NEW 2026: In House Legal Counsel, London (SE11), 5 QPE plus, Commercial, Franchising, Employment

Ellis-Wake; City Of London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading legal recruitment agency in London is seeking an experienced lawyer for an in-house role focusing on commercial contracts, franchising, and employment law. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of PQE and a broad skill set, including franchise support and data protection compliance. This position offers a varied workload and an opportunity to collaborate closely with leadership. To apply, please contact the director for confidentiality.

Qualifications

• 5+ years post-qualification experience (PQE).
• Solid grasp of commercial contracts and employment.
• Experience in in-house environments is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Support franchise agreement population and dispute resolution.
• Revise employment contracts and manage employee relations.
• Draft and amend contracts to minimize risks.
• Ensure compliance with data protection policies.
• Investigate trademark issues and manage cease and desist actions.
• Identify legal risks and develop management strategies.
• Liaise with and manage insurance brokers.
• Manage lease agreements for off-site properties.
• Assist in litigation and resolution of customer complaints.

Skills

Commercial contracts

Franchising

Employment law

Data protection

Risk management

Job description

Overview

New 2026: INHOUSE: this fast moving commercial / franchising role has been recommended to us by a valued PP client (since 2000!). This in‑house role is general in nature and would suit an associate or senior associate with 5 plus PQE. You will be looking to break into the world of in‑house work from PP or more likely, already in house, and seeking a move. You will report to the UK managing director and general counsel in the US and you will have a solid grasp of commercial contracts, employment and specifically franchising.

Remember, this is an in‑house role so it is general in nature. You will provide a range of tasks including franchise support, HR, contracts, data protection, trademark and passing off, risk, liaison with insurance brokers, lease management for off‑site properties, and litigation support.

Responsibilities

• Franchise support – population of template franchise agreements, breach notices and terminations and support to resolve disputes arising.
• HR – revision and update to template contracts of employment, change management and involvement in ER.
• Contracts – review, drafting and amending of contracts and other legal documents with numerous parties such as suppliers, with a view to minimising risk and maximising legal rights.
• Data Protection – supporting the implementation of procedures and policies to ensure and monitor compliance, working closely with legal counsel for the business’s other UK brands and coordinating responses to DSARs.
• Trademark and passing off – investigation and drafting of cease and desist letters together with seeking assistance of webhosts and social media platforms to remove offending sites/posts.
• Risk – identifying and creating strategies for managing legal and compliance risks.
• Liaison with and management of insurance brokers.
• Lease management for off‑site properties including terminations, renewals, rent reviews and dilapidations in conjunction with the facilities manager.
• Litigation – customer complaint resolution, drafting of pre‑action correspondence, sole conduct of small claims court cases and assistance with disclosure in larger scale litigation and liaison with external counsel in more significant cases.

Qualifications and profile

A must for a lawyer wanting variation, with 5+ PQE and a solid grasp of commercial contracts, employment and franchising; experience in in‑house environments is advantageous.

Location

Based in the City of London.

About the recruiter

Dan qualified as a solicitor in 2003 and is the owner of Ellis‑Wake, a recruitment agency in London and the South East of England. He regularly advises clients on the complexity of the legal market and related strategic considerations.

How to apply

If this role is of interest please contact Dan Wake (Director) in confidence at [e-mail] or on [phone].

Ellis‑Wake acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.