Legal Counsel in Cambridge

Hybrid 3 days in the office 2 from home - between Huntingdon & Waterbeach sites.

About the role

Reporting directly to the General Counsel & Company Secretary, you will take ownership of a wide range of commercial contracts — from technology licensing and R&D agreements, to supply chain and IP deals — while also gaining genuine exposure to M&A, governance and listed company responsibilities. You will also be encouraged to shape how the legal team operates, using AI tools and automation to modernise legal processes and drive efficiency.

What you’ll do

• Your primary responsibility will be to support commercial contracts within the Xaar plc group, dealing with supply and distribution agreements, NDAs, licensing agreements, research/development agreements and technology transfer agreements with an initial focus on UK activities and the opportunity to support the wider Xaar plc group in Sweden, USA and China once embedded.
• You will also be expected to support the Company Secretariat function in developing its governance framework, including corporate policy reviews, training business units and horizon scanning, and the general administration of being a publicly listed company, including board and committee preparation, timetabling, drafting and reviewing papers.
• Negotiate the full range of commercial agreements from commercial supply of goods to technology access agreements, nondisclosure agreements to licensing agreements.
• Participate in negotiations with customers and suppliers, including creative deal structuring (e.g., IP revenue sharing, strategic alliances, joint research and development).
• Develop a solid understanding of the company’s product and business goals and provide pragmatic, commercially-minded support and advice reflective of those goals.
• Conduct legal research on topics as they arise and draft clear, concise memos of advice for internal stakeholders.
• Support a wide range of teams on a needs basis; collaborating with internal departments including finance, commercial sales, HR, operations, facilities and R&D.
• Periodically assist the Legal and Compliance function with M&A transactions, including confidentiality, due diligence and document review.
• Monitor legal developments and changes in legislation and advise the business on practical ways to implement any change to reduce the risk of non-compliance.
• Use and maintain the company’s document, template, and contract repositories including AI and related tech, to ensure consistency in approach to reduce the risk of litigation.
• Support the development and maintenance of a strong culture of compliance including data protection, AML, anti-fraud.
• Present opportunities for improvement of existing processes and procedures to drive efficiency including those with the use of AI and related technologies.
• Support the Company Secretariat function in preparing and presenting transactional matters for internal approval at board or committee level, drafting and reviewing board papers, timetabling and board diary management.

What we’re looking for

• Qualified solicitor admitted to practice law in England & Wales or an individual with significant experience of working in a legal role in an in-house environment previously (Contracts Manager, Paralegal).
• 1-5 years PQE (solicitor) or 5-10 years’ experience in a similar role and/or with relevant experience.
• Desirable to have some governance experience, particularly in a listed company, but not essential.
• Demonstrable contract drafting and negotiating experience.
• Commercially minded lawyer with strong business acumen.
• Experience of finding risk-based solutions to ensure the businesses can undertake complex transactions efficiently.
• Process oriented, but not dependent – able to tackle matters independently.
• Self-starter – able to work autonomously from time-to-time and roll sleeves up to get involved in matters outside of your comfort zone when required.
• Ability to act proactively rather than reactively.
• Genuinely interested in legal technology and automation — experience with AI tools, CLM platforms or legal ops is highly desirable.
• Excellent English communication skills both orally and in writing.
• Willingness to learn and embrace new challenges / new areas of law – it is a fast-paced dynamic environment which requires adaptability and the ability to manage changing priorities effectively and efficiently.

What we offer

• Salary up to £65,000, depending on experience plus benefits including pension contributions, bonus and private medical insurance.
• Hybrid working 3 days per week at our Huntingdon headquarters, with occasional travel to our Waterbeach.
• Real scope to shape legal operations and drive AI-enabled process improvement.
• The stability and opportunity of a listed company, with the pace and culture of a technology-innovator.
• A collaborative, inclusive team environment where your contribution is genuinely valued.