At a Glance
- Tasks: Provide legal support for commercial partnerships, media, and governance in women's football.
- Company: Join WSL Football, transforming women's football and society.
- Benefits: Dynamic work environment with opportunities for growth and travel.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with a focus on building relationships and innovative processes.
- Why this job: Be part of a pivotal moment in women's football and shape its future.
- Qualifications: Solicitor/lawyer with experience in commercial agreements and stakeholder management.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Welcome to a new era of women's professional football in England. WSL Football was created to transform the women's game and, by transforming football, transform society. As the independent organisation responsible for the Barclays Women's Super League and Barclays Women's Super League 2, we are building the most distinctive, competitive and entertaining women's football ecosystem in the world. This is a pivotal moment in our journey. From record attendances and global audiences to world-class talent and cultural influence, women's football is entering a new phase of growth. Driven by our positioning statement, New Wave Football, we are bringing new energy, new ideas and new ways of engaging fans, partners, clubs and communities.
As part of this next chapter, we are now looking to appoint our first dedicated Legal Counsel. This is a rare opportunity for a commercially minded and hands-on lawyer to help shape the legal foundations of one of the most exciting and fast-evolving organisations in global sport. You will work closely with senior leaders across the business, building trusted relationships, supporting strategic growth and helping establish scalable legal frameworks during a transformational stage of the organisation's evolution.
We are looking for someone who thrives in agile environments, enjoys building from the ground up and wants to play an active role in shaping the future of women's football.
The Opportunity
As Legal Counsel, you will provide commercially focused legal support across a broad range of business areas including commercial partnerships, media, governance, operations, innovation and club engagement. This is a highly visible role that requires someone comfortable balancing day-to-day legal execution with longer-term thinking as the organisation continues to grow. Alongside supporting internal stakeholders, you will also spend time building relationships across the game, including regular engagement with clubs and external partners across the country.
Key Responsibilities
- Commercial Contracting & Advisory
- Draft, review, negotiate and advise on a wide range of commercial agreements including sponsorship, partnership, media, licensing, supplier and technology agreements.
- Provide commercially pragmatic and solutions-focused legal advice to stakeholders across the organisation.
- Support digital transformation initiatives including software, SaaS, data processing and data licensing arrangements.
- Legal Operations & Execution
- Take ownership of day-to-day legal matters, ensuring an efficient and responsive legal service across the business.
- Manage NDAs, template development, competition terms and conditions, and bespoke talent and player-related agreements.
- Help establish scalable legal processes, improve workflows and contribute to the development of legal operations as the organisation grows.
- Support the implementation of legal technology and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Regulatory & Governance Support
- Provide support and guidance on relevant football regulatory frameworks including FA, UEFA, FIFA and league regulations.
- Assist with governance matters, board documentation and regulatory communications.
- Support the interpretation and practical application of rules and compliance frameworks.
- Stakeholder & Club Engagement
- Build trusted relationships with stakeholders across commercial, football, operations and medical teams.
- Work collaboratively with clubs and external partners across the women's game.
- Travel nationally as required to support relationship building and ongoing engagement across the league ecosystem.
- External Counsel Management
- Support the management of external legal advisers on specialist or high‐risk matters.
- Ensure external advice is delivered efficiently and integrated effectively into business decision‐making.
About You
You will combine strong legal and commercial judgement with a collaborative, adaptable and relationship‐led approach. This role will suit someone who enjoys being close to the business, operating with autonomy and helping organisations scale. You will be comfortable navigating ambiguity, balancing multiple priorities and building strong relationships across a broad stakeholder landscape. Character and mindset will be just as important as technical capability. We are looking for someone who is proactive, pragmatic, emotionally intelligent and energised by the opportunity to build something meaningful within an ambitious and purpose‐driven organisation.
You will likely bring:
- Qualification as a solicitor/lawyer with experience gained in private practice and/or in‐house environments.
- Strong experience drafting and negotiating commercial agreements.
- The ability to manage a varied workload independently and prioritise effectively.
- Excellent stakeholder management and relationship‐building skills.
- A pragmatic, commercially aware and solutions‐focused mindset.
- Confidence operating in environments where priorities evolve quickly and no two days are the same.
- Experience within sport, media or entertainment would be advantageous, but is not essential.
Working at WSL Football
This role is based at WSL Football's offices in Farringdon, London. Given the collaborative and evolving nature of the organisation, a strong in‐person office presence will be important, particularly in the early stages as relationships, processes and ways of working continue to develop. The role will also involve travel across the UK to build relationships with clubs and stakeholders throughout the women's game.
Legal Counsel employer: The Football Association
At WSL Football, we are not just transforming women's football; we are redefining the landscape of sport and society. As an employer, we offer a dynamic work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation, providing our Legal Counsel with the unique opportunity to shape the legal foundations of a rapidly evolving organisation. With a focus on employee growth and engagement, our London-based team thrives in an agile environment, where every member plays a vital role in driving meaningful change within the women's game.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Legal Counsel
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the women's football scene. Attend events, join relevant groups, and don’t be shy about reaching out on LinkedIn. Building relationships can open doors that a CV just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Show your passion for women's football! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, let your enthusiasm shine through. Share your ideas on how you can contribute to the growth of the game and make it clear that you're ready to roll up your sleeves.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by researching the organisation inside out. Know their values, recent news, and how they fit into the broader landscape of women's football. This will help you tailor your answers and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of their journey.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We want to see your application directly, so make sure you submit it through our platform. It shows you're serious about the role and gives us a chance to see your skills in action.
We think you need these skills to ace Legal Counsel
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Women's Football:When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for women's football shine through! We want to see how you connect with our mission and how you can contribute to this exciting era in the sport.
Tailor Your Experience:Make sure to highlight your relevant legal experience, especially in commercial agreements. We’re looking for someone who can hit the ground running, so show us how your background aligns with the role of Legal Counsel.
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and make it easy for us to see why you’re the right fit for this pivotal role.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this fantastic opportunity in shaping the future of women's football.
How to prepare for a job interview at The Football Association
✨Know Your Legal Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of commercial law, especially in areas like sponsorship and media agreements. Be ready to discuss how your legal expertise can support the unique needs of women's football and the specific challenges the organisation faces.
✨Show Your Commercial Mindset
This role is all about balancing legal execution with commercial awareness. Prepare examples of how you've provided solutions-focused legal advice in previous roles, and think about how you can apply that to the fast-evolving landscape of women's football.
✨Build Relationships
Since stakeholder engagement is key, come prepared with strategies for building trust and rapport with various teams. Think about how you would approach collaboration with clubs and external partners, and be ready to share your ideas during the interview.
✨Embrace Ambiguity
The organisation is looking for someone who thrives in agile environments. Be ready to discuss times when you've successfully navigated uncertainty or changing priorities, and how you can bring that adaptability to the role of Legal Counsel.
