Legal Counsel

NatWest Group; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution in the United Kingdom is seeking a Legal Counsel for a 12-month contract. In this role, you will manage a diverse workload supporting unsecured lending within Retail and Private Banking. Your responsibilities include providing clear legal advice, improving operational practices with technology, and managing legal costs. The ideal candidate will be a qualified solicitor with experience in banking law and a strong customer-focused mindset. This is an excellent opportunity for those looking to develop their expertise.

Qualifications

• Experience providing legal and commercial advice on transactions and projects, in-house or at a leading UK firm.
• Knowledge of commercial and regulatory environments in Retail, Premier, and Private banking.
• Experience working with leading law firms and consultants.

Responsibilities

• Manage a fast-paced and varied workload across Retail and Private Banking.
• Deliver strategic legal advice aligned with business priorities.
• Drive improvements in team practices using AI and legal technology.

Skills

Tech-first approach

Commercially curious mindset

Strong communication skills

Customer-back mindset

Education

Qualified solicitor

Tools

Legal technology

Job description

Join us as a Legal Counsel (12 months)

• This is an opportunity to join us in the Unsecured Lending and Financial Health and Support Legal team within Retail and Private Banking
• If you’re delivery-focused, a self-starter, committed to continuous upskilling, and eager to learn and grow, then this high-profile role could offer the development opportunities you need to succeed
• This is your chance to demonstrate your expertise, drawing on your curiosity and deep understanding of general banking law and practice, as well as the Retail, Premier, and Private Banking sectors
• This role will be offered for a period of 12 months

What you'll do

As a Legal Counsel, you’ll manage a fast-paced and varied workload, supporting the unsecured lending parts of our Retail, Premier, and Private Banking businesses, as well as the Financial Health and Support team. You’ll also work closely with stakeholders at all levels and partner with colleagues across Legal, Governance & Regulatory Affairs to deliver timely, effective, and efficient advice, projects, and initiatives, either independently or as part of a team.

In addition, you’ll be:

• Delivering strategic, commercial, and clear legal advice that’s easily understood by non-lawyers and provided at pace in line with business priorities
• Actively driving improvements in team operating practices and processes by identifying efficiencies and opportunities to save time and reduce costs through artificial intelligence (AI) and legal technology
• Managing legal costs through e-billing, auctions, and other cost-management tools, while fostering a culture of disciplined spending and strong financial controls

The skills you'll need

We’re looking for a tech-first, driven, and commercially curious Legal Counsel. To succeed in this role, you’ll need to be a qualified solicitor with experience providing legal and commercial advice on transactions and projects, either in-house or within a leading UK law firm. You’ll also need to bring a customer-back mindset, an appetite to leverage AI and technology, and strong communication skills. A solid understanding of the bank’s strategic priorities and a commitment to delivering excellent service to our stakeholders is essential as well.

In addition, you’ll need:

• Knowledge of the Retail, Premier, and Private banking activities, along with the commercial and regulatory environments they operate in and the associated legal issues
• Experience working with leading law firms, professional advisers, and consultants
• The ability to stay up to date with relevant legal and market developments and share them as needed