Legal Counsel - Commodity Trading

Taylor Root; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Taylor Root represents a leading international energy and commodities business seeking a Commercially-minded Legal Counsel to support trading, commercial and operational stakeholders in the UK. The role requires advising on complex physical commodities transactions in a fast-paced, global environment.

The successful candidate will work with a broad range of internal teams and external counsel to deliver practical, risk-based legal solutions and ensure regulatory compliance across jurisdictions.

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer with common law training and at least 4 years PQE.
• Experience in private practice or in-house legal teams.
• Strong background in physical commodities trading, with oil trading exposure desirable.
• Experience advising on LNG transactions is advantageous but not essential.
• Proven ability to draft, review and negotiate complex commercial and trading agreements.
• Excellent stakeholder management and business-focused communication.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and commercially focused legal advice to trading business.
• Draft, review and negotiate commodity trading, supply, transportation and shipping agreements.
• Advise on cross-border transactions and risk management.
• Support governance and regulatory obligations efficiently.
• Collaborate with global legal team to deliver consistent support.
• Manage relationships with external counsel where required.
• Provide guidance on risk allocation and transaction structuring.
• Advise on regulatory issues affecting global trading operations.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Commercial acumen

Education

Common law qualified

Job description

Our client is a leading international energy and commodities business operating at the forefront of global trading markets. Due to continued growth and an increasing volume of work across the legal function, the business is seeking an experienced Legal Counsel to join its UK-based team.

This is an exciting opportunity for a commercially focused lawyer to work closely with trading, commercial and operational stakeholders, providing pragmatic legal support on complex physical commodities transactions in a highly international and fast-moving environment.

The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting trading activities while partnering with colleagues across a global legal function to deliver commercially driven and solutions-focused legal advice.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and commercially focused legal advice to the trading business, supporting commercial objectives and business growth.
• Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of commodity trading, supply, transportation, logistics and shipping agreements.
• Advise on complex cross-border physical commodities transactions and associated contractual risk management issues.
• Support stakeholders in navigating internal governance requirements and external regulatory obligations efficiently and effectively.
• Work closely with legal colleagues across the wider organisation to deliver consistent, practical and risk-based legal support.
• Manage relationships with external counsel and other key advisers where required.
• Provide guidance on contractual risk allocation, dispute avoidance and transaction structuring.
• Advise on legal and regulatory issues affecting global trading operations.

Candidate Profile

• Common law qualified lawyer with a minimum of 4 years' post-qualification experience.
• Experience gained either in private practice or within an in-house legal team.
• Strong background in physical commodities trading, with exposure to oil trading environments highly desirable.
• Experience supporting LNG transactions would be advantageous but is not essential.
• Proven experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating complex commercial and trading agreements.
• Strong commercial judgement with the ability to provide practical and business-oriented legal advice.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience advising on anti-bribery and corruption, sanctions, competition law and wider regulatory matters would be beneficial.

Why Apply?

This role offers the opportunity to join a market-leading international organisation operating within global energy and commodity markets. You will work on high-value, cross-border transactions, partner directly with commercial teams and gain exposure to complex trading activities across international jurisdictions.

The position would suit an ambitious lawyer looking to build their career within a sophisticated trading environment while enjoying strong stakeholder exposure, high-quality legal work and excellent long-term development opportunities.