Legal Counsel in Exeter

About the Role

In this influential and varied role, you’ll work closely with our Head of Risk to ensure Bishop Fleming meets its regulatory obligations and maintains robust compliance frameworks. You’ll be a trusted legal advisor across the firm, helping teams navigate regulatory requirements, manage risk and embed best practice.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading on all compliance matters with ICAEW our regulator.
• Leading on PI matters including management and resolution of PI cases, liaison with PI insurers and legal advisers.
• Supporting and guiding procurement for the firm in the form of reviewing, drafting, negotiating and advising on supplier contracts.
• Acting as a trusted legal partner in relation to commercial agreements working closely with the relevant stakeholders across the firm.
• Supporting on anti‐money laundering oversight, training, and regulatory responses, acting as key liaison with our MLRO and digital ID providers.
• Supporting firmwide risk management, including Business Continuity Planning, GDPR compliance, data breach handling and Health & Safety obligations.
• Planning and delivering compliance reviews and annual regulatory assessments (AML, DPB, Client Money), providing clear insights and practical recommendations.
• Contributing to policy writing, firmwide initiatives, procedure updates and continuous improvement projects across the compliance function.

This is a hands‐on role where you’ll take ownership, drive improvements, and help shape how we manage supplier relationships and risk in a fast‐moving environment.

About You

We welcome applications from candidates who may not meet every listed requirement. If you bring relevant experience and potential we encourage you to apply.

We’re looking for someone who has:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, enabling you to build effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders across the firm. A proactive, solutions‐focused approach supported by strong prioritisation and organisational skills.
• High‐quality drafting skills and meticulous attention to detail, with the ability to interpret contractual terms accurately and identify areas of potential risk.
• Experience of Professional Indemnity claims and dispute resolution.
• Strong experience advising on complex commercial contracts, with solid technical knowledge of contract law.
• Sound commercial judgement, with the ability to distinguish legal considerations from commercial priorities and provide pragmatic, business‐aligned advice.
• Ideally a minimum of four years’ post‐qualification experience gained ideally in an in-house legal role although we will consider practice experience.
• Experience of working in a regulated environment, or with businesses operating in a regulated environment (highly advantageous but not essential).
• Experience in compliance and risk management (highly advantageous but not essential).
• The ability to perform well under pressure, responding to emerging issues quickly, calmly and with clarity.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office products.

Bishop Fleming is an award-winning and certified Great Place to Work(R) provider of Audit, Accountancy, Tax and Advisory services in the South West and West Midlands. With a turnover of £48m, the firm saw growth of almost 15% over the last 12 months. Currently ranked fifth in the Accountancy Age Mid-Tier Power Index and is also the largest provider of audit services to multi-academy trusts in the academy sector.

From owner-managed businesses, SMEs, and large businesses; to entrepreneurs and private individuals; Bishop Fleming offers full services across a diverse range of sectors. Bishop Fleming is also a member of Kreston Global, a global network of independent accounting firms in more than 100 countries.

With 9 offices, over 49 partners, and over 500 people, we have the capability and capacity to meet our clients’ needs. From owner-managed businesses to large businesses; to schools, not-for-profit and public sector organisations; and private clients we have the full-service expertise to advise our clients.

If that’s not enough, we offer a fantastic range of benefits including:

• 27 days holiday plus bank holidays.
• Extra time off at Christmas - in addition to your annual leave entitlement, we close between Christmas and New Year.
• Hybrid working.
• A contributory Pension scheme.
• Life assurance.
• Simply Health cashback plan including access to 24/7 online GP service and counselling services.
• Perkbox discounts and rewards platform with over 4,000 perks and discounts.
• Yulife employee wellbeing app.
• Social events with active social committees that plan internal and external events.
• Numerous opportunities for development.

We welcome applicants who would like the flexibility in their working arrangements, including working from home or part time working, which may help to accommodate parent or carer responsibilities, further studies and activities outside of work.

We are committed to welcoming new people into an inclusive working environment, where everyone is given equal opportunity to reach their full potential. We support a culture where people are valued and treated fairly with respect and differences are understood and celebrated. The more varied our workforce, the broader the expertise within our business. The broader our expertise, the greater our chances of innovation and success. That’s why we’re committed to equality of opportunity, diversity and inclusion at every level.

As part of our recruitment process and our commitment to maintaining a safe and compliant working environment, we carry out background checks on all successful applicants. These checks will include verification of references, confirmation of right to work in the UK, and, where applicable, a standard or enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Further details will be provided during the recruitment process.