Senior Legal Counsel

Sellick Partnership (Legal) Limited; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car allowance

Flexible hybrid working

25 days' annual leave

Private medical cover

Life assurance

Pension contribution up to 10%

Discounted gym membership

Job summary

Sellick Partnership (Legal) Limited is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel in the UK, with Manchester or Birmingham as a base. The role is full-time and hybrid, offering a salary of £90,000–£100,000. You will review and negotiate NEC contracts, support project teams, and advise on complex construction matters across public and private sectors.

This role focuses on commercially astute contract work, strategic risk management, and developing the Legal function within a growing construction business.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor admitted in a common law jurisdiction with practising certificate.
• Extensive construction law experience, preferably in a major contractor or construction business.
• Proven track record negotiating NEC contracts and related security documents.
• Ability to advise on live project matters and identify contractual risks.
• In-house experience or aptitude for working in-house is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Review, draft and negotiate NEC contracts, consultant and subcontractor appointments, and framework agreements.
• Advise project teams on live contractual matters and identify practical risk protections.
• Negotiate guarantees, parent company and payment guarantees where needed.
• Support governance processes, maintain precedents, and contribute to training.
• Collaborate with senior stakeholders to influence project delivery from tender to completion.

Skills

Construction law

NEC contracts

Contract negotiation

Risk assessment

Commercial awareness

Stakeholder management

Education

Qualified Solicitor

Job description

Senior Legal Counsel

Manchester or Birmingham

Full-time, Hybrid

£90,000 - £100,000

Sellick Partnership is exclusively working with a major UK construction and infrastructure business delivering complex projects across the public and private sectors. With a growing legal function and an impressive portfolio of work, this is a chance to take on a genuinely commercial role, working closely with project and leadership teams on high-value developments. A particularly exciting opportunity for a construction lawyer with strong NEC experience to have real influence on projects from the earliest tender stages through to delivery.

The Senior Legal Counsel role

In the role of Senior Legal Counsel, you will focus on reviewing, drafting and negotiating construction contracts, particularly NEC standard forms, alongside consultant and subcontractor appointments, framework agreements and bespoke contractual arrangements.

You will also advise on live project matters, identify and manage contractual risks, support internal governance processes and help maintain the Legal team's precedents and knowledge of legal developments.

This is not a people management position, but it offers the opportunity to work closely with senior stakeholders and contribute to the continued development of the Legal function.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide legal support across construction and consulting projects, from initial bids and tenders through to project delivery.
• Review, draft and negotiate NEC contracts, alongside consultant and subcontractor appointments, framework agreements and bespoke contractual arrangements.
• Advise commercial and project teams on live contractual matters, identifying risks and recommending practical solutions.
• Negotiate key contractual protections, including parent company guarantees and payment guarantees.
• Support project governance, contract approval processes and compliance requirements.
• Manage external legal advisers and contribute to the development and maintenance of legal precedents.
• Support the General Counsel with legal team training, reporting and the communication of relevant legal developments.

Requirements for the Senior Legal Counsel Position

• Qualified Solicitor or lawyer admitted in another common law jurisdiction, with a current practising certificate.
• Extensive construction law experience, ideally gained within a main contractor or major construction business.
• Strong track record advising on major construction projects, ideally across public and private sector work.
• Extensive experience reviewing, drafting and negotiating NEC contracts, particularly NEC ECC.
• Experience negotiating construction-related security documents, including parent company and payment guarantees.
• Commercially minded, with the ability to identify contractual risks and provide practical advice to project and business stakeholders.
• Previous in-house experience or an aptitude for working in-house; knowledge of construction disputes, modern methods of construction or other standard forms would be advantageous.

Benefits for the Senior Legal Counsel role

• A competitive salary and annual bonus
• Car allowance
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements in Manchester or Birmingham
• Up to 10% employer pension contribution
• Private medical cover, including family cover options
• Life assurance
• 25 days' annual leave, with the option to buy or sell additional days
• Four additional wellbeing days
• Health and wellbeing support and initiatives
• 24/7 confidential Employee Assistance Programme, including access to talking therapies and coaching
• Discounted gym membership across a nationwide network
• Industry-leading parental leave
• Opportunity to develop your career within an established and growing construction business

Sellick Partnership is proud to be an inclusive and accessible recruitment business and we support applications from candidates of all backgrounds and circumstances. Please note, our advertisements use years' experience, hourly rates, and salary levels purely as a guide and we assess applications based on the experience and skills evidenced on the CV. For information on how your personal details may be used by Sellick Partnership, please review our data processing notice on our website.