Lead Counsel

Moonpig; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading online gifting company in London is seeking a Lead Counsel to oversee their global intellectual property and commercial contracts. This hybrid role requires significant experience in IP management and a proactive approach to legal operations. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in coaching junior lawyers and a collaborative mindset. Excellent benefits and competitive salary offered.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Private healthcare

Generous holidays

Learning allowances

Hybrid working

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer with 10+ years’ PQE in a common law jurisdiction.
• Significant experience in intellectual property management and enforcement.
• Strong background in commercial contracting across multiple jurisdictions.
• Experience coaching, mentoring or leading junior lawyers.
• Comfortable advising on UK/EU data protection.

Responsibilities

• Lead management, protection and enforcement of intellectual property portfolio.
• Draft, negotiate and advise on commercial agreements.
• Coach and develop two Legal Counsels.
• Support product innovation through proactive IP strategy.
• Provide guidance on compliance and risk mitigation.

Skills

Intellectual property management

Commercial contracting

Coaching and mentoring

Data protection

Legal operations

Education

Qualified lawyer with 10+ years' PQE

Tools

Ironclad

Job description

We’re the Moonpig Group – home to Moonpig, Greetz, Red Letter Days and Buyagift – and we’re on a mission to make people feel loved, celebrated and remembered. Whether it’s a card that gets them laughing out loud or a gift that makes their day, we help people stay close, no matter the miles.

We’re proud to be leading the online gifting revolution, with brilliant products, clever tech and a whole lot of heart. Our platform makes it easy to create moments that matter – packed with personal touches and delivered with care.

We’re not just about selling cards or gifts – we’re here to spread joy, spark smiles and make every celebration feel extra special. And with values that guide how we work and support one another, we’ve built a place where people (and ideas) can truly thrive.

If you’re looking to make an impact, bring your spark and be part of something meaningful – we’d love to have you on the team. 🌙🐷

Lead Counsel | 📍London, Farringdon – Hybrid (2 days) | 💰Competitive Salary + Benefits

About the Role

We’re looking for a pragmatic, collaborative Lead Counsel to join our Group Legal team to help shape the future of Moonpig Group’s commercial and IP landscape. Based in our London Farringdon office on a hybrid basis (two days per week), this senior role reports directly to the Director of Legal, offers broad exposure across our brands—Moonpig, Greetz, and Experience More—and positions you at the centre of our legal strategy.

You’ll bring strong IP expertise, senior-level commercial contracting experience, and a modern approach to legal operations. You’ll also play a key leadership role in developing two of our Legal Counsels, supporting their growth through open, generous knowledge‑sharing and clear, practical guidance. This is an opportunity to work in a future‑focused legal team embracing AI, workflow automation and continuous improvement in how we deliver legal services.

Our Legal team is modern, innovative and committed to finding smarter, more efficient ways of working. With strong Legal Ops support, a group‑wide AI governance framework, and tools like Ironclad, this is a great role for someone who wants broad responsibility and the chance to help shape the next chapter of our legal operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead on the management, protection and enforcement of Moonpig Group’s global intellectual property portfolio (including trademarks, copyrights and design rights).
• Draft, negotiate and advise on a broad range of commercial agreements, including supply/distribution, licensing, marketing and technology contracts.
• Act as a senior legal partner to leadership on commercial, IP and regulatory issues.
• Coach and develop two Legal Counsels, acting as the senior escalation point and supporting their professional growth.
• Support product innovation and brand development through proactive IP strategy and portfolio management.
• Act as a key legal contact for Moonpig UK, Moonpig New Markets, Experience More Limited and Greetz in the Netherlands, ensuring cross‑border consistency.
• Manage external counsel relationships for IP, regulatory and dispute matters.
• Provide guidance on compliance, data protection and commercial risk mitigation.
• Support the People team with contentious and employment‑related matters where required.

About You

• Qualified lawyer with 10+ years’ PQE (UK or other common law jurisdiction).
• Significant experience in intellectual property management and enforcement — a core priority.
• Strong background in commercial contracting across multiple jurisdictions.
• Proven experience coaching, mentoring or leading junior lawyers.
• International outlook; experience with Dutch stakeholders or an affinity with the Netherlands is a bonus, but not essential.
• Comfortable advising on UK/EU data protection, with the ability to identify issues and escalate where appropriate.
• A proactive, modern approach to legal operations — familiar with contract management tools (we use Ironclad) and excited about workflow automation and AI‑enabled legal practice.
• Commercially minded, solutions‑focused and able to communicate clearly and simply.
• High levels of ownership, organisation and follow‑through.
• An open, balanced communicator who values collective success over hierarchy.
• A collaborative team player who enjoys sharing knowledge openly and working in a fast‑moving e‑commerce environment.

Interview Process

• Stage 1 — Recruiter Screen (30 mins)
• Stage 2 — Stakeholder Interview (60 mins)
• Stage 3 — Hiring Manager & Stakeholder Interview (60 mins)

What's in it for you?

We believe in empowering our team to do their best work. Enjoy:

💰 Competitive Pay & Bonuses: Plus, generous pension plans & staff discounts.

💆🏽 Wellbeing First: Private healthcare (UK), mental health support & dog‑friendly offices (London & NL).

🏖️ Flexible Working & Time Off: Generous holidays, hybrid working (1‑3 days in office, depending on role/team) & up to 20 days of international working.

📈 Career Growth: Learning allowances, coaching & development programs.

Explore our full benefits package: here

Our Ways of Working

We trust you to do what’s right, providing flexibility to balance work and life. We believe in giving you permission to innovate and focus on delivering meaningful results. We understand that effective ways of working are unique to each individual, role, and team, and we’re committed to supporting and discussing your specific needs throughout the interview process and beyond.

Moonpig Group's Commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity

At Moonpig Group, we’re all about creating a workplace where everyone feels they truly belong. We celebrate what makes each of us unique, whether that’s our background, how we work best, or what matters most to us.

From working parents who need flexible hours to neurodiverse colleagues with specific working styles, we’re here to support our people in ways that work for them. Because when you feel valued and included, you can thrive, and so can we.

We’re proud to have a number of employee‑led groups driving this forward, including our LGBTQ+, Gender Balance, Neurodiversity and EMBRACE (Educating Myself for Better Racial Awareness and Cultural Enrichment) communities, plus our Group‑wide EDI committee. These teams help make sure every voice is heard and every idea has a place.

We know that diversity fuels creativity, innovation and connection, and that’s why we’ll keep pushing for progress. Together, we’re building a culture where everyone feels safe, supported, and free to be their brilliant, authentic selves.

If you have a preferred name, please use it to apply and share your pronouns if you are comfortable to do so 😊 - If you have any reasonable adjustment requests throughout the interview process please let us know on your application or speak to the Recruiter.