Legal Counsel

Lincolncornhill; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote or hybrid

Job summary

Lincolncornhill is recruiting a Legal Counsel to support a growing risk and compliance function. The role offers a unique opportunity to shape a developing governance capability within a well-established law firm.

The role can be fully remote or hybrid, with optional Birmingham city centre office time for in-person collaboration. You will provide pragmatic legal, risk and compliance advice across the business, monitor regulatory changes, support due diligence and supplier risk, and help drive

Qualifications

• A relevant degree and legal qualification.
• Strong knowledge of risk, governance and compliance.
• Ability to analyse complex information and turn it into clear, practical recommendations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• A pragmatic, commercial, and solutions-focused mindset.
• Strong attention to detail, with the ability to manage competing priorities under pressure.
• A collaborative approach, comfortable building relationships across a business and working independently.
• Adaptability, and comfort with a role that will change and grow over time.
• Willingness to travel to other offices occasionally, with overnight stays where required.

Responsibilities

• Providing quality legal, risk and compliance advice to stakeholders across the business
• Horizon-scanning regulatory change, and translating it into practical guidance
• Supporting governance and risk identification on business initiatives of varying scale
• Financial crime and sanctions work, including AML, sanctions checks, tax evasion risk, and fraud prevention
• Supporting due diligence, client onboarding, and supplier risk processes
• Contract review, drafting, and negotiation support across a range of commercial agreements
• Engaging with regulators and key external stakeholders
• Delivering training and raising awareness of risk and compliance across the firm
• Contributing to wider strategic and business continuity projects

Skills

Risk & Compliance

Regulatory analysis

Contract review

Stakeholder communication

Analytical thinking

Independent working

Education

Law degree

Legal qualification

Tools

Regulatory databases

Job description

Our client, a well-established and growing law firm, is investing significantly in its Risk and Compliance function and is looking to appoint a Legal Counsel to join the team. This is a newly evolving role within a business that is actively expanding its governance capability, a great opportunity for someone who wants to help shape a function as it grows, rather than step into a fixed, static remit.

The firm is genuinely flexible on working pattern: this role can be fully remote or hybrid, with a base in the firm's Birmingham city centre office for those who want in-person time with the team.

The role

You’ll sit within the General Legal / Risk & Compliance team, providing pragmatic, commercial legal advice and support across the business. The role covers a broad and varied remit, including:

• Providing quality legal, risk and compliance advice to stakeholders across the business

• Horizon-scanning legislative and regulatory change, and translating it into practical guidance

• Supporting governance and risk identification on business initiatives of varying scale

• Financial crime and sanctions work, including AML, sanctions checks, tax evasion risk, and fraud prevention

• Supporting due diligence, client onboarding, and supplier risk processes

• Contract review, drafting, and negotiation support across a range of commercial agreements

• Engaging with regulators and key external stakeholders

• Delivering training and raising awareness of risk and compliance across the firm

• Contributing to wider strategic and business continuity projects

This is a role that will evolve alongside the function, so there's real scope to get involved in shaping process, policy, and best practice as the team develops.

Experience required

• A relevant degree and legal qualification

• Strong knowledge and experience of risk, governance and compliance

• The ability to analyse complex information and turn it into clear, practical recommendations

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• A pragmatic, commercial, and solutions-focused mindset

• Strong attention to detail, with the ability to manage competing priorities under pressure

• A collaborative approach, comfortable building relationships across a business and working independently

• Adaptability, and comfort with a role that will change and grow over time

• Willingness to travel to other offices occasionally, with overnight stays where required

Experience in financial crime, AML, sanctions, or contracts work would be an advantage, though not essential.

Why apply

• Genuine flexibility: fully remote or hybrid working

• A firm actively investing in and growing its risk and compliance capability

• Broad exposure across governance, financial crime, contracts, and regulatory engagement

• Real influence over how the function develops