (stock suppliers) including significant tenders, contracts, and related disputes.

• Draft and negotiate a wide range of complex commercial contracts (incl. intragroup, logistics warehousing and fulfilment, supply of goods and services, technology and software and non-disclosure agreements).

• Support contract lifecycle management with renewals, updates and dispute avoidance.

• Advise on contract structure and risks re commercial strategy to support business teams

• Develop and ensure compliance with templates, standard terms, and playbooks.

Legal advisory and risk management

• Provide expert legal support and guidance for strategic business critical projects and on a broad range of ad hoc legal queries across the spectrum of commercial law issues.

• Work closely with colleagues across the wider Group and with external counsel on a cost efficient and targeted basis.

• Ensure risks are escalated and managed to ensure optimal commercial decision-making.

Governance, compliance and regulatory support

• Ensure data protection compliance in contractual relationships and providing legal support and advice on a broad range of data protection issues.

• Where appropriate, advising on regulatory law issues (including competition and consumer) and brand protection (intellectual property).

Other

• Identify innovative methods to achieve efficiencies and seek continued process improvement.

• Support dispute management where appropriate (pre litigation) and to the wider Legal team (as necessary).

• Provide training to internal teams on contract risk, legal compliance and processes to ensure optimal understanding and visibility of critical legal issues.

Background/Person

• UK qualified solicitor with a proven track record working in private practice and/or in house on commercial law matters. (pqe dependant on experience)

• Expert in contract law and with exceptional drafting and negotiation skills across a broad range of complex commercial contracts.

• Good knowledge of data protection law and an understanding of information governance.

• Experience of competition and regulatory law is desirable.

• Pleasure to work with style. (essential)

• Strong influencing skills, including the ability to present complex concepts clearly in plain English and to business stakeholders at all levels.

• Results driven experience in negotiating with counterparties on contentious (pre litigation) and non-contentious matters.

On offer is a competitive salary and highly attractive benefits package including a market leading pension scheme and highly competitive bonus system.

We would consider 4 or 5 days for this position.

Highly flexible attitude to office/home working.