Knowledge Lawyer (Corporate/M&A)

JMC Legal Recruitment; Guildford; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Profit share

Discretionary bonus schemes

Job summary

JMC Legal Recruitment in Guildford is seeking a Knowledge Lawyer in Corporate with 5+ PQE to shape a top-tier corporate team. Youll draft precedents, build training, and drive the adoption of AI and legal tech across the practice.

Youll work with senior knowledge lawyers, influence knowledge systems, and lead change in how the team operates. Hybrid working with two days in-office is offered, with performance-based progression and strong career development.

Qualifications

• 5+ PQE in corporate law from a recognised department.
• Experience designing and delivering training programmes across all levels.
• Strong interest in the link between legal knowledge and technology.
• Willingness to lead change in tech-enabled legal delivery and AI use.
• Recent M&A experience is desirable but not essential.
• Fits with a cohesive, friendly, supportive team.

Responsibilities

• Drafting and updating precedents for corporate work.
• Designing and delivering training at all levels.
• Advising fee earners on legal issues and market practice.
• Keeping the team ahead on corporate developments.
• Leading adoption of legal tech and AI solutions.
• Embedding technology into everyday workflows.
• Supporting trainees and new joiners with development.
• Contributing to business development through knowledge-led campaigns.
• Contributing to the firm's innovation strategy.

Skills

5+ PQE in Corporate Law

Training design & delivery

Tech-enabled legal service experience

AI adoption & practice management

M&A transaction exposure

Team collaboration & culture fit

Education

5+ PQE in Corporate Law

Tools

CoCounsel

Harvey

Lexis+ AI

Job description

Knowledge Lawyer | Corporate | 5+ PQE | Guildford, Surrey

Shape How Your Entire Corporate Team Works (At the Intersection of Law and Technology)
Most lawyers spend their career executing transactions. This role is about enabling an entire top-tier corporate team to work better, smarter, faster, and with better precedents and guidance.

A top-tier corporate practice in Guildford is looking for a Knowledge Lawyer to work alongside its existing knowledge team, supporting one of the South East's strongest corporate groups. This isn't a back-office research role. You'll be at the heart of how the team operates: drafting precedents, designing training, managing the firm's knowledge systems, and critically, leading the adoption of legal technology and AI across the practice.

If you want to influence how an entire practice operates and lead the intersection of law and legal technology, this is rare.

The Opportunity

You'll work with the practice's senior knowledge lawyer, supporting a sophisticated corporate team on:

• Drafting and updating precedents that guide the team's work across M&A, corporate restructuring, corporate governance
• Designing and delivering training at all levels, from trainees to partners, on legal developments and market practice
• Advising fee earners on legal issues, market practice, and strategic approaches
• Keeping the team ahead of the curve on corporate law developments and ensuring knowledge is disseminated promptly
• Leading legal technology adoption: identifying, evaluating, and implementing AI solutions (CoCounsel, Harvey, Lexis+ AI), data hygiene, metadata tagging, data governance
• Embedding technology into ways of working and driving continuous improvement
• Supporting trainees and new joiners with targeted, structured development
• Supporting business development through knowledge-led client campaigns and training initiatives
• Contributing to the firm's innovation strategy and broader change initiatives

This isn't about being a background resource. You're actively shaping how one of the region's most significant corporate practices operates and evolves.

The Firm & Team

A top-tier corporate practice consistently ranked in the legal directories' top tier. The corporate team is one of the strongest in the South East working on high-quality, diverse transactional and advisory matters including private M&A, private equity, venture capital, shareholders' agreements, corporate rationalisations, and cross-border work. Clients include FTSE 100 PLCs, multinational groups, mid-tier businesses, private equity-backed companies, and high-growth companies.

The culture is collaborative, engaging, and genuinely supportive. They genuinely care about their people and actively work to build a diverse, inclusive, and happy workforce.

About You

• 5+ PQE in Corporate Law gained in a recognised corporate department (or transition from corporate fee-earning into a first knowledge lawyer role)
• Experience designing and delivering engaging training programmes across all experience levels
• Demonstrable interest in the relationship between legal knowledge and legal technology
• Willingness to lead change around tech-enabled legal service delivery and effective AI use
• Recent M&A transaction experience desirable but not essential
• Qualities that fit with a cohesive, friendly, supportive team

What's On Offer

• Full-time role (or 4 days per week if preferred)
• Hybrid/flexible working: minimum 2 days in office
• Benefits package, profit share and discretionary bonus schemes
• Genuine career and development opportunities within a growing firm
• Opportunity to shape the future of how a top-tier corporate team operates

Why This Works

This isn't a static knowledge role. The firm is genuinely forward-thinking about legal technology and AI adoption.

They're looking for someone to lead that transformation, not implement it, but lead it.

The corporate team is genuinely strong. You'll be enabling their best work, not just maintaining mediocre processes.

That matters for the impact you have.

If you're a corporate lawyer ready to step out of pure fee-earning and actually shape how an entire practice operates, at the intersection of legal knowledge and cutting-edge technology, this it.