Legal Counsel

Starr Underwriting; London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A global reinsurance company is seeking a Legal Counsel based in London. The role involves advising on legal and compliance matters, handling complex governance issues, and supporting major projects. This positions offers variety in legal practice and the opportunity to work closely with senior leaders while providing contract negotiation and drafting support. Ideal candidates will have a minimum of 4 years PQE and experience in financial services or insurance.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

Comprehensive private insurance coverage

Subsidized gym membership

Qualifications

• Minimum 4 years PQE lawyer looking for a transition from private practice to industry.
• Ability to prioritize multiple legal matters effectively.
• Experience in financial services and insurance sector is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Advising on, drafting and negotiating a full range of commercial contracts.
• Preparing board communications and resolutions for UK and Bermuda entities.
• Problem-solving a diverse range of requests from across the business.

Skills

Commercial law experience

Contract negotiation

Effective communication

Strategic thinking

Education

Qualified Solicitor

Job description

Job Title

Legal Counsel

Job Description

This varied, global role will involve advising on legal, regulatory and compliance matters to Pacific Life Re Division’s corporate centre, which is the reinsurance division of Pacific Life

The role will see you working closely with senior leaders and personally handling complex legal and governance matters and supporting the delivery of major projects. Using your knowledge of commercial and corporate law, you will provide advice and contract interpretation, drafting and negotiation support on transactions as well as on arrangements with key suppliers.

This role would be ideal for someone looking for variety, interaction with a broad range of stakeholders and the ability to manage their work and time autonomously.

We are ideally seeking a minimum 4 years PQE lawyer, perhaps looking for their first step out of private practice and into industry. As Legal Counsel you would be based in London and report into the VP Legal & Global Privacy Officer (also based in London).

The Team

As a member of the Pacific Life Re legal team, you will join a team of commercially-minded lawyers, embedded in the business and focused on delivering proportionate and pragmatic legal and compliance advice in a collaborative environment. Pacific Life Re is committed to your professional and personal development and on providing opportunities for a broad exposure to our business with opportunities to advise on diverse issues. You will work with people from across the business and at all levels to help identify and mitigate legal and business risks– there is plenty of variety, opportunity for autonomous working and no two days are the same!

The Divisional legal team focuses on our Bermudan entities (where Pacific Life Re Division is headquartered) and the main service company for the Division which is based in the UK. This means you will be advising on all manner of queries; internal intra-group arrangements, contracts with key suppliers or ad-hoc legal questions from other teams (such as HR and Finance). The Divisional legal team are supported by external counsel for Bermuda legal, regulatory and compliance matters.

Duties:

• Advising on, drafting and negotiating a full range of commercial contracts. Collaborating closely with procurement and third party risk management
• Preparing board communications and resolutions for UK and Bermuda entities
• Problem-solving a diverse range of requests from across the business on legal, regulatory and compliance matters, particularly from other departments such as HR and Finance
• Knowledge sharing by distilling legal, regulatory and compliance issues for updates and briefings for the legal team and wider business
• Working collaboratively to support the DPO on privacy matters and the legal and compliance teams of our parent group, Pacific Life, based in Newport Beach, California
• Coordination of projects across the legal function
• Supporting interactions with regulators and other authorities, particularly in Bermuda, and the UK

Skills/Experience

• Qualified Solicitor
• General contract and commercial law experience including negotiation of contracts
• Financial services and/or (Re)insurance experience (advantageous)
• Experience of reviewing and negotiating software licences (advantageous)
• Familiarity with financial services regulation and compliance (advantageous)
• Resourceful and flexible, with an ability to think strategically and commercially
• An effective and confident communicator, both with internal and external stakeholders
• Collaborative and able to build excellent working relationships across the business
• Organised, conscientious and able to prioritise multiple matters effectively
• Able to identify legal issues and risks, escalating to senior management as appropriate
• Willing to respectfully challenge others’ ideas and proposals and an ability to accept the same in return

Working For Pacific Life Re

Every person in our global team is valued for the unique qualities they bring to our business and we seek to build their expertise and support their individual ambitions at every step. Of course, we take our work seriously and we know our team can operate under great pressure. We work hard and thrive on achievement, but we also know how to have fun and relax too. We regularly host a range of team building days to strengthen our team's connection with each other and reflect on their successes.

Providing employees with a healthy work-life balance is very important to our culture. We have a wide range of employee benefits and we host regular social activities and well being initiatives. We are also committed to supporting our employee's involvement in their communities, by actively fundraising, hosting charity events and overseeing volunteering opportunities.

Benefits (Only for Permanent and Fixed Term Employees)

Leave

• 25 days of annual leave with option to buy/sell more days

• Adoption and fertility leave

• Generous enhanced parental leave

Healthcare

• Comprehensive private insurance coverage for employee and dependents

• Group Life Insurance coverage of 9x basic annual salary and Group Income Protection up to 75% of basic annual salary

• Optical benefits

Savings & Retirement

• 15% combined employee/employer contributions

Wellness

• Subsidized gym membership

• Access to Employee Assistance Program

• Cycle to Work and Electric Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme

• Time off for volunteering

• Charitable matching of employee donations

As part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, we will provide reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process to ensure equal access to applicants with disabilities. Please contact us about your needs so that we can discuss these with you to make sure that suitable adjustments are made, where possible.

Pacific Life Re Values

Please click here to view our company values