Interim General Counsel
The Opportunity
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and highly commercial interim legal leader to join a fast-growing UK technology business operating in a regulated environment.
This is a key leadership role for someone who enjoys combining strategic legal input with hands-on delivery across complex commercial and technology matters.
Working closely with senior stakeholders, you will lead the legal function through an important period while supporting the business on high-value contracts, legal operations, and regulatory risk.
The Role
As Interim General Counsel, you will take ownership of a broad and business-critical legal remit, with a particular focus on complex commercial contracts across SaaS, software, hosting, and wider technology arrangements.
You will advise senior leadership, support a regulated customer base, and manage a small legal team, balancing strategic oversight with practical, solutions-focused legal support.
About You
The successful candidate is likely to be a UK qualified solicitor with strong in-house or commercial legal experience gained within technology, SaaS, software, or other fast-paced regulated sectors. You will be comfortable operating autonomously, partnering with senior stakeholders, and managing competing priorities in a high-performing environment.
- Qualifications: UK qualified solicitor with at least 9 years PQE, ideally including several years of experience operating as a contractor.
- Leadership Experience: Proven people management skills, with a track record of providing effective supervision and mentorship to both junior and senior team members.
- Tech Sector Expertise: Significant experience in SaaS, software, and cloud contracting, along with a good understanding of AI contracting considerations.
- Financial Services Knowledge: Familiarity with UK Financial Services regulation as it applies to technology providers (e.g., security, resilience, and business continuity requirements).
- Data Protection: A strong background in Data Protection, with the ability to make and stand by sound, risk-based judgements.
- Operational Skills: Experience in managing legal operations, workflows, and legal technology.
- Commercial Acumen: Solid business sense that translates complex legal frameworks into business-focused, practical advice.
- Communication Skills: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, capable of interacting effectively when negotiating with customers and advising executive leadership.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Leadership: Lead and manage the legal function, providing actionable, strategic legal advice to the executive leadership team.
- Contract Negotiation: Draft, review, and negotiate complex, high-value commercial contracts, including SaaS, software licensing, hosting agreements, and supplier/partner agreements.
- Team Management: Manage the Legal team, ensuring a balanced and effective allocation of work across your reports (Senior Paralegal and Senior Legal Counsel).
- Product & Templates: Draft new product-specific terms in line with the business’s latest offerings, and review/update contract templates and playbook positions as products develop.
- Legal Operations: Oversee and manage legal processes, workflows, and operations, driving the effective use of the business’s CLM tool and AI tools.
- Regulatory & Data Protection: Advise on data protection matters related to the company’s products (including security appendices) and monitor evolving legal and regulatory trends affecting the FinTech sector.
- Project Delivery: Support strategic initiatives and ad hoc projects within the Legal team as required.
Please note our advertisements use PQE/salary levels purely as a guide. However we are happy to consider applications from all candidates who are able to demonstrate the skills necessary to fulfil the role.
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