Legal Counsel

UCL is a global powerhouse: over 50,000 students, 16,000 staff and an annual turnover of £1.9bn, consistently ranked among the world's top 10 universities. Behind that scale sits the Office of the General Counsel - led by the General Counsel, reporting directly to the President and Provost - which brings together Legal Services, Data Protection and Freedom of Information, Governance, Policy, and Risk and Compliance to keep UCL's ambitions on a sound legal and governance footing.
Legal Services, led by the Director of Legal Services, is the in‑house team candidates will be joining. It's a close‑knit, highly regarded department that advises across the full breadth of university life - commercial, property, employment, IP, research, charity and governance matters - giving lawyers here a variety and depth of work rarely found in a single in‑house role.
About the role
As Legal Counsel, you'll be a valued member of the Legal Services team, delivering pragmatic, commercially astute advice that helps UCL move forward with confidence. You'll build genuine expertise across a portfolio shaped around your interests and the department's needs, spanning:
General commercial and university work - drafting and negotiating complex agreements, intellectual property, research agreements, charity matters, governance, student complaints and appeals, regulatory compliance and international matters.
Property - complex commercial purchases and sales, development and construction projects, and portfolio and asset management.
Employment and disputes - contentious and non‑contentious employment matters, commercial dispute resolution, discrimination and equality issues, freedom of speech, trade unions, change management, pensions and policy development.
You'll also deputise for the Senior Legal Counsel when needed - a role with real visibility and room to grow.
Main Responsibilities
Work as an active member of Legal Services, aligned to the department's strategy and objectives, deputising for Senior Legal Counsel as required.
Line‑manage more junior colleagues (paralegals or trainees) where required - supporting their development, training and performance.
Lead or contribute to teams of legal and non‑legal colleagues on institutional projects, with oversight of delegation, quality control and risk escalation.
Help the department run efficiently - sharing knowledge, briefing colleagues, and using external legal support judiciously.
Provide flexible, high‑quality legal support across your portfolio: commercial, charity, governance, employment, pensions, IP, disputes, property, research, regulatory and procurement compliance, and international matters.
Give solutions‑focused, commercially astute advice aligned with UCL's Strategic Plan, instructing external counsel where it adds the most value.
Champion good governance, quality‑control governance papers, and provide briefing papers and ad‑hoc analysis for senior stakeholders.
Spot legal risks early and shape practical mitigation - and keep on top of the legislation, case law and regulation that matters to UCL.
Project‑manage matters through to a timely conclusion.
Partner with stakeholders across the Office of the General Counsel, UCL and its wider group, becoming a trusted adviser to the teams you support.
About you
You'll thrive in this role if you can bring:
Essential
Qualification as a solicitor or barrister, holding (or entitled to hold) a current SRA or Bar Standards Board practising certificate, or Registered Foreign Lawyer status/registration with the SRA.
Strong knowledge of legal issues relevant to general commercial and university matters, including drafting and negotiating complex agreements and giving pragmatic advice in a complex organisation.
A track record of briefing and influencing at management level, and of building strong stakeholder relationships.
Experience contributing to legal project management on significant, cross‑disciplinary projects.
Confidence taking on new or unfamiliar legal issues, sound judgment, and excellent analytical skills.
A genuine commitment to advancing equality, diversity and inclusion.
6+ years' relevant post‑qualification experience gained at a leading law firm or in‑house (candidates with strong skills and less PQE are still very welcome to apply).
Subject‑matter expertise - or a developing interest - in intellectual property, IT, research, charities, governance, corporate structuring or philanthropy.
An appreciation of higher education and empathy with academic life, even without direct sector experience.
About us
UCL is a global powerhouse: over 50,000 students, 16,000 staff and an annual turnover of £1.9bn, consistently ranked among the world's top 10 universities. Behind that scale sits the Office of the General Counsel - led by the General Counsel, reporting directly to the President and Provost - which brings together Legal Services, Data Protection and Freedom of Information, Governance, Policy, and Risk and Compliance to keep UCL's ambitions on a sound legal and governance footing.
Legal Services, led by the Director of Legal Services, is the in‑house team candidates will be joining. It's a close‑knit, highly regarded department that advises across the full breadth of university life - commercial, property, employment, IP, research, charity and governance matters - giving lawyers here a variety and depth of work rarely found in a single in‑house role.
About the role
As Legal Counsel, you'll be a valued member of the Legal Services team, delivering pragmatic, commercially astute advice that helps UCL move forward with confidence. You'll build genuine expertise across a portfolio shaped around your interests and the department's needs, spanning:
General commercial and university work - drafting and negotiating complex agreements, intellectual property, research agreements, charity matters, governance, student complaints and appeals, regulatory compliance and international matters.
Property - complex commercial purchases and sales, development and construction projects, and portfolio and asset management.
Employment and disputes - contentious and non‑contentious employment matters, commercial dispute resolution, discrimination and equality issues, freedom of speech, trade unions, change management, pensions and policy development.
You'll also deputise for the Senior Legal Counsel when needed - a role with real visibility and room to grow.
Main Responsibilities
Work as an active member of Legal Services, aligned to the department's strategy and objectives, deputising for Senior Legal Counsel as required.
Line‑manage more junior colleagues (paralegals or trainees) where required - supporting their development, training and performance.
Lead or contribute to teams of legal and non‑legal colleagues on institutional projects, with oversight of delegation, quality control and risk escalation.
Help the department run efficiently - sharing knowledge, briefing colleagues, and using external legal support judiciously.
Provide flexible, high‑quality legal support across your portfolio: commercial, charity, governance, employment, pensions, IP, disputes, property, research, regulatory and procurement compliance, and international matters.
Give solutions‑focused, commercially astute advice aligned with UCL's Strategic Plan, instructing external counsel where it adds the most value.
Champion good governance, quality‑control governance papers, and provide briefing papers and ad‑hoc analysis for senior stakeholders.
Spot legal risks early and shape practical mitigation - and keep on top of the legislation, case law and regulation that matters to UCL.
Project‑manage matters through to a timely conclusion.
Partner with stakeholders across the Office of the General Counsel, UCL and its wider group, becoming a trusted adviser to the teams you support.
About you
You'll thrive in this role if you can bring:
Essential
Qualification as a solicitor or barrister, holding (or entitled to hold) a current SRA or Bar Standards Board practising certificate, or Registered Foreign Lawyer status/registration with the SRA.
Strong knowledge of legal issues relevant to general commercial and university matters, including drafting and negotiating complex agreements and giving pragmatic advice in a complex organisation.
A track record of briefing and influencing at management level, and of building strong stakeholder relationships.
Experience contributing to legal project management on significant, cross‑disciplinary projects.
Confidence taking on new or unfamiliar legal issues, sound judgment, and excellent analytical skills.
A genuine commitment to advancing equality, diversity and inclusion.
6+ years' relevant post‑qualification experience gained at a leading law firm or in‑house (candidates with strong skills and less PQE are still very welcome to apply).
Subject‑matter expertise - or a developing interest - in intellectual property, IT, research, charities, governance, corporate structuring or philanthropy.
An appreciation of higher education and empathy with academic life, even without direct sector experience.
Desirable
6+ years' relevant post‑qualification experience gained at a leading law firm or in‑house (candidates with strong skills and less PQE are still very welcome to apply).
Subject‑matter expertise - or a developing interest - in intellectual property, IT, research, charities, governance, corporate structuring or philanthropy.
An appreciation of higher education and empathy with academic life, even without direct sector experience.
What we offer
Up to 41 days' annual leave (27 days plus closure days and