Commercial Lawyer – Associate IP/ Technology Contracts 3+PQE, Scotland in Edinburgh

We are seeking a talented commercial contracts lawyer to join and help grow our nationally recognised team, with a particular focus on intellectual property and technology (including data and digital) matters. This is a strategic appointment to support increasing client demand across our core sectors – retail, technology, sports, healthcare, and financial services – and to further strengthen our expertise in non-contentious work.

Interested in candidates with a minimum of 3 years' PQE+ who are ready to take on an Associate-level position. The successful candidate will primarily support Ross Nicol, with opportunities to work on intellectual property and technology (including data) matters alongside Helena Brown and Ross McKenzie. You will be joining a high-performing, collaborative, and busy team that offers excellent prospects for career progression and the possibility of client secondments.

Our Commercial team operates nationally collaborating on both UK-wide and cross-border transactions. The Scottish team boasts an impressive client portfolio, acting for well-known leading Scottish and UK companies, and comprises three partners (Helena Brown – Head of Data, Ross McKenzie, and Ross Nicol), as well as fee earners, trainees, and embedded paralegals. The team's work covers a broad range of areas, including general commercial contracts, data, digital and commercial advisory, intellectual property protection and exploitation, freedom of information, IT outsourcing, business process outsourcing, facilities management outsourcing, logistics, SaaS, and cloud arrangements. This role can be based in either our Glasgow or Edinburgh office, with an expectation of at least three days per week working in the office.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS ROLE

• You will have experience assisting with some or all of the following:

• Intellectual property contracts, including patent, trade mark, and software licensing. You will demonstrate a developing expertise in supporting clients with research and development agreements, confidentiality agreements, and franchise agreements, contributing to the protection and commercialisation of IP rights.
• Technology contracts, including software development and licensing agreements and IT outsourcing arrangements.
• Broader complex commercial contracts, particularly supply and distribution arrangements and outsourced services agreements.
• You will be able to provide practical advice, under supervision, on consumer law, data protection, and advertising compliance, helping clients navigate regulatory requirements in these areas.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supporting senior lawyers in advising clients on a broad range of commercial contracts, including supply, distribution, outsourcing, and IP agreements.
• Assisting with the negotiation and drafting of franchise agreements, including international franchising models for major retail and hospitality brands, under supervision.
• Contributing to the delivery of managed legal services to clients, ensuring efficient and effective handling of “business as usual” commercial contracts as part of a wider team.
• Assisting with advice on regulatory compliance, including consumer law, data protection, and advertising requirements.
• Supporting senior team members on significant transactions, such as brand acquisitions, divestments, and IT procurement projects.
• Building relationships with clients and internal stakeholders, and developing your profile as a trusted team member in commercial, IP and data matters.
• Sharing knowledge and supporting the development of trainees and paralegals within the team, as appropriate.

OUR FIRM

Addleshaw Goddard is a place where you are valued, encouraged, and challenged to fulfil your potential in a supportive and collegiate environment. Our culture of improvement, growth and collaboration delivers results, drives innovation, and rewards ambition. We not only provide technical excellence and experience but, crucially, demonstrate real insight into our clients and what really matters to them and as such we are natural choice for FTSE100 clients and their equivalents in other markets. Our success has been built by people from the widest range of backgrounds, locations, and perspectives. We have a number of employee networks that provide space to discuss the differences that make us who we are and celebrate this at AG.

OUR APPROACH: IMAGINE THE BEST YOU CAN BE

Everything we've accomplished can be traced back to our people and the way we work. Our reputation is something we are proud of, and constantly invest in. Here, you'll do high calibre work, with high-character colleagues who care for one another and our clients. Are you up for the challenge?