Senior Commercial Legal Counsel

Senior Legal Counsel (Commercial)

About Us

Our client is a venture-backed technology company experiencing rapid growth and international expansion. Having recently surpassed a $1 billion valuation and achieved unicorn status, the business is entering a pivotal phase of growth. With a strong leadership team, innovative technology, and a culture that values ownership and impact, this is a unique opportunity to join a company shaping the future of its industry.

Please note: The role follows a five-day in-office policy, with employees working from the Central London office Monday to Friday.

The Role

This is a rare opportunity for an experienced commercial lawyer to take ownership of a legal function from the ground up. Reporting directly to the Director of Legal, the successful candidate will lead commercial contracting activities across the business, partnering closely with commercial, operational, and engineering teams.

The role offers significant autonomy and influence, making it ideal for someone who enjoys building processes, shaping legal strategy, and operating in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. The successful candidate will play a key role in establishing scalable contracting frameworks while leveraging AI and automation to drive efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the drafting, review, negotiation, and execution of a broad range of commercial agreements with customers, suppliers, partners, and resellers.
• Manage the full contract lifecycle from intake and triage through to execution and post-signature obligations.
• Develop and maintain contract templates, negotiation playbooks, fallback positions, and standard terms.
• Build scalable legal processes and workflows that support business growth while effectively managing risk.
• Leverage AI tools and automation to streamline contracting processes, improve efficiency, and reduce turnaround times.
• Advise stakeholders on key commercial legal issues, including liability, indemnities, intellectual property, data protection, warranties, service levels, and termination rights.
• Partner closely with Sales, Procurement, Operations, and Engineering teams to support commercial objectives and negotiate pragmatic outcomes.
• Provide day-to-day legal guidance across a range of commercial matters.
• Manage relationships with external legal advisers where specialist support is required.
• Support the implementation and optimisation of legal technology, contract lifecycle management systems, and AI-enabled legal tools.

Please note: The role follows a five-day in-office policy, with employees working from the Central London office Monday to Friday.

About You

• Qualified solicitor in England & Wales (or equivalent jurisdiction) with approximately 6–10 years' post-qualification experience.
• Trained and qualified within a leading City, national, or international law firm.
• Strong experience negotiating and managing complex commercial contracts from inception through to completion.
• Excellent drafting skills with the ability to create scalable legal documentation and frameworks.
• Demonstrable experience using AI tools within legal practice and a strong understanding of how technology can improve legal operations.
• A systems-oriented mindset with a focus on automation, efficiency, and process improvement.
• Commercially minded, pragmatic, and comfortable making decisions independently.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence across technical and non-technical teams.
• Clear, concise, and confident communicator.

Desirable Experience

• Previous in-house experience within a technology-led business.
• Exposure to hardware, infrastructure, manufacturing, semiconductor, or other deep-tech sectors.
• Experience supporting enterprise customer contracts.
• Knowledge of intellectual property licensing, export controls, and data protection matters.
• Experience implementing or managing contract lifecycle management systems or legal AI platforms.
• Familiarity with low-code or workflow automation tools such as Python, SQL, Zapier, n8n, or similar technologies.

What's in it for You

• Competitive base salary depending on experience, skills, and location.
• Meaningful equity participation, providing the opportunity to share in the success of a recently minted unicorn business.
• Additional annual location-based bonus for employees living within close proximity to the office.
• Comprehensive private medical and dental cover.
• 25 days annual leave plus UK bank holidays.
• Access to premium equipment and technology to support high-performance working.
• Modern office environment designed for productivity and collaboration.
• Additional workplace benefits including meals when working late, wellness support, and other employee-focused perks.
• The opportunity to join a category-defining technology company at a pivotal stage of growth and play a foundational role in shaping its legal function.

Please note: The role follows a five-day in-office policy, with employees working from the Central London office Monday to Friday.

How to Apply

For a confidential chat, contact Andelize at andelize@heriotbrown.com