Legal Counsel

Sony; Weybridge; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Onsite gym

Hybrid working

Canteen & coffee shop

Shuttle bus service

Job summary

Sony Europe is seeking a commercially minded Legal Counsel to support Sony Sports’ global operations from Weybridge. You will draft and negotiate services, procurement, IP and R&D agreements, and advise on tenders, disputes and regulatory matters across jurisdictions.

The role emphasizes clear, business-friendly legal guidance and AI governance within a fast-paced tech-entertainment environment. You will be based at Weybridge with hybrid working options, engaging with internal teams and external

Qualifications

• Qualified to practice law in England and Wales.
• Minimum of two years of post-qualification experience in private practice and/or in-house.
• Strong contract drafting, negotiating and presentation skills.
• Commercial approach to legal issues.
• Fluent in English; additional languages are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate a range of commercial contracts including services and procurement agreements.
• Advise on tenders, IP, R&D, NDAs and related matters across jurisdictions.
• Provide commercially focused legal advice and clear recommendations to the business.
• Advise on commercial disputes, regulatory compliance and AI governance issues.
• Prepare training for the business on key legal topics.

Skills

Contract drafting

Negotiation

Presentation skills

Commercial mindset

English fluency

Education

Qualified to practise law in England & Wales

Job description

Join the Sony Europe Legal Affairs team and play a key role in supporting Sony's innovative Sports businesses. Operating at the intersection of sports, technology and entertainment, these businesses deliver market-leading products and services to customers around the world. This fast-paced, global environment offers exposure to a wide variety of commercial legal matters, from contract negotiations and intellectual property issues to data use, artificial intelligence, disputes and regulatory compliance.

We are looking for a commercially minded Legal Counsel with early to mid-level post-qualification experience to support Sony Sports' global operations.

You will:

• Draft, review, and negotiate a range of commercial contracts including services agreements (with a focus on technology and software services), procurement agreements, Intellectual property agreements, R&D agreements, NDAs etc. and advise on tenders.
• Provide commercially focused legal advice and recommendations in different jurisdictions, ensuring that advice is conveyed in a clear, understandable way and relevant to the business requirement.
• Advise on commercial disputes, litigation and regulatory compliance, working with external counsel where required
• Advise on AI legal issues and supporting the business to ensure successful use of AI tools in accordance with the Sony governance framework;
• Support other corporate projects and other legal initiatives, according to the team’s needs;
• Prepare and provide training to the business on key legal topics impacting the business.

You will bring:

• Qualified to practice law in England and Wales (consideration will be given to candidates with suitable experience who are qualified to practice in other European jurisdictions).
• Minimum of two years of relevant post-qualification experience obtained in private practice (preferably) and/or in-house.
• Strong contract drafting, negotiating and presentation skills.
• Commercial approach to legal issues.
• Strong interpersonal skills are essential, as are: good analytical skills, organisation skills, sound judgement, well-developed influencing skills and diplomacy, accountability, effective conflict resolution and sensitivity to people issues, flexibility and focus in meeting the changing needs of fast paced business, client focus, honesty and integrity.
• Fluent in English. Other language skills or experience of other legal jurisdictions would be useful.

Your new office

Weybridge

Based at the Weybridge office, you will enjoy a vibrant and friendly working environment. We have an onsite canteen with a wide range of options available, and a barista style coffee shop. There is a well-provisioned onsite gym run by our own Sony Wellbeing Coordinator, with classes on set days in the mornings, at lunch and after work hours. We have a staff car park which includes electric charging points, an undercover and secure bike rack (useful if you've made the most of the Cycle-to-Work scheme), or if you will use public transport we have a shuttle bus service that regularly runs between train station and the office at peak times.

Take a look at our video tour of the Weybridge site here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lwbMOzjoVA

Life at Sony

We ensure competitive salaries and benefits by using established benchmarking. We encourage healthy work-life balance supported by hybrid and flexible working policies. We are a positive community who dream big together, respect each other, and enjoy a collaborative culture.

We like to celebrate our colleagues who make a real difference using our recognition platform. We also provide access to numerous services and platforms for all aspects of wellbeing. We listen to our people through conversations and surveys, respect their suggestions, then act on them. We also provide allowances for volunteering days so that our staff can support the causes they are most passionate about.

You can build your career around you with our fantastic range of learning & personal development programs to enhance your skills. We also encourage our staff to try exciting new roles, in a wide range of countries, with a supportive mobility team to support you if you take that leap!

Bring your uniqueness to Sony

We are passionate about creating a culture that promotes equity and cultivates inclusion, diversity, and belonging. We want employees with diverse backgrounds and perspectives that will stimulate innovation and have a direct impact on our creation of social value to fulfil Sony's purpose - 'to fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology'. We want you to bring your unique self to work and help shape our culture.

We are Sony Europe

Our people collaborate in an environment of respect, integrity, and open-mindedness. Diverse teams from all over Europe are the driving force for our business, and we embrace the differences that make each of us original and unique.

With offices in 28 European countries, Sony Europe caters to consumer, professional, semiconductor and healthcare markets with innovative electronics products and solutions. Our European laboratories research and develop new technologies and capabilities that contributes to the Sony Group and important issues on a planetary scale.

Equal Opportunity

Sony Europe is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of race, colour, religion, gender, citizenship, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, medical condition, or any other protected characteristics.

Disability Accommodation for Applicants to Sony Europe

Sony Europe will provide reasonable accommodation for any qualified individuals with disabilities in the application process. For reasonable accommodation requests, please contact us by email at [e-mail] or by mail to: Sony Europe Limited, Human Resources Department, the Heights, Brooklands, Surrey, KT13 0XW, UK. When contacting us please indicate the position you are applying for, and the accommodation required.

Recruitment Fraud Notice

Please be aware that unauthorised individuals or organisations may attempt to solicit personal information or payments from job applicants by impersonating our company through fraudulent job postings. While we take these matters seriously, we cannot control third-party websites. To protect your personal information, please verify that any job posting you respond to also appears on our official Sony Europe Career Portal. Please also be advised that we never request payment or personal financial information.