At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead complex legal matters, including contracts, M&A, and regulatory compliance.
- Company: Join a dynamic, global company focused on innovation and growth.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, wellness programs, and global career opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced environment while developing your legal expertise.
- Qualifications: 5+ years of legal experience with strong negotiation and drafting skills.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team that values inclusion and work-life balance.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
The Senior Legal Counsel will provide high-quality, business-focused legal support across a broad range of matters, including commercial contracting, M&A, corporate transactions and regulatory change (particularly in the payments space). This execution-driven role suits a lawyer who thrives in a fast-paced environment, can balance multiple priorities, and delivers pragmatic solutions that protect value and enable growth. The successful candidate will combine strong technical skills with commercial judgment, working autonomously and collaboratively with senior stakeholders to drive strategic initiatives and ensure timely, effective outcomes.
Job Responsibilities
- Lead and manage complex commercial contracting across the Group, including drafting, negotiating and maintaining master service agreements, vendor contracts and strategic partnership agreements.
- Drive M&A transactions end-to-end, including due diligence, drafting and negotiating transaction documents, coordinating conditions precedent and managing closing and post-closing integration.
- Support refinancing and debt-related projects, including reviewing and negotiating facilities agreements, security packages, covenant frameworks and ensuring timely execution of closing deliverables.
- Provide pragmatic, business-focused legal advice to senior stakeholders on a wide range of corporate and commercial matters, balancing risk with commercial objectives.
- Manage multiple workstreams simultaneously, prioritising effectively and ensuring timely delivery of high-quality outputs under tight deadlines.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Finance, Strategy, Sales and Operations to enable business growth and strategic initiatives.
- Engage and manage external counsel for specialist matters, ensuring cost efficiency, quality, and alignment with Group objectives.
- Maintain governance and compliance standards during transactions, including preparing board papers, resolutions and ensuring audit readiness.
- Contribute to process improvement and legal operations, including template development, playbooks and automation initiatives to improve efficiency.
- Act as a trusted advisor and problem-solver, proactively identifying risks and opportunities and driving execution with minimal supervision.
- Partner with Compliance to embed key regulatory requirements into commercial contracts, ensuring terms are right-sized for risk.
- Monitor relevant regulatory change affecting the Group and translate into actionable guidance/playbooks with minimal disruption to sales cycles.
- Coordinate and quality-control input from specialist regulatory counsel and local counsel, delivering integrated, business-ready advice and controlling external spend.
Requirements
- Law Degree (LLB or JD) from a recognised university.
- Postgraduate qualification (optional but valued) such as a Master's in law (LLM) with a focus on corporate, commercial or finance law.
- Advanced negotiation and drafting of complex commercial contracts.
- Strong understanding of company law and governance.
- Experience managing due diligence, SPA drafting, disclosure schedules, conditions precedent and post-par closing integration.
- Facilities agreements, security packages, covenant structures and CP/CS checklists.
- Risk identification and mitigation in transactional and operational contexts.
- Ability to run multiple workstreams, set timelines and deliver under pressure.
- Familiarity with multi-jurisdictional legal issues and coordinating local counsel.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to deliver clear and practical advice to diverse audiences.
- Working knowledge of payments/fintech regulation and its commercial impact is preferable but not essential.
- Strong grasp of AML/CTF and sanctions considerations in contracting and M&A.
- Awareness of data protection and information security standards relevant to payments and SaaS contracting.
Work Experience
- Solicitor with 5 years+ Post Qualification Experience.
- Corporate/commercial law experience gained in a top-tier law firm and/or in-house at an international company.
- Experience partnering with Sales, Finance/Treasury, Strategy, Tax, HR, Risk and Executive Teams.
- End-to-end commercial contracting across a broad portfolio, including template creation and playbook creation.
- Running and coordinating buy-side and sell-side deals from term sheet to closing and post-closing integration.
- Issue-spotting, escalation strategies, settlement frameworks and instructing litigators where needed.
- Mentoring junior lawyers, creating pragmatic guidance notes and running brief training sessions for commercial teams.
- Experience translating regulatory requirements into commercial terms.
- Exposure to the payments regulatory landscape and adjacent regimes is preferable but not essential.
Key Success Factors
- Act as a trusted advisor and problem-solver, proactively identifying risks and opportunities.
- Deliver high-quality, pragmatic legal advice that balances risk with commercial objectives.
- Successfully lead and close complex commercial contracts, M&A transactions and refinancing projects on time and within scope.
- Demonstrate strong commercial judgment and ability to translate legal issues into actionable business solutions.
- Manage multiple workstreams simultaneously, prioritising effectively under pressure.
- Build trust and credibility with senior stakeholders through clear communication and proactive engagement.
- Maintain audit-ready governance and compliance standards throughout all transactions.
- Drive measurable impact on deal velocity, cost efficiency and risk mitigation.
- Contribute to process improvements, including template development and legal operations enhancements.
- Exhibit autonomy, resilience and execution focus in a fast-paced, international environment.
- Integrates regulatory requirements seamlessly into deals, re-organisations and projects without slowing execution.
Benefits
- Competitive Salary and Bonus: We reward your expertise and contributions.
- Inclusive Onboarding Experience: Our onboarding program is designed to set you up for success right from day one.
- Marcura Wellness Zone: We value your work-life balance and well-being.
- Global Opportunities: Be part of an ambitious, expanding company with a local touch.
- Diverse, Supportive Work Culture: We're committed to inclusion, diversity, and a sense of belonging for all team members.
Senior Legal Counsel in London employer: Marcura
Contact Detail:
Marcura Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Legal Counsel in London
✨Network Like a Pro
Get out there and connect with people in the legal field! Attend industry events, join relevant online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to professionals on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can refer you directly.
✨Ace the Informational Interview
Set up informal chats with current or former employees at companies you're interested in. This is your chance to learn about their experiences and get tips on how to stand out in the application process. Plus, it shows your genuine interest in the company!
✨Showcase Your Skills
When you get the chance to meet potential employers, make sure to highlight your negotiation and drafting skills. Bring examples of complex contracts you've worked on or M&A transactions you've led. This will demonstrate your expertise and give them confidence in your abilities.
✨Apply Through Our Website
Don’t forget to check out our careers page and apply directly through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Legal Counsel in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in commercial contracting and M&A. We want to see how your skills align with the specific needs of the Senior Legal Counsel role.
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills: In your application, give examples of how you've identified risks and provided pragmatic solutions in past roles. We love candidates who can demonstrate their ability to think on their feet and deliver results under pressure.
Highlight Collaboration Experience: Since this role involves working closely with senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams, make sure to mention any relevant experiences where you've successfully collaborated with others to drive strategic initiatives.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you're keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Marcura
✨Know Your Legal Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of commercial contracting, M&A, and regulatory changes, especially in the payments space. Be ready to discuss specific cases where you've successfully navigated complex legal issues, as this will show your technical skills and commercial judgment.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare examples that highlight how you've acted as a trusted advisor in previous roles. Think about times when you identified risks and opportunities, and how you drove execution with minimal supervision. This will demonstrate your ability to deliver pragmatic solutions.
✨Master the Art of Communication
Since you'll be collaborating with senior stakeholders, practice articulating your legal advice clearly and concisely. Use real-world scenarios to illustrate your points, and be prepared to answer questions about how you balance risk with commercial objectives.
✨Prioritise and Manage Your Time
Given the fast-paced environment, think of strategies you've used to manage multiple workstreams effectively. Be ready to discuss how you set timelines and ensure timely delivery of high-quality outputs, especially under pressure. This will show your organisational skills and resilience.