At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead legal strategy and provide counsel to the European leadership team.
- Company: Join a top NASDAQ-listed retail company with a global presence.
- Benefits: Competitive executive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and career growth opportunities.
- Other info: Collaborative culture focused on continuous improvement and business partnership.
- Why this job: Make a significant impact in a dynamic, multinational environment.
- Qualifications: 15+ years of legal experience with strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 120000 - 150000 £ per year.
Location: London, United Kingdom
About the Company
Our client is one of the world's leading retail companies, publicly listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange, with a strong global presence across North America, Europe, Asia, and other international markets. Renowned for its customer-centric approach, operational excellence, and continued investment in innovation and growth, the company is committed to delivering exceptional value to its customers while upholding the highest standards of corporate governance, ethics, and compliance.
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced and commercially minded General Counsel to lead the legal function across Europe. Based in London, this executive leadership role will provide strategic legal counsel to the European leadership team and partner closely with the Global Legal organization to support the company's continued growth and operations across the region. The General Counsel will oversee all legal, compliance, corporate governance, and regulatory matters across Europe while leading a high-performing legal team located throughout the region. This role will serve as a trusted advisor to senior executives, balancing legal risk with commercial objectives and ensuring the business operates in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The successful candidate will possess deep expertise in international commercial law, exceptional leadership capabilities, and a pragmatic, business-oriented approach to legal counsel.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Legal Leadership
- Serve as the principal legal advisor to the European leadership team on all legal, regulatory, and strategic business matters.
- Develop and execute the regional legal strategy aligned with the company's global business objectives.
- Partner with senior executives on strategic initiatives, market expansion, acquisitions, corporate restructurings, and transformation projects.
- Provide practical, commercially focused legal advice while effectively managing legal and regulatory risk.
- Commercial & Corporate Legal
- Lead the negotiation, drafting, and management of complex commercial agreements, including supplier, logistics, procurement, technology, licensing, marketing, distribution, and strategic partnership contracts.
- Support mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, investments, corporate reorganizations, and post-acquisition integrations.
- Oversee corporate governance matters for all European legal entities and ensure compliance with local statutory requirements.
- Compliance & Regulatory
- Ensure compliance with applicable European and local laws, including corporate, commercial, consumer protection, competition, employment, ESG, anti-bribery, sanctions, and data privacy regulations.
- Lead GDPR and broader privacy compliance initiatives across Europe.
- Develop and maintain robust compliance programs, policies, governance frameworks, and ethics processes.
- Monitor regulatory developments and advise the business on emerging legal risks.
- Litigation & Risk Management
- Manage significant litigation, arbitration, regulatory investigations, and disputes across Europe.
- Oversee relationships with external legal counsel and optimize legal spend.
- Develop strategies to minimize legal exposure while supporting business growth.
- Employment & HR Support
- Advise HR and business leaders on employment law matters, executive hiring, workforce restructurings, investigations, labor relations, and employee disputes across multiple jurisdictions.
- Leadership
- Lead, mentor, and develop a geographically dispersed legal team across Europe.
- Foster a collaborative, high-performance culture focused on business partnership and continuous improvement.
- Build strong relationships with executive leadership, business stakeholders, and global legal colleagues.
Qualifications
- Qualified Solicitor, Barrister, or equivalent legal qualification in the UK or another European jurisdiction.
- Law degree (LLB or equivalent); postgraduate legal qualifications are advantageous.
- Minimum 15 years of post-qualification legal experience, including significant in-house leadership experience within a multinational organization.
- Previous experience as General Counsel, Regional General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel, or Head of Legal covering multiple European jurisdictions.
- Experience within retail, consumer products, e-commerce, FMCG, or another customer-facing multinational business is strongly preferred.
Experience & Competencies
- Extensive experience managing complex cross-border legal matters across Europe.
- Strong expertise in commercial contracts, corporate law, regulatory compliance, employment law, data privacy, competition law, M&A, and dispute resolution.
- Proven ability to advise Boards and executive leadership on strategic legal and commercial matters.
- Demonstrated success leading international legal teams within a matrix organization.
- Outstanding commercial judgment with a pragmatic, solutions-oriented mindset.
- Excellent negotiation, communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, highly regulated, multinational environment.
What We Offer
- Opportunity to join one of the world's leading NASDAQ-listed retail companies.
- Executive leadership role with significant regional and global exposure.
- Collaborative international environment with exceptional career growth opportunities.
- Competitive executive compensation package, comprehensive benefits, and long-term incentive opportunities.
General Counsel in Slough employer: Cornerstone Global Partners (CGP Group)
At Cornerstone Global Partners, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through tailored development programmes and opportunities to lead impactful projects across Europe, making this role not just a job, but a meaningful career path in the dynamic retail and e-commerce sectors.
Contact Details:
Cornerstone Global Partners (CGP Group) Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land General Counsel in Slough
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We think you need these skills to ace General Counsel in Slough
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Legal Knowledge:When applying for a full-time role in legal services at Cornerstone Global Partners (CGP Group), make sure to demonstrate your understanding of key legal principles and areas of law relevant to the position. Include any specific coursework, modules, or certifications, like LPC or BPTC qualifications, that showcase your legal expertise directly on your CV.
Showcase Your Research Skills:In the legal field, strong research skills are crucial. Use your application to illustrate how you've utilised these skills in past studies or work experiences – whether that's through past internships or significant projects. Mention any legal databases or tools you’re proficient in, as this can give you an edge.
Tailor That Cover Letter!:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Make it personal by expressing your genuine interest in Cornerstone Global Partners (CGP Group) and the specific role of General Counsel. Talk about why you want to be part of their team, how your unique experiences align with their values, and why you’re passionate about the legal sector.
Stay Formal but Friendly:While we all know the legal world can be pretty formal, don’t be afraid to let a bit of personality shine through in your written application. Use a respectful tone, but feel free to inject a little warmth; this approach can help you stand out and show you're a great fit for Cornerstone Global Partners (CGP Group)’s culture!
How to prepare for a job interview at Cornerstone Global Partners (CGP Group)
✨Know Your Legal Principles
Brush up on foundational legal principles relevant to the specific area of law you’re applying for, whether it’s corporate, criminal, or family law. We might get asked situational questions to test your knowledge, so being articulate about key concepts will make you stand out.
✨Be Ready for Case Studies
Full-time legal roles often involve case studies during interviews. Prepare to analyse a hypothetical case and discuss your approach to it. Practising this with a peer or mentor can help us refine our reasoning and articulate a solid legal argument.
✨Show Off Your Research Skills
As legal professionals, strong research skills are a must. Have examples ready of how you've effectively used legal databases or conducted thorough legal research in your past experiences. It's a great way to demonstrate your readiness for the role at Cornerstone Global Partners (CGP Group).
✨Exude Professionalism and Confidence
In the legal field, professionalism is key. During the interview, we should maintain good eye contact and communicate clearly to show that we’re not just knowledgeable, but also confident. This can make a positive impression on your potential colleagues at Cornerstone Global Partners (CGP Group).
