Sole Legal Counsel PQE

Your new companyA new role has arisen for a commercially astute and proactive Commercial Legal Counsel to join this rapidly growing technology company's in-house legal function in Bristol. This is a pivotal role within their business, providing legal support across a broad range of commercial activities, with a particular emphasis on contract negotiation and management. The successful candidate will work closely with the Group Commercial Director and cross-functional teams to ensure legal risk is effectively managed while enabling business growth.

This position is located in Bristol, with a requirement to work from the office once a week. Your new roleAs sole legal counsel, you will play a key role in reviewing and drafting the contracts that meet the needs of our clients' market-leading software business and balancing these contracts against the expectations of their blue-chip and household name clients. You will be supporting the business in managing legal aspects of technology-related agreements, including intellectual property matters and data protection compliance.

You will play a critical role in making sure that their business deals are correctly captured and successfully implemented through robust contract management and ensuring associated risks are identified and mitigated. As a contracts expert, you will also use your expertise to safeguard their reputation as well as give legal advice to management on relevant issues, legal and contractual conformity and minimise exposure to risk.

Working alongside key stakeholders and subject-matter experts in all office locations, you'll be able to listen and understand the wider business context and requirements, whilst keeping in play the detail and importance of contractual terms. You'll be confident enough to challenge proposals and approaches to get the best possible outcomes when working with internal stakeholders and representing the business to current and prospective clients/suppliers.

This role will support the Group Commercial Director with designing the commercial strategy and setting direction for the commercial function and building and maintaining effective interactions with the other teams.What you'll need to succeedOur client is looking for a qualified solicitor in England & Wales (or equivalent) with at least 5 years PQE with a strong background in commercial law, ideally with experience in-house, or gained at a high quality national or regional law firm with exposure to advising clients in the technology sector.

You will have proven experience in reviewing, drafting and negotiating commercial contracts, ideally within a technology-driven environment.

Experience of software licensing agreements, supply of services agreements, data processing agreements and NDAs would be beneficial, as would experience of working in-house within a tech company or advising tech clients in private practice. You will be comfortable influencing/delivering strategically important projects with the ability to work closely with internal stakeholders and will have excellent drafting, communication, stakeholder management, organisation, influencing and persuading skills.What

you'll get in returnThis is a rare role within the Bristol market to join this innovative technology business offering hybrid and flexible working arrangements. Working closely with the Group Commercial Director, you will be at the decision-making heart of this business and will enjoy shaping its legal function for the future. What you need to do nowIf you are interested in applying for this position, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV or call us now.

If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new role, please contact Harriet Chapman in complete confidence  would expect a lawyer with the given PQE to have gained the level of experience required, but this does not preclude applications from those with more or less PQE.

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