Legal Counsel - 12 months FTC

Arch Insurance; London; Hybrid; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A global insurance firm is seeking a Legal Counsel in London for a fixed term contract, focused on providing legal advice on IT and commercial contracts. The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of PQE, in-house experience, and strong negotiation and communication skills. This hybrid role involves collaboration with IT and Procurement teams and requires proactive legal guidance, especially concerning AI regulations.

Qualifications

• In-house legal experience, ideally in the insurance industry.
• Proven ability to independently draft and negotiate contractual agreements.

Responsibilities

• Review, draft and negotiate a wide variety of legal agreements.
• Serve as the primary legal contact for key business teams.
• Provide guidance on legal risks associated with AI use cases.
• Assist with management of litigation and disputes.
• Review and draft legal policies and procedures.

Skills

Teamwork

Commercial acumen

Negotiation skills

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Discretion

Flexibility

Education

Qualified solicitor with minimum 5 years PQE

Tools

SaaS agreements

IT licensing agreements

Cloud agreements

Job description

Role Summary

The Legal & Governance department is looking for a pragmatic and collaborative Legal Counsel based in London (hybrid working) to serve as a trusted legal advisor to Arch Insurance International, which includes Arch’s insurance operations in Europe, Bermuda and Australia ("Arch").

The role will serve as the Legal Business Partner to the IT, Operations/Transformation and Procurement teams and focus on (i) reviewing and negotiating a wide range of commercial, software and technology contracts, (ii) providing legal advice and support on transactions and projects that involve complex IT matters (including Saas, outsourcing, cloud, and AI solutions) and (iii) assisting with commercial contract disputes (as necessary).

The role suits a confident, proactive lawyer with a background in commercial, IT and technology law.

The role is for a fixed term contract to support a 12-month maternity cover commencing in November 2025.

Key Responsibilities

• Review, draft and negotiate a wide variety of legal agreements, with a focus on contracts relating to information technology, data, artificial intelligence and third-party services including, but not limited to, software licences, SaaS agreements, support and maintenance agreements and IT resource agreements
• Serve as the primary legal contact for the IT, Operations/Transformation and Procurement teams, providing proactive advice, support and strategic guidance to the business to achieve its goals and mitigate legal risks in those areas
• Provide guidance on the legal risks associated with Arch’s proposed AI use cases in line with applicable Artificial Intelligence (AI) laws and regulations and ensure any AI use cases are approved in line with Arch’s AI Policy
• Provide legal advice and support on transactions and other initiatives, including M&A, joint ventures and divestitures, as necessary
• Keep up to date with legal developments, with a focus on evolving AI laws and regulations, and provide proactive advice to the business on interpretation or implementation of those that directly affect Arch
• Assist with the management of litigation, disputes and enforcement of contracts for the areas of the business overseen
• Instruct and liaise with external counsel, as necessary, in line with the Policy on the Engagement of External Counsel
• Assist other members of the team with workload as required and collaborate with legal counterparts in other jurisdictions (i.e. United States, Europe and Bermuda)
• Review and draft legal policies and procedures and provide training to employees, as necessary
• Contribute to the Legal & Governance Department’s knowledge base, forms and precedents and assist with contract management

Requirements & Skills

• Ability to work in a team environment and to build and maintain strong professional relationships
• Commercial acumen and a proactive and pragmatic approach to supporting the business
• Proven ability to independently draft and negotiate SaaS, IT licensing, and cloud agreements
• Excellent analytical skills and strong attention to detail
• Exceptional communication and negotiation skills, including ability to communicate complex legal issues and risks to non-legal colleagues
• Able to prioritise, multi-task and work in a dynamic and fast paced environment
• Exemplary personal and professional integrity with ability to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality of sensitive information
• Flexible, adaptive, and innovative

Qualifications & Experience

• Qualified solicitor with minimum 5 years PQE
• In-house legal experience, ideally in the insurance industry

Do you like solving complex business problems, working with talented colleagues and have an innovative mindset? Arch may be a great fit for you. If this job isn’t the right fit but you’re interested in working for Arch, create a job alert! Simply create an account and opt in to receive emails when we have job openings that meet your criteria. Join our talent community to share your preferences directly with Arch’s Talent Acquisition team.

14101 Arch Europe Insurance Services Ltd