Legal Counsel – UK & Ireland in London

McDonald’s has run its business in the UK since 1974 and currently operates over 1500 restaurants across the UK and Ireland, serving almost four million customers each day. McDonald’s is one of the UK’s largest private sector employers, employing over 170,000 people.

Hybrid Working

This role is based in our East Finchley office working 3 days in the office and 2 days remotely.

What You’ll Be Doing

Your role will be highly varied, with end-to-end responsibility for corporate governance, compliance, company secretarial, and franchising matters, providing strategic legal support across the business and driving key initiatives. You’ll:

• Manage complex governance and compliance matters, including board meetings, corporate transactions, and regulatory reporting.
• Drive strategic initiatives and influence best practice across the organisation.
• Lead on policy management, including gifts and hospitality and conflict of interest management.
• Advise on franchisee transactions and support franchising recruitment campaigns and respond to operational queries.
• Deliver directors’ duties training and monitor legislative changes to ensure compliance.
• Work closely with senior stakeholders, including regular interaction with the C-Suite.
• Participate in cross-functional projects and risk management strategies.
• Engage with the wider legal team and business through collaborative meetings and social activities.

What You’ll Bring

• Qualified solicitor with 3+ years PQE.
• Background in Commercial, Corporate and/or Compliance law.
• Experience from a top-tier law firm preferred; in-house or secondment experience also valued.
• Litigation experience beneficial.
• Bright, enthusiastic, and well organised.
• Positive, self-motivated, authentic, pragmatic, open-minded, and curious.
• Effective communicator with strong drafting skills; able to explain complex concepts clearly to non-legal stakeholders.
• Strong relationship builder, efficient, commercially minded, and able to see the big picture.
• Commitment to diversity, inclusion, and creating an environment where everyone can be their authentic self.

What You’ll Get

• Access to industry-leading training and career development opportunities.
• A collaborative and inclusive culture, where your ideas are valued.
• Competitive salary, plus a comprehensive benefits package including bonus, cash allowance, free parking, lunch, and gym access.
• Hybrid working, offering a mix of office and remote flexibility.
• The chance to make a tangible impact in a dynamic, fast-growing business.

Company Vision and Culture

Our Global vision is to build a better McDonald’s and in the UK and Ireland we are working hard to be the UK & Ireland’s best-loved restaurant company. McDonald’s is defined by its culture. Our culture shapes and informs everything we think and everything we do. Our culture influences the way we interact with each other, and how we interact with customers, franchisees and suppliers. Our culture motivates and inspires us to attract and retain great talent, creating positive, energising, exceptional working environment for us all. Our values drive our culture and shape our beliefs, our priorities and our actions. They influence the decisions we make, how we treat one another and how we show up as a brand to the world.

• Serve: We put our customers and our people first
• Inclusion: We open our doors to everyone
• Integrity: We do the right thing
• Community: We are good neighbours
• People from all Walks of Life: We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where people can be their best authentic self in our restaurants and offices, which helps us to better serve our customers. We have a strong heritage of diversity and representation within our communities, which we are proud of. The diversity of our people, customers, Franchisees and suppliers gives us strength.

We do not tolerate inequality, injustice or discrimination of any kind. These are hugely important issues and a brand with our reach and relevance means we have a very meaningful role to play. We also recognise our responsibility as a large employer to continue being active in our communities, helping to develop skills and drive aspirations that will help people to be more aware of the world of work and more successful within it, whether with McDonald’s or elsewhere.