Senior Legal Counsel – Commercial Contracts – Office of General Counsel

Grant Thornton UK; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job description

More than you expected

Grant Thornton UK LLP is part of a global network of independent audit, tax and advisory firms, made up of some 73,000 people in over 150 countries. We're a team of independent thinkers who put quality, inclusion and integrity first. All around the world we bring a different experience to our clients. A better experience. One that delivers the expertise they need in a way that goes beyond. Personal, proactive, and agile. That's Grant Thornton.

Job Description:

Senior Legal Counsel – Commercial Contracts – Office of General Counsel

Flexible on any GTUK location, hybrid working

Our Office of the General Counsel advises on a wide variety of risk issues that arise in the delivery of professional services across the areas of assurance, tax and advisory in which the firm operates.

We’re happy to talk flexible working and consider reduced hours and job shares. We’ll support you to balance your work and life.

A look into the role

We are looking to recruit an experienced commercial contracts lawyer in our in-house legal team. In this role, you will:

1. negotiate contracts with the firm’s key clients, including commercial MSA’s and public sector framework agreements, and advise on contracts with sub-contractors, suppliers and others
2. help define our contracting strategy, policies and procedures
3. deal with a wide range of other commercial contracting issues, including:
4. global framework agreements, collaboration agreements, referral agreements, international agreements, data-sharing agreements, secondment and other placement agreements, and software supply contracts
5. interpreting and explaining contractual provisions for the benefit of colleagues in the firm
6. providing legal input into contract management activity such as terminations, tendering documentation and commercial disputes
7. advising colleagues on how best to manage risk through contracting best practice
8. dealing with other legal and risk-management issues arising from the services that we deliver
9. collaborate closely with colleagues in our Office of the General Counsel and our risk management teams to deliver advice to our people, including partners, directors and other stakeholders, and to help protect and enable them to deliver excellent services to our clients
10. guide and support the work of less experienced contracting lawyers and our risk management professionals, providing regular feedback and identifying learning and development opportunities
11. identify trends in the risks that the firm faces, and how best to mitigate them, including modifying the firm’s terms of business, templates, procedures and ways of doing business
12. help inform and educate colleagues across the firm about legal and commercial risk issues, including by providing input into training and the firm’s guidance, manuals etc. for its practitioners.

Knowing you’re right for us

The minimum criteria are that you be a qualified solicitor or barrister and that you have the following skills:

1. experience of drafting and negotiating commercial contracts
2. a good knowledge of professional liability law
3. an understanding of professional services contracting and risk-management issues
4. a pragmatic and commercial, solution-based approach
5. a self-starting attitude and the ability to manage conflicting demands
6. excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the drafting of contractual terms
7. experience of managing colleagues and helping them develop in their own roles.

Knowing we’re right for you

Embracing uniqueness, the culture at Grant Thornton thrives on the contributions of all our people. We never settle for what is easy; we look beyond to deliver the right thing, for everyone. Building an inclusive culture, where we value difference and respect our colleagues helps our people to perform at the best of their ability and realise their potential.

Our open and accessible culture means you’ll interact with leaders who are interested in you and everything you bring to our firm. As for the things that set you apart, we value them. That’s why we give you the freedom to bring your whole self to work and pursue your passions inside and outside of work.

Beyond the job

Life is more than work. The things you do, and the people you’re with outside of work matter, and that’s why we’re happy to look at flexible working options for all our roles, and we’ll always do our best to keep your work and life in balance.

The impact you can make here will go far beyond your day job. From secondments, to fundraising for local charities, or investing in entrepreneurs in the developing world, you’ll be giving back to society. It’s that drive to do the right thing that runs through our every move, grounded in our firm’s values – purposefully driven, actively curious and candid but kind.

We’re looking for people who want to contribute, spark fresh ideas and go beyond expectations. People who want to be able to proudly do what’s right, for the firm, our clients, our people and themselves. It’s how it should be.