Legal Counsel

Legal Counsel

In the role of Legal Counsel, you'll be a trusted business partner working across a broad and stimulating mix of commercial, licensing, technology, and research matters. From day one, you'll collaborate with sharp, driven colleagues across the business – translating complex legal issues into clear, actionable advice, and bringing collaborative instincts and confidence to engage effectively at all levels of the business.

As a qualified lawyer with solid commercial contracts experience - whether gained in private practice, an in-house role, or through a commercial secondment, you will play a pivotal role in advising on commercial contracts, licensing, and technology agreements across a fast-moving, purpose-driven business - managing legal risk and supporting contracting activity with pragmatism and precision. This is a role for someone who wants to play an active role in shaping how the legal function evolves, embracing AI-enabled legal tools and legal technology to drive smarter, faster ways of working and contributing to a culture of continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate a range of commercial agreements, including confidentiality agreements, material transfer agreements, master services agreements, statements of work, supply, procurement, customer, and supplier agreements.
• Support the legal team on licensing, collaboration, sponsored research, software, technology, and other more complex agreements relating to life sciences products, services, and technologies.
• Provide practical legal advice on contractual, commercial, regulatory, operational, and general legal matters, escalating more complex issues where appropriate.
• Work with business units, finance, operations, HR, external counsel, and other members of the legal team to support day-to-day legal and contracting needs.
• Develop an understanding of the company's products, services, technologies, scientific priorities, and commercial objectives.
• Assist with legal projects, including template updates, contract playbooks, process improvements, intercompany matters, corporate support, and other business initiatives.
• Support the maintenance and improvement of contract templates, legal processes, contract lifecycle management systems, and document management practices.
• Use AI-enabled tools and legal technology responsibly to support contract review, legal research, workflow management, template management, and knowledge sharing.
• Help identify practical opportunities to use AI, automation, and legal technology to improve legal team efficiency, while maintaining appropriate standards of confidentiality, accuracy, governance, and human oversight.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Qualified solicitor, barrister, or equivalent legal qualification.
• 2+ years PQE or equivalent transactional, commercial, or in-house legal experience.
• Experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial contracts.
• Good understanding of contract and commercial law, with an interest in intellectual property, licensing, technology, or life sciences-related matters.
• Ability to provide clear, practical, and commercially aware legal advice.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Ability to work independently on day-to-day matters, with appropriate guidance on new, complex, or higher-risk assignments.
• Attention to detail, discretion, and professionalism.
• Willingness to use AI-enabled tools, legal technology, contract lifecycle management systems, or document automation to improve legal and business processes.

Preferred Qualifications and Experience

• Knowledge of German law, experience working with German-based business teams, or German language skills.
• Experience in, or interest in, the life sciences, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, diagnostics, healthcare, research tools, medical technology, or broader technology sector.
• Familiarity with intellectual property concepts, including patents, trade secrets, trademarks, and know-how.
• Experience working with international business teams or on multi-jurisdictional matters.
• Experience in an in-house legal team, public company, international group, matrixed organisation, or commercial secondment.
• Familiarity with contract lifecycle management systems, legal operations tools, document automation, or AI-enabled legal technology.
• Interest in responsible AI adoption within an in-house legal function.

Core Skills and Attributes

• Commercially focused, pragmatic, and solutions-oriented.
• Able to analyse issues of moderate complexity and propose practical next steps.
• Collaborative and able to build productive relationships with legal and non-legal colleagues.
• Organised, self-motivated, and able to manage multiple matters with changing priorities.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, international environment.
• High standards of confidentiality, integrity, and judgment.
• AI-friendly, technology-minded, and interested in science, technology, innovation, and the life sciences sector.