Legal Counsel

Informa Group Plc.; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A global events business is seeking a Legal Counsel in London. This role involves providing strategic guidance on commercial transactions, negotiating agreements, and ensuring compliance with legal requirements. Ideal candidates will have 18 months to 3 years of legal experience in the UK and strong expertise in commercial law and contract negotiation. The position supports flexible working arrangements and career growth opportunities.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus birthday leave

Flexible personal benefits

Company funded private medical cover

ShareMatch scheme for stock ownership

Wellbeing support and mental health initiatives

Qualifications

• 18 months - 3 years of qualified legal experience in the UK.
• Strong in-house legal function knowledge.
• Expertise in commercial legal matters and data privacy.

Responsibilities

• Lead the review and negotiation of high-value commercial contracts.
• Provide strategic legal counsel on business decisions.
• Manage and resolve third-party disputes.

Skills

Commercial law

Contract negotiation

Intellectual property management

Stakeholder management

Legal risk management

Education

Qualified legal experience (PQE)

Job description

At Informa, no two days and no two people are the same, and you'll find the freedom, opportunity and support of a fantastic community to make a real impact.

We’re an international business that connects specialists with knowledge, helping them to learn more, know more and do more through live and on demand events, digital and data-driven services and academic research.

We are home to over 10,000 colleagues across 30 countries and are a member of the UK’s FTSE 100 group of leading public companies. We’re thrilled to have earned the #3 spot in Glassdoor's Best Places to Work 2025 UK list, a recognition based solely on reviews by those who know us best - our current and previous colleagues.

In Global Support, we provide expert guidance and hands-on support to the Informa Group and Informa’s many business teams. Across tech, finance, legal, corporate development, HR, communications, operations and many other areas, we work collaboratively and flexibly to help our brands serve their customers and help the company succeed.

Job Description

This role is base in our 5 Howick Place, London office.

We are currently recruiting for a talented Legal Counsel to join the Informa Festivals Legal Team in London. This is an exciting opportunity to become a valued business partner to a global B2B events business.

Reporting directly to the Head of Legal for Informa Festivals and working closely with the divisional and vertical Leadership teams, you will principally provide strategic legal guidance and oversight to the Tech Festivals vertical (London Tech Week, Africa Tech Week and Asia Tech Week) within Festivals.

The role requires a proactive, business-oriented legal mind with broad legal acumen who excels at ensuring compliance with laws, whilst balancing mitigating legal risks with enabling business objectives. You will need strong expertise in commercial law, contract negotiation, intellectual property management, and stakeholder management.

The Informa Festivals Legal Team sits within the Informa PLC Legal & Governance Team, a highly regarded and award-winning business partner to the Informa Group.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Transactions:

• Lead the review, drafting, and negotiation of a range of high value, sometimes cross boarder commercial contracts, agreements & licences with customers and supplier.
• Provide strategic guidance for commercial engagements with global clients and suppliers, and joint venture partners.
• Updating various agreement templates to align with changing business policies, legal risks and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Leading support to the verticals on complex IP/copyright-related matters.
• Drafting agreements and technical documentation to support the development and implementation of new digital products, including AI.
• Support business development opportunities by providing input on and reviewing proposals.
• Attend to a wide range of other commercial legal matters across the Tech Festivals vertical, including regulatory and compliance matters (such as data privacy compliance), legal due diligence investigations and supporting integration of M&A targets.
• Taking a lead on managing and resolving third party disputes within the Tech Festivals vertical, alongside the Head of Legal for Festivals.

Stakeholder Collaboration:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with the vertical leadership team and act as a trusted advisor to the brand teams.
• Provide strategic legal counsel on critical business decisions in order to optimise legal risk and financial outcomes.
• Play an active role in the Informa Festivals Legal Team, participating in team initiatives and cross brand collaborations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with the joint venture partners, external advisors and (where relevant) industry associations and bodies.
• Liaise as required with senior management and other colleagues in the wider Group and Global Support functions including the L&G team (e.g. HR Legal, Compliance, Co Sec, Data Privacy).

Key Competencies and Skills:

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to influence stakeholders at all levels, including excellent written and verbal communication skills with an ability to explain complex legal issues in a clear and simple manner.
• Commercially minded with strong understanding of business needs and the ability to balance legal considerations with commercial objectives/strategic imperatives.
• Ability to align legal strategies with the company's business goals, helping to navigate challenges and seize opportunities.
• Strategic thinking with strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• An enthusiastic and proactive approach to work, with an ability to prioritise effectively.
• Comfortable rolling up your sleeves and managing a variety of tasks simultaneously in a dynamic and fast paced environment.
• An eagerness to learn!
• A keen desire to contribute to a strong, fun and high performing team culture.

Qualifications

• 18 months - 3 years of qualified legal experience (PQE is a given as a guide only) in the UK.
• Strong experience within an in-house legal function, either through secondments or prior in-house experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in commercial legal matters of varying complexity, legal risk management, governance, and commercial law as well as a good understanding of Data Privacy and AI issues, relevant law and regulation would be beneficial.
• Experience of managing and resolving legal disputes to an effective solution, is desirable.

Additional Information

We believe that great things happen when people connect face-to-face. That's why we work in-person with each other, or with customers and partners, three days a week or more. When you’re not spending time together in one of our offices or other workplaces – like at an Informa event – you get the flexibility and support to work from home or remotely.

We work hard to make sure Life at Informa is rewarding, supportive and enjoyable for everyone. Here’s some of what you can expect when you join us. But don’t just take our word for it – see what our colleagues have to say at LifeAt.Informa.com

Our benefits include:

• Great community: a welcoming culture with in-person and online social events, our fantastic Walk the World charity day and active diversity and inclusion networks
• Broader impact: take up to four days per year to volunteer, with charity match funding available too
• Career opportunity: the opportunity to develop your career with bespoke training and learning, mentoring platforms and on-demand access to thousands of courses on LinkedIn Learning. When it’s time for the next step, we encourage and support internal job moves
• Time out: 25 days annual leave, rising to 27 days after two years, plus a birthday leave day and the chance to work from (almost!) anywhere for up to four weeks a year
• A flexible range of personal benefits to choose from, plus company funded private medical cover
• A ShareMatch scheme that allows you to become an Informa shareholder with free matching shares
• Strong wellbeing support through EAP assistance, mental health first aiders, a healthy living subsidy, access to health apps and more
• Recognition for great work, with global awards and kudos programmes
• As an international company, the chance to collaborate with teams around the world

We’re not solely focused on a checklist of skills. We champion energy and ambition and look for colleagues who will roll their sleeves up, join in and help make things happen. If it sounds like a match and you have most – although not all – of the skills and experience listed, we welcome your application.

If you would like to request reasonable adjustments or accommodationsto assist your participation in the hiring process and, or in the advertised position, please inform the appropriate Talent Acquisition Partner for the role once they have been in touch. Your request will be reviewed and considered in confidence. At Informa, you'll find inclusive experiences and environments where all perspectives and backgrounds are welcomed. As part of this approach and our diversity and inclusion commitments, we are also formally an Equal Opportunities Employer. This means we base decisions on relevant qualifications and merit and do not discriminate on the basis of key characteristics and statuses, including all of those protected by law. Ask us or see our website for full information.

See how Informa handles your personal data when you apply for a job here .

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