Commercial Lawyer

Ref: 10640

Commercial Lawyer

Bristol, Plymouth Southampton

About the firm

We’re delighted to partner with this international UK Top 50 firm to recruit a Lawyer to work within their nationally recognised Real Estate Energy and Natural Resources team. With an impressive client base across the globe, you will be working with entrepreneurial start-ups and joint ventures to established independents, vertically integrated utilities, financial institutions, governments and worldwide energy giants. The firm boasts a national presence of over 150 fee earners across 8 locations across the wider Real Estate team and offers opportunities to get involved in varied and interesting work. The team prides itself on the quality and commerciality of their service, their industry insight and the talent and passion of their people which not only engages clients but creates lasting business and advisory relationships.

Our client’s national commercial team unites experts from general commercial, digital, IP, energy and renewables, as well as projects and procurement. Representing an impressive portfolio of FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 companies, public sector organisations, educational institutions, and industry bodies, they handle high-profile, business-critical projects and regulatory matters. The team, one of the largest and most successful of its kind, consists of sector specialists across industries such as advanced manufacturing, life sciences, aerospace and defence, energy and renewables, transport and logistics, and international trade.

Their lawyers are based across a network of UK offices and include nationally recognised leaders in their fields. The team collaborates with US colleagues on international transactions and projects, and, they work with firms worldwide on international matters for clients. By working alongside multidisciplinary teams, they offer a blend of City presence and local knowledge, assisting foreign inward investors in the UK.

To support their strong pipeline of projects, they are seeking a commercial contracts lawyer with 3+ years of PQE to senior level to join the team.

About the role

Our client and their team advises on a wide range of contractual arrangements for strategic projects and day-to-day business across various industries, with a strong focus on supporting advanced manufacturing companies. This includes everything from operators of major process plants to specialised life sciences supply chain businesses. Their expertise covers procurement, supply chain management, product development, and routes to market, with a particular emphasis on energy transition, decarbonisation projects, and productivity improvement initiatives.

In this role, the individual will be involved in all aspects of transactions and projects, including contract strategy, drafting, negotiation, data protection (with support from privacy specialists), and risk management.

This is an exciting time to join a diverse team of professionals who value collaboration and creativity, exploring innovative ways to deliver advice and support. The individual will work closely with clients' in-house legal teams, providing an in-house style of service for businesses without internal legal support. With team members who have extensive industry experience, the workload will resemble in-house practice, but with the added variety of working with a broad mix of clients and specialists from different areas.

The individual will contribute to the growth of multi-jurisdictional work, handling large-scale industrial projects for multinational corporations, as well as supporting rapidly growing scale-up businesses and SMEs. From a base in the North of England, there will be opportunities to help businesses enter new markets, particularly in the USA and Saudi Arabia, with the possibility of working on international secondments.

What we’re looking for

Our client is seeking to recruit a lawyer with 3+ years of post-qualification experience in commercial contracts, gained at a City or large regional firm, or in-house. The team focuses on working with international clients, so experience with import and export would be highly advantageous. While experience in tech, IP, and data protection is beneficial, it is not essential. Strong drafting and communication skills, enthusiasm for the practice area, and a commitment to delivering first-class client service are crucial.

The ideal candidate must have at least 3 years of post-qualified experience as a UK Solicitor (England, Wales, or Scotland) with expertise in a commercial environment, applying contract law in practical situations. Experience in handling complex, high-profile transactions, including supply chain management, procurement, outsourcing, and research and development, is essential. The ability to deliver complex legal advice in a clear and practical way that is easily understood by non-lawyers is also required.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays and time off at Xmas
• Holiday buy & sell
• Wellbeing day
• Firm-wide bonus scheme
• CSR volunteering scheme
• Maternity and paternity leave & pay
• Shared parental leave & pay
• Flexible/hybrid working
• 5% contributory pension
• Private Medical Insurance
• Dental and cash health plans
• Eye care
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Employee wellbeing initiatives including menopause support
• Employee referral bonus
• Recognition awards
• Long service awards
• Savings club
• Elder/dependent care
• Flu jabs
• Digital GP
• Gym membership
• Cycle scheme
• Free fruit in offices
• Subsidised sports and events
• Travel loans and season tickets

If you would like to find out more information or have an informal chat, please contact Charlotte Ferguson, Recruitment Manager on 01392 712003 or 07342840879 or via email at cferguson@cathedralappointments.co.uk