Legal Counsel

Mott MacDonald

Position location: Croydon, United Kingdom
Recruiter contact: Martin Keown

We’re a global engineering, management, and development consultancy. 
Our purpose is to improve society by considering social outcomes in everything we do, relentlessly focusing on excellence and digital innovation, transforming our clients’ businesses, our communities and employee opportunities. 

A fundamental part of this is respecting each person’s differences and striving to meet their needs. 

We are proud to be a one of Glassdoor’s top employers to work for in the UK, as well as being recognised as a Top Inclusive Company in the UK.

Our values: Progress, Respect, Integrity, Drive, Excellence. 

About the role:

You will be involved in a region for over 50 different territories, covering established jurisdictions such as India, developing jurisdictions such as the Middle East, through to emerging jurisdictions in Africa. 
 
The successful candidate will have circa. 6-8 years of experience gained in a mixture of private practice and in-house, with a focus on either commercial or construction law. You will have the opportunity to gain experience in a wide variety of legal disciplines including, contract reviews, construction law advice, company law, cross border delivery, disputes, claims and insurance.  
 
A proven track record of advising on legal matters across a range of jurisdictions is a distinct advantage, in particular civil law jurisdictions in the Middle East. A candidate who has lived and worked in the Middle East in the past would be highly regarded for this role. 
  
The location of the role is Croydon.
 
Some travel may be required for this role. It will primarily consist of travel to South Asia and the Middle East, but is not fundamental to the role. 
 
You will need to have excellent drafting, cooperation, communication and negotiation skills. You will be a person who can manage their own workload and is self-reliant, but is equipped with excellent teamworking and interpersonal skills as you’ll be advising key stakeholders on significant projects that shape the communities in which we live.

Job Description

• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements, including consultancy agreements, framework agreements and NDAs for regional units including contracts with international financial institutions and developments banks.
• Review and identify departures from our governance as part of the review of such commercial agreements and assist project teams in obtaining the necessary internal approvals where appropriate.
• Confidently advise business on applicable laws, jurisdictions and regulations.
• Revise and maintain legal templates for use across the Group ensuring they reflect current best practice and legislation.
• Instructing and managing external law firms.
• Draft and update legal guidance to raise awareness of recurrent topics and new regulations.
• Advise business on litigation and insurance matters, which may include liaising with outside counsel and technical experts.
• Assisting Regional Head of Legal and other members of regional team.
• Support other parts of the Legal Department such as the Ethics & Compliance and Data Protection teams.

Candidate Specification

• Qualified solicitor with 6-8 years PQE  
• Relevant experience either in private practice with a top national firm or in-house.
• Good practical experience of the application of legal concepts and commercial law.
• Legal experience of construction law preferably gained in a consultancy environment or with a client/contractor including cross border supply
• Great analytical skills and excellent legal knowledge.
• Ability to multitask, problem solve, and balance competing priorities.
• Ability to confidently communicate effectively and confidently with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Ability to work autonomously or as part of a bigger team with drive.
• Experience gained through having lived and worked in the Middle East including understanding of Middle East countries civil laws.
• Standard form contracts with international financial institutions and developments banks.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion 

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

Agile working 

Happy to talk Flexible Working and how we can support your responsibilities beyond the workplace.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

Health and wellbeing

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
• Health cash plan to support you with every day health costs and treatments.
• Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Lifestyle

• A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years’ service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high-street retailers.

 Enhanced family and carers leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.

 Learning and development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription.
• A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

• Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
• Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.