Solicitor
Location : UK, London
department: Legal
Type : fixed term contract
Minimum Experience : mid level
ABOUT FOOTBALLCOFootballco is a global, football focused, digital platform with an ambition to own the entire non-live football landscape worldwide and become THE digital destination for all football fans across the globe. Combining some of the most forward-thinking minds in football, an award winning creative and production function, as well as digital platforms that are loved by 400m fans globally, FC aims to own the digital fan ecosystem across the world’s biggest sport.
With 300 permanent employees across the world, FC is a diverse, disruptive, brave, dynamic, agile and fun organisation. Our work-hard, play-hard attitude supports these values – with the football fan always front of mind, leveraging a world class tech platform and our track record (since PERFORM) of being first to market.
We connect fans to football and brands to fans, come join us and be a part of it!
ABOUT THE ROLE
The appointment will be for an initial 12 month fixed term contract to provide maternity cover. There is potential for a longer-term of permanent appointment. Please apply with a cover letter alongside your CV.
Footballco has a small but dedicated in-house legal team. The purpose of the Solicitor / Barrister role will be primarily to provide practical legal advice on commercial contracts across the Football Group of companies around the world. In addition as an in-house lawyer flexibility will be required to provide legal advice on a wide range of issues to ensure compliance with applicable law, regulations and best practices
The Solicitor or Barrister will be responsible for drafting and preparing documents, undertaking contract reviews and contract management, the management of documents and management of the legal teams reporting systems. The role will support our group Legal Counsel with a wider range of matters with a particular focus on commercial contracts but may also assist with intellectual property cases, company secretarial matters, employment and a wide range of legal issues across the group practice.
We are looking for applicants with 2-3 years PQE who have built a solid foundation in contract law. We expect you to be able to demonstrate a detailed knowledge of different types of contract as well as contract terms and also the key legal, commercial and operational issues across a range of contracts.
The role will be within our legal team and report to our group Legal Counsel.
WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING
Reviewing and managing contract and commercial agreement reviews on a wide range of matters from high value, long term strategic arrangements to more day-to-day operational agreements and standard form contracts
Undertaking legal research on applicable regulations, laws and legal requirements
Preparing legal documents, such as contracts, correspondence with other parties and when necessary legal pleadings
Handling confidential client or case information
Preparing reports for the group Legal Counsel and or other employees of FootballCo
Conducting meetings with internal clients and providing them with legal information and taking instructions
Monitoring changes to government guidelines or regulations and submitting reports on pertinent changes
Organising legal files and administration of work flow and case management systems
Maintaining contracts databases
Arranging meetings and with clients and other lawyers
Attending to general administrational duties and basic clerical tasks
Archiving and disposing of documents following department protocols
Liaising with external agencies to organise translators, notaries, and transcribers
Liaising with external legal and company secretarial services providers
Providing support to the legal, Finance and Human Resources teams in implementing training new policies and procedures and operational and organisational objectives
Complying with all relevant internal rules, policies and procedures
Undertaking any other such duties or general tasks and hours of work as may reasonably be required and to work in other locations within the Company
WHAT YOU HAVE
Knowledge, Skills and Experience:
The ideal candidate will be meticulously organised, an outstanding communicator and excellent at managing and prioritising multiple responsibilities. This role will work very closely with the Legal Counsel and Solicitor and will need to build strong working relationships with employees at all levels across the FootballCo Group. A desire to learn and develop as well as a can-do attitude are essential for this role.
In addition to this, the successful candidate will have the following experience:
Professional Qualifications
Qualified as a Solicitor or Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales. Solicitors, Barristers or Chartered Legal Executives must have completed a training contract/pupillage/qualifying employment or have been exempted from this by the Law Society, the Bar Council or CILEx.
Essential:
Good technical and drafting skills with a high level of attention to detail
Sound Knowledge of Law and Legal System
Excellent Verbal and Written Communication Skills
Experience using Microsoft packages including Word, Excel and PowerPoint
Excellent organisational skills with acute attention to detail
A motivated self-starter who is a good team player
Highly organised and efficient in time management
Strong legal research skills and be familiar with the use of precedents and external legal resources
Comfortable handling large work load under time constraints with the ability to deal with the competing demands of different areas of the group which arise from involvement in a number of separate transactions at once and have the ability to work flexibly to tight deadlines
Commercially aware and willing to participate in group training and know how
Desirable:
2-3 years post-qualification experience, (preferably in commercial contracts); Experience working in an in-house legal team
Experience negotiating terms of commercial agreements from a B2B perspective;
Well-versed in global privacy laws, especially the GDPR;
Familiar with Electronic Document Management and Filing Systems and or contracts management systems.
Footballco is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, and will not be discriminated against based on age, race, gender, colour, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other protected category.