Legal Counsel

5-Hertford-Street; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary bonus

25 days’ holiday per year

Private medical and dental insurance

Job summary

RB Holdings, a leading luxury hospitality group, is seeking a Legal Counsel based in Mayfair. You will report to the General Counsel and support multiple businesses in the UK and US, handling corporate and commercial contracts, governance and data protection matters, and protecting the group’s brands.

The role offers exposure to senior decision-makers, a fast-paced founder-led environment, and development opportunities within a renowned hospitality portfolio.

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer in England and Wales with ~3–4 years PQE.
• Strong grounding in corporate and/or commercial contracts.
• Proactive, collaborative, low-ego approach with cross-functional collaboration.
• Ability to advise with independence, sound judgment, escalation when needed.
• Excellent drafting and communication skills for non-lawyers.
• Commercial, proportionate approach to risk.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-moving environment.
• Demonstrable interest in hospitality, leisure and luxury sectors.
• Experience across UK and international matters, incl. US.

Responsibilities

• Act as trusted legal adviser to teams across the group, delivering practical, commercial advice.
• Assist GC with governance and compliance initiatives, creating overarching governance framework.
• Draft, review and negotiate commercial agreements (supplier, services, events, venue hire, tech, confidentiality).
• Support property portfolio and development projects (leases, licences, construction, planning, licensing).
• Assist with data protection roadmap and day-to-day data privacy matters.
• Support brands and trade mark portfolio management and enforcement.
• Assist with corporate governance, financing, reorganisations, and strategic transactions.
• Assist with disputes resolution, aiming to protect commercial interests.
• Mentor junior team members and develop templates, playbooks, processes.
• Manage external advisers effectively and translate advice for the business.

Skills

Legal drafting

Contract negotiation

Corporate law

Regulatory compliance

Data protection

In-house experience

Education

Qualified solicitor in England and Wales

Job description

RB Holdings is a leading luxury hospitality and leisure group, renowned for creating unforgettable experiences, exceptional service, and beautifully crafted spaces and products.

Founded in 2012 by visionary entrepreneur Robin Birley, the group is home to some of London’s most sought-after private members’ clubs, including the iconic 5 Hertford Street and the elegant Oswald’s in Mayfair. Our portfolio has expanded to include Birley Bakery & Chocolate Shops in Chelsea and, most recently, our first international ventures, Maxime’s Club and Birley Bakery in New York City. Other group businesses include Birley Sandwiches, comprising nine stores across the City and Canary Wharf.

In summer 2027, we will unveil The Carrington, a business club located in Mayfair. It will combine elevated dining, a state-of-the-art wellness centre, beautifully curated meeting and drawing rooms, and exceptional business support, all styled with the unmistakable flair that defines the Robin Birley clubs.

With the business growing at pace, this is an exciting time to join the company.

We are now seeking a Legal Counsel to join our small, high-performing Legal team, working closely with the General Counsel and based at our Head Office in Mayfair.

This is an exceptional opportunity to take on meaningful responsibility within one of the world’s most prestigious hospitality and leisure groups. The role offers exposure to senior decision-makers and a varied workload spanning our businesses in both the UK and the US.

The key responsibilities of our Legal Counsel will include:

• Act as a trusted and accessible legal adviser to teams across the group, providing clear, practical and solutions-focused advice that supports the group’s commercial objectives.
• Proactively assist the General Counsel with the identification and implementation of group-wide governance and compliance initiatives, processes and policies with a view to establishing an overarching governance farmwork in keeping with best industry practice. Help the business identify and respond to relevant legal and regulatory developments.
• Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements, including supplier, services, consultancy, events, venue hire, technology and confidentiality agreements.
• Support the group’s property portfolio and development projects, including leases, licences, construction arrangements, planning matters and operational licensing.
• Proactively assist the General Counsel with the implementation of the business’ data protection roadmap and advise on day-to-day data protection and technology matters, including data processing arrangements, privacy documentation, marketing initiatives and data subject requests.
• Support the management and protection of the group’s brands and trade mark portfolio, including filings, oppositions, enforcement matters, licences and advice on brand use.
• Assist with corporate governance, company secretarial matters, financing, corporate reorganisations and other strategic transactions.
• Assist with the early assessment and resolution of disputes, complaints and contentious matters, with a focus on protecting the group’s commercial and reputational interests.
• Take a hands on approach to the learning and development of junior team member(s).
• Develop templates, playbooks, contract management processes and other tools that improve the quality, consistency and efficiency of legal support.
• Instruct and manage external advisers effectively, while retaining as much work in-house as is sensible and translating external advice into practical next steps for the business.

The benefits you will receive as Legal Counsel include:

• Competitive salary
• Discretionary bonus
• 25 days’ holiday per year, excluding bank holidays
• Private medical and dental insurance with BUPA
• Enhanced employer contributions to our pension scheme

Experience and qualities required for our Legal Counsel include:

• A lawyer qualified in England and Wales, or another common law jurisdiction, with approximately three to four years’ post-qualification experience.
• A strong grounding in corporate and/or commercial contracts, gained at a well-regarded law firm, an in-house legal team or through a combination of both.
• A proactive, collaborative and low-ego approach, together with the confidence to build trusted relationships across different functions and levels of seniority.
• The ability to advise with a high degree of independence, exercise sound judgement and recognise when material matters need to be escalated.
• Excellent drafting, legal analysis and communication skills, with the ability to provide concise and practical advice to non-lawyers.
• A commercial and proportionate approach to risk, with a strong instinct for workable solutions rather than purely technical answers.
• The ability to manage competing priorities, maintain close attention to detail and deliver high-quality work in a fast-moving environment.
• A demonstrable interest in the hospitality, leisure and luxury sectors, and a desire to work in a fast-paced, founder-led environment.
• Previous in-house experience and exposure to property, data protection, intellectual property, corporate transactions, regulatory matters or disputes would be advantageous.
• Experience working across UK and international matters, particularly involving the US, would also be valuable