Legal Counsel Commerical Contracts

Michael Page Legal; England; Hybrid; GBP 53,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme

28.5 days annual leave rising to 33.5

Practice certificate fees paid

Enhanced family leave

Wellbeing support

Career development programmes

Permanent public sector employment

Job summary

Michael Page Legal seeks a senior Legal Counsel Contracts and Commercial in West Yorkshire to lead a team and provide high‑level advice on complex commercial, procurement and governance matters. The role combines strategic advisory work with managing a diverse project portfolio.

You will advise senior officers and elected members, draft significant agreements and contribute to major initiatives, with hybrid working and exposure to high-profile projects.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor or equivalent (solicitor, barrister, CILEx or equivalent).
• Experience in complex commercial, procurement or local government law.
• Comfortable advising senior stakeholders on sensitive issues.
• Experience drafting and negotiating complex legal agreements.
• Ability to lead, supervise or mentor a legal team.

Responsibilities

• Advise senior stakeholders, committees and decision-makers on complex commercial, procurement, governance and contractual matters.
• Manage a personal caseload of high-profile commercial projects.
• Draft and negotiate significant commercial agreements and project documentation.
• Lead, supervise and develop lawyers within the Contracts and Commercial team.
• Support strategic initiatives, governance, risk management across the organisation.

Skills

Solicitor/Barister/Legal Executive or

Commercial law

Procurement law

Local government experience

Governance matters

People management

Education

Qualified solicitor or equivalent

Job description

A Legal Counsel Contracts and Commercial opportunity based in West Yorkshire. This is a senior legal leadership role combining complex commercial advisory work with team management and strategic stakeholder engagement.

You will advise senior officers and elected members on significant commercial, contractual and governance matters while managing a varied portfolio of high value and high profile projects.

Client Details

Our client is a large public sector organisation delivering a wide range of services across its communities. The legal function plays a key role in enabling policy delivery, supporting major projects and protecting the organisation’s interests.

The legal team works closely with senior decision makers across the organisation, providing commercially focused advice on complex and strategically important matters.

Description

The Legal Counsel Contracts and Commercial will be:

• Advising senior stakeholders, committees and decision makers on complex commercial, procurement, governance and contractual matters.
• Managing a personal caseload of high profile and legally complex commercial projects.
• Drafting and negotiating significant commercial agreements, partnership arrangements and project documentation.
• Leading, supervising and developing lawyers within the Contracts and Commercial team.
• Supporting major strategic initiatives, corporate ventures, governance matters and risk management activities across the organisation.

Profile

The Legal Counsel Contracts and Commercial should be:

• A solicitor, barrister, Chartered Legal Executive or lawyer with equivalent practical experience.
• Experienced in complex commercial, contracts, procurement or local government legal work.
• Comfortable advising senior stakeholders on legally sensitive and strategically important issues.
• Experienced in drafting, negotiating and managing complex legal documentation.
• Able to lead, supervise or mentor legal professionals within a busy team environment.
• Commercially minded with strong judgement, analytical skills and stakeholder management capability.

Job Offer

Salary of £53,051 to £58,358 plus a £3,000 market supplement, providing total earnings of up to £61,358.

Hybrid working with a small number of office days each month and the remainder working from home.

Benefits include the following:

• Local Government Pension Scheme
• 28.5 days annual leave rising to 33.5 days after five years
• practising certificate fees paid
• enhanced family leave
• wellbeing support
• career development programmes
• the security of permanent public sector employment