In-House Counsel

A media services company based in the South of England is conducting a search for a capable In House Legal Counsel to join their legal team on a contract basis to cover a period of maternity. This is a remote working role, although at the start of the contract you will have to attend the office in the Greater London area for a number of agreed days per month to get to know the team.

The company represents the intellectual property rights of many prominent publishing brands in the UK, such as leading newspapers and magazine publishers. The combination of licensing and database services provided enables UK and international businesses to access published content in an efficient and copyright compliant way. They have been operating for 25 years and the business continues to grow and evolve in a technology-focused direction. Projects are also underway to explore data mining, Big Data and data analytics activities.

You will have the opportunity to be involved in the daily operations of the business, as well as contribute to the process improvement of the teams. There is a good breadth of work and the client offers a friendly, flexible work environment.

As the Legal Counsel, you will directly report to the General Counsel, in a role that touches all parts of the organisation as well as providing the opportunity to work with publishers. You will have strong knowledge of Litigation / Disputes and Commercial Law, gained either through in-house exposure / secondment experience or law practice experience. You will be responsible for reviewing client contracts, identifying breach of contract / compliance, and enforcing the terms of the contracts through composing breach of contract letters, pre-action letters, and putting together process checklists and letter templates.

You will work with publishers and all departments, including Licensing, Publisher Services, Accounts, Business Development, IT and International, advising on a range of contentious matters and managing litigation and disputes arising within the business. Part of this will include assisting with correspondence from publishers and clients. You will manage business compliance with the requirements of ‘The Collective Management of Copyright (EU Directive) Regulations 2016’ and with Data Protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation. You will also advise on copyright issues, acting as a point of escalation for non-compliant organisations, pursuing legal action, and assisting the finance team and credit control function.

An important part of the role will be to keep abreast of any changes to applicable laws and relevant court judgements, ensuring that business licenses, policies and procedures are compliant and up to date. As part of this, the incumbent will review and prepare responses to relevant government consultations, as required.

What you’ll Need To Succeed

As the Legal Counsel, you will need to hold the below qualifications and demonstrate the below experience:

• You will be a UK qualified lawyer with 2-7 years post qualification experience.
• Have extensive knowledge of litigation / disputes law, particularly in relation to contract law, with contracts experience, gained ideally in an in-house environment / secondment or in a law firm.
• Have sound interpersonal skills, to be able to deal with staff at all levels inside and outside the organisation.
• Demonstrate an ability to articulate and communicate clearly and with authority.
• Have a good attention to detail and strong analytical skills.
• Be able to work independently.

What You’ll Receive In Return

As the Legal Counsel, you will receive an excellent package of benefits, strong pension, generous annual leave allowance, life assurance, an excellent Employee Assistance Programme, and healthcare. You will also receive a very competitive market salary.

Applying For Your New Role

Does this position sound of interest? Please submit your CV confidentially and we will be in touch shortly to discuss the opportunity in further detail. Or, if you prefer to chat about the role confidentially before submitting a CV, please get in touch via the contact details provided.