Senior Legal Counsel

McCarthy Recruitment Ltd; Caddington; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car allowance

Bonus

Job summary

McCarthy Recruitment Ltd is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel to own legal matters across the UK and Ireland. The role is highly visible, commercially focused and reports to senior leadership.

The successful candidate will lead on contracts, compliance and risk while acting as a trusted business partner within an international environment. UK base with travel as needed.

Qualifications

• Qualified legal professional with strong commercial awareness.
• Experience advising on contracts, governance and compliance.
• Strong ability to translate legal concepts into practical business advice.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary legal advisor for UK and Ireland operations across businesses.
• Advise on distribution, supply, procurement, logistics and marketing contracts.
• Support leaders with legal risk assessment and mitigation strategies.

Skills

Commercial mindset

Stakeholder management

Contract law

Clear communication

Risk assessment

Autonomous working

Cross-border matters

Education

English law degree

Solicitor qualification

Job description

Job Title: Senior Legal Counsel

Location: Luton

Salary: up to £100,000, plus car allowance and bonus

Role: Permanent - Full time

An established international business is seeking an experienced Senior Legal Counsel to take ownership of legal matters across the UK and Ireland region.

This is a highly visible and influential role where you will serve as the lead legal advisor to the business, providing pragmatic commercial guidance while helping to shape business strategy and manage risk. Working closely with senior leadership, you will play a key role in supporting commercial growth, ensuring compliance, and protecting the organisation's interests across a diverse range of legal and regulatory matters.

This opportunity is ideally suited to a commercially minded legal professional who enjoys operating autonomously, influencing stakeholders at all levels, and working within a fast-paced international environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Acting as the primary legal advisor for UK and Ireland operations, providing commercially focused legal guidance across multiple business functions


• Advising on a broad range of commercial agreements including distribution, supply, procurement, logistics, customer service, dealership and marketing contracts


• Supporting business leaders with legal risk assessment and the development of practical risk mitigation strategies


• Leading compliance initiatives across areas such as anti-bribery, anti-corruption and competition law


• Delivering legal and compliance training to managers and stakeholders across the business


• Managing litigation and disputes, working closely with external legal partners where required


• Building strong relationships with senior stakeholders and acting as a trusted business partner


• Collaborating with international legal teams and supporting cross-border legal matters


• Contributing to strategic decision-making as part of the wider commercial leadership team


• Ensuring the business remains compliant with relevant legal and regulatory requirements

What We're Looking For:

• Qualified legal professional with an English law degree and significant post-qualification experience


• Strong background gained within a reputable law firm, multinational organisation, or a combination of both


• Proven experience advising on commercial, legal, governance and compliance matters


• Excellent knowledge of contract law and commercial legal frameworks


• Strong commercial awareness with the ability to balance legal risk against business objectives


• Experience managing disputes, litigation and external legal counsel


• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills


• Ability to translate complex legal concepts into clear, practical business advice


• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making capabilities


• Comfortable operating independently while collaborating effectively across international teams

The Ideal Candidate Will Be:

• Commercially minded and solutions focused


• Confident influencing senior stakeholders and business leaders


• Pragmatic, adaptable and comfortable working within a changing environment


• Capable of balancing multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail


• A credible and trusted adviser with strong professional integrity


• Collaborative in approach while remaining confident making autonomous decisions


• Proactive in identifying risks and opportunities for the wider business


• Passionate about driving best practice and continuous improvement

Commutable Locations: Luton, St Albans, Milton Keynes, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Bedford, Watford, Hitchin

If you're an experienced Legal Counsel, Commercial Solicitor, Corporate Counsel or Senior In-House Lawyer seeking an opportunity to take on a broad and commercially influential position within an international organisation, this could be the ideal next step in your career.

The Legal Bit:

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age. By applying for this role, you are explicitly consenting for McCarthy Recruitment to hold and process your data in compliance with GDPR