Principal Associate – CITO – FTC.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Principal Associate to join our Commercial IT & Outsourcing (CITO) team in Birmingham or London for up to 12 month fixed term contract.

We are a vibrant team with huge enthusiasm for supporting clients develop the contracts they need to build and secure their businesses. We consider ourselves to be one of the leading commercial, IT and data privacy teams in the UK.

You will be exposed to a broad range of commercial contracts across many sectors including automotive, aerospace, retail, food and drink, real estate, life sciences, financial services, healthcare and telecoms. We are active advising both private sector and public sector clients. There is a diverse and interesting blend of work and the opportunity to learn and develop in this role is greater, in our view, than other commercial opportunities.

Our team has its own clients and business plan – providing support work to our corporate team is a small fraction of our turnover.

This will be a fixed term contract for up to 12 months.

• Cummins (Global manufacturer of engines and generators) on its supply chain and customer contracts across Europe
• Real estate clients such as Hyde Housing and Moda Living on property/housing management contracts ranging from routine to complex joint ventures
• Transport for London on the outsourcing of the operation of the Santander Cycle Hire Scheme
• Clients such as Deloitte and British Red Cross on national FM outsourcing projects
• Clients such as Weetabix, Coca Cola European Pacific and Dyson on national and international logistics arrangements
• Pret a Manger on a first generation IT outsourcing of all their business critical IT functions
• Re-procurement of the UK network for a major insurer across its offices and brokers
• Valda Energy on the appointment of a SaaS provider for a key service necessary for Valda to execute its regulated energy distribution functions
• A government department on an ERP procurement and implementation
• Complex and high-profile public sector projects, such as advising on the 2031 Census, replacing TFL's ERP system and outsourcing the military payroll management system.
• That does not mean the team only does big contracts for household names. It has a diverse practice acting for many mid and large sized businesses advising on both routine contracts and strategically important contracts.

A qualified solicitor (minimum 6 PQE) with practical experience of drafting and advising on commercial contracts to support businesses on both large strategic projects and day-to-day business. The successful candidate will bring strong technical expertise, sound judgement and the confidence to handle a broad range of matters with minimal supervision. You will be someone who can quickly integrate into an established team, contribute positively to our collaborative culture, and maintain the high standards our clients expect.

You will have the capability to supervise and support junior team members, ensuring high‑quality work and effective delegation in line with our supervision standards. The role requires someone who can rapidly get to grips with our internal processes and systems, manage their own workload efficiently, and deliver clear, well‑reasoned advice.

This is an excellent opportunity for a lawyer who is adaptable, proactive and ready to make an immediate impact within a busy and supportive team environment.

• team-spirited;
• commercial and pragmatic;
• robust (in negotiation);
• responsible and able to think on feet to assess risks and exercise sound judgement;
• an enthusiasm for commercial contracts;
• solid technical ability in the law and drafting;
• flexible and positive.

The opportunity to work for a firm that has been recognised as one of best places to work in the UK and has been ranked by Great Place to Work® for 26 consecutive years.

Excellent benefits, including:

• A hybrid approach to office and remote working.
• 25 days annual leave, with the option to buy up to a week's extra annual leave
• Private medical insurance, and the option to add family members
• A generous pension…