In-House Legal Counsel

Cathedral Appointments Ltd; Exeter; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading company in Exeter is seeking a dedicated Legal Counsel to provide expert legal guidance across various departments. The role requires a confident lawyer with strong commercial understanding and at least 5 years of post-qualification experience. Key responsibilities include advising on contracts, compliance, and corporate governance. The position offers flexible working hours and a supportive team environment.

Benefits

22 days annual leave + bank holidays

Free on-site parking

Company car

On-site gym

Contributory company pension scheme

Flexible start times

Learning & Development opportunities

Discounted Health Cash Plan

Qualifications

• At least 5 years’ post qualification experience in the UK.
• Strong background in commercial law, contract law, and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Providing legal advice and guidance to the board and other company departments.
• Managing litigation and coordinating with external legal counsel as needed.
• Advising on mergers, acquisitions, and other corporate transactions.

Skills

Communication

Negotiation

Problem Solving

Education

Qualified Lawyer

Tools

Legal Research Tools

Job description

22.5 hours per week, with flexible options to work across 3, 4 or 5 days

Exeter (on site)

About the company

Our client is a leader in its field, being a highly successful and established national company which is known for providing its customers with choice, underpinned by excellent standards of service. With strong roots in the South West, the company has continue to expand its customer offering and its workforce, with over 1000 people now employed across the UK.

The company is proud of its informal yet professional culture, where people can enjoy working together on site, which they feel enhances opportunities to collaborate and support one another. Their Exeter base is well provisioned, with free parking and an on-site gym being part of their offering.

This part-time role is fully office based, and the company are keen to consider a range of options, from 3 full days per week through to school-hours work spread across 4 or 5 days each week.

About the role

As the business has grown, so too has the need for a dedicated legal counsel to work across departments including Finance and HR, as well as with the management Board, and external customers. Your focus will be to provide pragmatic and commercially relevant advice which drives informed business decisions and safeguards the organisation’s interests. Working as an integral part of the senior management team, you will be tasked with providing expert legal guidance and support to ensure the company’s operations align with all relevant laws and regulations.

As sole Legal Counsel within the business, you will be a confident lawyer who can work independently and flexibly, advising on a variety of matters when needed. In a fast-paced environment, it will be essential to prioritise and navigate complex legal issues with a high degree of professionalism. Whether negotiating contracts, handling litigation, general employee relations or advising on other commercial matters, your contributions will be critical to the ongoing success and sustainability of the business. Our client is proud of its team-focussed culture and you will thrive in an environment where variety and collaboration are the norm.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing legal advice and guidance to the board and other company departments.
• Providing support to business stakeholders to review, draft and negotiate contracts and agreements with suppliers, customers and other third parties. This activity is essential in order to safeguard the company's interests whilst ensuring compliance with legal requirements and company policies.
• Maintaining and updating the contracts database to ensure accuracy and accessibility of contract information.
• Managing litigation and coordinating with external legal counsel as needed.
• Providing representation on behalf of the company on debt collection and other legal matters.
• Conducting legal research and staying updated on changes in laws that may affect the company.
• Overseeing corporate governance and ensuring adherence to corporate policies.
• Advising on mergers, acquisitions, and other corporate transactions.
• Working with Compliance Manager to ensure full compliance with GDPR regulations, supporting the implementing and maintaining of company data protection policies and procedures.
• Protecting the organisation's Intellectual Property rights through application of relevant trademarks, copyrights, patents and trade secrets law as required. This may also include conducting IP audits, filing applications for protection, and enforcing IP rights against infringement.
• Monitoring regulatory developments relevant to the organisation's industry and advising on regulatory compliance. This may involve interacting with regulatory agencies and ensuring that the organisation adheres to regulatory requirements.
• Developing and implementing legal strategies to protect the company's interests.

You may also be required to engage with:

• Drafting, negotiating and advising on commercial leases and property related documentation
• Providing initial advice relating to employment law
• Training and Education: Providing legal training and education to stakeholders within the business to ensure awareness of legal risks and compliance obligations.

About you

In this varied and standalone Legal role, you will be a fully qualified, confident and experienced lawyer with strong commercial understanding. You will possess a robust understanding of commercial law, regulatory compliance, contract negotiation, property law, litigation, basic employment legislation and risk management. You’ll be a positive and proactive problem solver and strategic thinker with exceptional communication skills and a strong values-driven foundation.

You will be able to demonstrate expertise in a commercial environment, showing your understanding of commercial decision making and risk management. Being an effective communicator, you listen and absorb information readily and are accustomed to considering and providing appropriate advice in reasonable timescales. You will be positioned to advise and influence stakeholders at all levels and enjoy researching aspects which will be new to you.

You might be moving from a similar in-house role where you have been accustomed to responding to changing business needs, or perhaps are seeking to move from a private practice role in order to focus on one client’s commercial needs.

You’ll have:

• At least 5 years’ post qualification experience in the UK.
• Strong background in commercial law, contract law, and compliance.
• Proficiency in managing complex legal projects and transactions.
• Exceptional negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to analyse complex legal issues and provide sound legal advice.
• Proficiency in legal research tools and software.
• Experience of working in a customer-focussed environment.

It's essential that you are comfortable working independently and able to advise on a variety of matters when needed. Given the breadth of this role, you will be accustomed to working flexibly, responding to changing priorities and demands from different parts of the business, and frequently assessing where your time is most effectively spent.

Benefits include

• 22 days annual leave + bank holidays
• Free on-site parking
• Company car
• On-site gym
• Contributory company pension scheme
• Flexible start times by agreement, with standard hours being 8am - 5pm
• The company also supports their workforce with:
• Learning & Development opportunities
• Long Service awards
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to an employee retail portal for discounted shopping
• Discounted Health Cash Plan
• Discounted gym membership
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee referral scheme
• Subsidised social events
• Free tea and coffee facilities

Find Out More…

If you would like to find out more information in confidence and without commitment, please contact Charlotte Ferguson, Recruitment Manager on 01392 712003 or 07342 840879 or via email at [e-mail]