Senior Legal Counsel

Gowling WLG International Limited; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading international law firm in Birmingham is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel to join their General Counsel team. This role involves advising on complex regulatory and legal issues, mentoring colleagues, and collaborating on compliance initiatives. The ideal candidate will be a qualified lawyer with experience in a regulatory role, excellent communication skills, and a proactive approach to legal challenges. The firm fosters a supportive environment and offers attractive benefits, including hybrid working, annual leave, and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Hybrid approach to office and remote working

25 days annual leave, with the option to buy more

Private medical insurance

Generous pension allowance

Life assurance covering four times salary

Three-month sabbatical opportunity

Health and wellbeing programmes

State of the art offices in Birmingham

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer with significant experience in a regulatory role (in-house, private practice, or regulatory authority).
• Strong communication skills and confidence in advising senior lawyers.
• A broad understanding of business issues and the drive to find practical, compliant solutions.
• Excellent IT skills and a commercial mindset.

Responsibilities

• Advising on complex regulatory and legal issues.
• Supporting and mentoring colleagues on conflicts of interest.
• Involvement in firm-wide projects for compliance.
• Working with overseas offices on cross-border regulations.
• Designing and delivering training to staff.
• Advising on commercial tenders and client engagement terms.
• Supporting internal audit functions.
• Representing the firm at regulatory events.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Confidence in advising senior lawyers

Broad understanding of business issues

Excellent IT skills

Commercial mindset

Education

Qualified lawyer

Significant experience in a regulatory role

Job description

We have a great opportunity for an individual to join our General Counsel team as a Senior Legal Counsel in Birmingham. Within this role no two days are the same as you'll be involved in a wide range of stimulating work, including:

Responsibilities

• Advising on complex regulatory and legal issues, including SRA regulation, data protection and anti-money laundering, sanctions, and compliance obligations.
• Supporting and mentoring colleagues on conflicts of interest and confidentiality matters.
• Involvement in firm-wide projects and collaborating with business support teams to ensure compliance is embedded in everything we do.
• Working with overseas offices to navigate cross-border regulations and maintain our global licences.
• Designing and delivering training, both in-person and online, to keep our teams ahead of regulatory expectations.
• Advising on commercial tenders, client engagement terms, and responding to client complaints.
• Supporting our internal audit function and helping shape our data protection programme.
• Representing the firm at events and staying at the forefront of regulatory developments.

Qualifications

• A qualified lawyer with significant experience in a regulatory role (in-house, private practice, or regulatory authority).
• Strong communication skills and confidence in advising senior lawyers.
• A broad understanding of business issues and the drive to find practical, compliant solutions.
• Excellent IT skills and a commercial mindset.

Are you ready to take your compliance expertise to the next level in a collaborative, forward-thinking environment? At Gowling WLG, we believe our people are the cornerstone of our success. We foster a culture that's supportive, ambitious, and innovative—where teamwork and respect empower everyone to flourish.

Why You'll Love Working With Us

• Supportive & Friendly Team: Our General Counsel Team is known for its approachable, inclusive atmosphere, where mentoring and personal development are at the heart of what we do.
• Global Impact: As part of an international law firm with a presence across Canada, the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, you'll collaborate with colleagues and clients worldwide, tackling challenges that span jurisdictions and sectors.
• The opportunity to work for a firm that has been recognised as one of best places to work in the UK and has been ranked by Great Place to Work® for 25 consecutive years.

Benefits

• A hybrid approach to office and remote working.
• 25 days annual leave, with the option to buy up to a week's extra annual leave.
• Private medical insurance, and the option to add family members.
• A generous pension allowance.
• Life assurance covering four times your annual salary.
• The chance of a three-month sabbatical every five years.
• Maternity, paternity and adoption leave schemes.
• A range of health and wellbeing programmes.
• State of the art offices, in the heart of Birmingham City Centre, with an onsite restaurant.
• Opportunities to flourish in your role through training and personal development.

Equal Opportunities: Gowling WLG is committed both to promoting equality and diversity in the firm and to Equal Opportunities in employment. The firm believes in equality of opportunity regardless of race or racial group (including colour, nationality, ethnicity, national origins), religion or belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, sex, gender re-assignment and gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy, maternity and paternity. This also includes any incidents of perceptive or associative discrimination and harassment. At Gowling WLG we seek to attract and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures, to create an exciting and rewarding place to work. Our aim is to fulfil everyone's potential and together to achieve personal and business goals.