Legal & Compliance Counsel Part-time (3- 4 days per week)

Location: London

About us

DeMellier is a London-based brand that was founded with the vision of doing things differently: to design handbags that would make women feel empowered, made ethically and sustainably, while giving back to those who need it most. These principles guide everything we do. All our pieces are crafted ethically in Europe using the finest sustainably sourced materials. We champion equality, and for every piece sold, we fund vaccines and medical treatments aimed at saving the life of a child in need. So far, through our permanent charity initiative, ‘A Bag, A Life’, in partnership with SOS Children’s Villages, we have funded over 2.5 million vaccines. Join us and be part of an award-winning, purpose-driven brand that fosters creativity, collaboration, and meaningful impact within the luxury industry.

The Role

We are looking for our first in-house legal professional to provide commercially focused legal support across DeMellier and help strengthen the governance and compliance frameworks required for our continued international growth. The role will provide practical legal and commercial advice across the business, manage DeMellier’s intellectual property portfolio and brand-protection activities, and oversee the Company’s compliance and risk-management frameworks, including Health & Safety.

Working closely with the Managing Director, Finance, People and the senior leadership team, the Legal & Compliance Counsel will balance legal risk with commercial objectives and establish proportionate processes and controls as the business grows. The role will also manage relationships with external legal and specialist advisers across multiple jurisdictions. For Health & Safety, the successful candidate will own the governance and oversight framework, supported by the Company’s external competent person, while day-to-day implementation remains with the relevant operational teams.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of commercial contracts, including supplier, logistics, technology, marketing, wholesale, retail, consultancy and licensing agreements.
• Provide clear and practical legal advice to stakeholders across the business, supporting commercial objectives while appropriately managing legal risk.
• Advise on consumer protection, product compliance, labelling, advertising standards and other legal matters relevant to the business.
• Support corporate governance, company secretarial matters and strategic projects, including international expansion and entry into new markets.
• Support the People team with employment contracts, policies and other legal matters, where required.
• Manage disputes, claims and pre-litigation matters, engaging external legal advisers where appropriate.
• Develop and maintain legal templates, guidance and internal processes to improve efficiency and reduce business risk.
• Manage relationships with external legal advisers, ensuring high-quality and cost-effective support across multiple jurisdictions.
• Monitor relevant legal developments and translate them into clear, practical actions for the business.
• Deliver practical legal training and guidance to improve legal awareness and decision-making across the business.

Intellectual Property and Brand Protection

• Manage DeMellier’s global intellectual property portfolio, including trademarks, design registrations, filings, renewals and enforcement.
• Oversee brand-protection and anti-counterfeiting activity across physical and digital channels.
• Advise on the protection and use of the Company’s intellectual property across products, marketing, collaborations, licensing and commercial partnerships.
• Manage relationships with external IP advisers, ensuring appropriate and proportionate action is taken against potential infringements.

Compliance and Risk

• Develop and oversee the Company’s compliance framework across the UK and relevant international markets.
• Advise on areas including data protection, anti-bribery and corruption, modern slavery, whistleblowing, ESG and corporate policies.
• Maintain oversight of key compliance risks, ensuring appropriate controls, clear ownership and effective escalation.
• Monitor regulatory developments and maintain relevant policies, processes and training as the business grows.
• Report material compliance risks and matters to the Executive Team and Board, as appropriate.

Health & Safety

• Own the Company’s Health & Safety governance framework and maintain oversight of compliance across its operations.
• Manage the external Health & Safety consultant, who acts as the competent person and provides specialist technical and legal advice.
• Oversee risk assessments, audits, inspections, training and resulting actions, ensuring responsibilities are clearly assigned and completed.
• Partner with the relevant operational teams, which remain responsible for day-to-day implementation within their areas.
• Monitor and report material Health & Safety risks, incidents and compliance matters to the Executive Team and Board, as appropriate.

Requirements

• Qualified solicitor in England and Wales, or another relevant jurisdiction, with strong UK commercial legal experience; typically five or more years’ PQE.
• Strong experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating a broad range of commercial contracts.
• Previous in-house experience, ideally within retail, fashion, luxury, consumer goods or another fast-growing international business.
• Good working knowledge of intellectual property, trademarks, design rights and brand protection.
• Experience developing or overseeing legal and regulatory compliance frameworks.
• Experience overseeing Health & Safety governance and managing external specialist advisers.
• A technical Health & Safety qualification is not required.
• Good understanding of consumer protection, data protection and general corporate compliance.
• Experience managing legal matters across multiple jurisdictions and working effectively with external advisers.
• Commercial, pragmatic and solutions-focused, with the confidence to provide clear advice and work independently.
• Strong judgement and the ability to prioritise competing business requirements and areas of risk.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships at all levels.
• Comfortable establishing an in-house legal function and developing proportionate legal processes, templates and governance frameworks.
• Right to work in the UK.

Benefits

• Hybrid-working policy (2 days in the office)
• Annual Leave package increases the longer you stay with us
• Enhanced company maternity policy
• Employee Discount: 50% off Stock and up to 90% off Seasonal Sample Sales
• Free gift DeMellier bag on successful probation