Legal Counsel 3-5 PQE in Reading

Our client is a global B2B SaaS business in Thames Valley at the intersection of cybersecurity, fintech and mobile - securing billions of connected devices across mobile, automotive, IoT, retail, and banking and payments, and powering device financing solutions that drive economic inclusion for millions of people worldwide. Operating in 30+ countries, this is a genuinely international business with real scale and purpose.

As the business enters its next phase of growth, the business is looking to bring in a Legal Counsel at 3-5 PQE to join a small, high-impact Legal function reporting into the General Counsel. This is a rare opportunity to be the second hire into a lean legal team at a scaling technology business, with genuine breadth, autonomy and visibility from day one.

The role:

• You'll sit right at the heart of the business, partnering with Commercial, Product, Engineering, Security, Finance and People to enable growth while managing legal, regulatory and compliance risk.
• The role combines commercial contracting, compliance and legal operations, giving you exposure well beyond a typical first or second in-house move.

Commercial legal:

• Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements, providing practical, business-focused legal advice.
• Partner with stakeholders across the business to identify risk, solve problems and enable commercial outcomes.
• Own contract processes, approvals and documentation to ensure efficient deal execution.
• Support and manage relationships with external counsel where specialist advice is required.

Compliance & governance:

• Support day-to-day compliance activity, including data protection processes, vendor assessments and compliance record-keeping.
• Help develop and roll out policies, training and guidance across the business.
• Assist with corporate governance activities, Board materials, filings and legal documentation.

Building the function:

• Help shape and improve legal processes, templates, tools and workflows as the business scales.
• Contribute directly to building a modern, efficient legal function from the ground up.

About you:

You're a 3-5 PQE commercial lawyer in private practice looking for their first move in-house, or perhaps your second in-house role. You enjoy being close to the business and you're comfortable balancing legal risk against practical, pragmatic solutions. You're organised, detail-oriented, and equally happy managing a high-volume contract pipeline as you are getting involved in governance or process improvement. You communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, and you're motivated by solving problems rather than simply flagging them.

What you’ll bring:

• 3-5 PQE Solicitor admitted to practise in England & Wales.
• Strong experience in commercial contracts and contract negotiation, with a track record of providing practical, business-focused legal support.
• This role would suit someone from a commercial team in private practice making their first move in-house, or a legal counsel who trained in a mid-sized firm looking for their second in-house position.
• Desirable: experience within SaaS, technology, cybersecurity or telecoms; exposure to GDPR/data protection or compliance work; experience improving legal processes or procedures.

What's on offer:

• Base salary £90,000 - £120,000, depending on experience.
• Bonus scheme.
• Private medical insurance for you and your family from day one.
• Immediate participation in pension scheme.
• Income protection and life insurance.
• Open holiday policy - no upper limit.
• 2 days per week in the office (Thames Valley), with flexibility on the rest.
• Genuine exposure to a global business and international teams, plus real scope for progression as the legal function grows.

This is a great opportunity for a lawyer who wants variety, autonomy and a genuine seat at the table to work on technology that has a tangible, global impact. Get in touch to find out more or to apply confidentially.