Legal Counsel

Who We Are: Heidrick & Struggles (Nasdaq: HSII) is a premier provider of global leadership advisory and on-demand talent solutions, serving the senior-level talent and consulting needs of the world's top organizations. In our role as trusted leadership advisors, we partner with our clients to develop future-ready leaders and organizations, bringing together our services and offerings in executive search, diversity and inclusion, leadership assessment and development, organization and team acceleration, culture shaping and on-demand, independent talent solutions.

The Role: Heidrick & Struggles is seeking a dynamic and ambitious Legal Counsel to join our legal team, based in the London office. This role offers the opportunity to provide expert legal advice and support across various aspects of our business operations, focused on the European and African region. You will work closely with internal stakeholders and external partners, advising on a range of commercial negotiations and contractual matters to support our executive search and consulting professional services for leading clients. These include client engagement letters, master services agreements, NDAs and data protection agreements. You will also conduct research and support legal projects in areas such as employment law, intellectual property, data privacy, and tax as a valued part of the global Legal team. This position requires strong communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills, along with the ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities:

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial contracts, including IP and data protection clauses, managing the process from inception to signature.
• Assist in creating new or updated template agreements, playbooks, and operational processes (including tech and AI) to support efficient contracting within the Legal Department.
• Collaborate with various internal business teams including HR, IT, and Finance, as well as Heidrick’s contract administration and vendor management teams to identify and improve efficiency in the contracting process.
• Serve as the Legal point person for internal stakeholders, external clients, and vendors in negotiating client contracts and responding to RFPs.
• Conduct legal research and analysis to support decision-making processes.
• Prepare and deliver training programs across the region on legal topics to educate employees and promote compliance awareness.
• Handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
• Stay informed about relevant legal developments, industry trends, and best practices to inform decision-making and proactively address legal issues and maintain a network of legal peers.

Required Qualifications:

• Qualified lawyer with approximately four years of post-qualification experience gained at a reputable law firm or in-house.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to articulate complex legal concepts clearly and concisely.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills, with a keen attention to detail.
• Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and make sound decisions with minimal supervision.
• Strong collaboration and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships and credibility with stakeholders at all levels of the organization to support and drive business objectives.
• Commercially minded, strategic thinker and personable team player able to balance commercial needs and legal risks and clearly explain reasoning to both lawyers and non-lawyers.
• Fluency in spoken and written English.
• Excellent collaboration skills with team members, both in person and virtually.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and use sound judgment with respect to sensitive information.
• A demonstrated track record of success meeting deadlines with a high attention to detail and flexibility to pivot as needed.
• Strong planning and organizational skills with the ability to prioritize work.
• Demonstrates humility and prudence asking questions when needed.
• Supports and promotes other legal team initiatives and assignments, across a range of different legal areas.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Some prior international experience/exposure is preferred.
• Fluency in additional European languages highly desired.
• A demonstrated ability to think independently and solve novel problems creatively.
• Demonstrated motivation to achieve, work independently, and take initiative.

We are looking forward to meeting you!