About You
If you are an experienced commercial lawyer with significant post-qualification experience and a strong track record of drafting and negotiating complex commercial contracts, this is an opportunity to take a leading legal role within a complex and evolving residential property business.
We are looking for a Senior Legal Counsel (Commercial) to join our Legal & Compliance team, acting as the principal legal adviser to the Group on commercial matters and providing strategic, pragmatic and commercially focused advice across the business.
Based in Bournemouth, the role offers hybrid working, with an expectation of spending 2–3 days per week in our Bournemouth office.
You will bring broad commercial legal expertise spanning procurement and supplier arrangements, technology and software contracts, data protection, commercial disputes and wider corporate matters. You will be confident advising senior stakeholders, with the commercial judgement to balance legal and regulatory risk against strategic and operational priorities.
This is a broad and influential in-house role. You will lead significant commercial contracts and negotiations, act as the legal lead for data protection and provide advice on commercial initiatives, business change and strategic projects. You will be someone who can translate complex legal issues into clear, pragmatic solutions that enable informed commercial decision-making.
You will also play an important role within the wider Legal & Compliance function, coaching and developing junior colleagues, sharing expertise and helping to strengthen legal governance, precedents and ways of working.
We will give you:
Financial:
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Competitive salary
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Company Pension Scheme
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Life Assurance
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Professional subscriptions paid for
Lifestyle, Health & Wellbeing:
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24 days' holiday, rising to 28 days, plus Bank Holidays
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2 fully paid volunteering days per year, supported by the McCarthy & Stone Foundation
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Private Healthcare
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Remote GP and 24/7 access to Employee Assistance Programme services, including counsellors and legal advisers
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Eyecare voucher
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Colleague Benefit Booklet with a range of discounts, offers and promotions
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Family Friendly Policies
Your Impact
As our Senior Legal Counsel, you will provide expert commercial legal advice across the Group, protecting the business while enabling effective commercial and strategic decision-making.
You will:
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Lead the drafting, negotiation and management of complex commercial contracts across supplier, procurement, technology, software and wider commercial arrangements.
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Partner with senior stakeholders to provide pragmatic legal advice on strategic initiatives, commercial opportunities and business change.
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Act as the legal lead for data protection, advising on UK GDPR, privacy requirements and associated compliance matters.
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Lead commercial disputes and contentious matters, determining proportionate and commercially appropriate resolution strategies.
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Identify and manage material legal, contractual and regulatory risks, strengthening governance, precedents and preventative controls.
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Support corporate and governance matters, including restructurings and strategic business projects.
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Manage external legal advisers and associated legal spend.
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Coach and mentor junior legal colleagues, strengthening technical and commercial capability across the team.
What We Are Looking For
You will be a commercially astute and solutions-focused lawyer who is comfortable operating with autonomy, influencing senior stakeholders and taking ownership of significant legal matters.
You will bring:
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Qualification as a solicitor in England and Wales with significant post-qualification experience in commercial law.
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Strong commercial judgement and the ability to provide clear, pragmatic advice within a complex business environment.
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Excellent drafting, negotiation, communication and stakeholder management capability.
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The credibility and confidence to influence senior leaders and challenge constructively where required.
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Experience managing external legal advisers and controlling legal spend.
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Experience coaching, mentoring or developing junior legal professionals.
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A collaborative, pragmatic and solutions-focused approach.
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Previous in-house experience would be advantageous but is not essential. Previous property and/or construction experience would also be desirable but is not essential.
Ready to Make an Impact?
Apply today and join our Legal & Compliance team in a senior role where your expertise will directly influence commercial and strategic decision-making across the Group and help strengthen the legal framework supporting our business.
At McCarthy & Stone, we celebrate diversity and promote equality and inclusion amongst our colleagues. We welcome applications from all, regardless of personal characteristics or background.
All applications will be reviewed as soon as they are received, and we hold the right to appoint before the closing date.
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As the UK’s leading developer and manager of retirement communities, we provide high quality homes to exacting specifications. As of November 2021, McCarthy Stone operates 475 developments across the UK for more than 20,000 people.
We believe in championing the role, wellbeing and happiness of older people in society. We help our customers have a better later life, so they feel more connected, recognised and valued than ever. In late 2020 we launched the McCarthy Stone Charitable Foundation to support local causes that help older people in need across Britain.
We are proud to have been certified as a Great Place to Work 2022 as well as making the Great Place to Work Wellbeing list!
