Legal Counsel

Job Introduction

Are you looking for a new Legal Counsel role that gives you the chance to be creative and use your expertise to support a fast-moving, omni-channel, global luxury retailer? Are you passionate about enabling commercial success through providing sound legal advice, support and direction?

Looking for a company that wants to help further your career as well as provide you with an exciting, inspiring and fun place to work?

If the answer to all of these questions is ‘yes’ then you’re just the kind of person we’re looking for! 

A bit about the role

What is the role?

As Legal Counsel, you will understand Selfridges and its vision of being the destination for extraordinary customer experience. You understand and embrace Selfridges as a whole, from front-of-house to back-of-house, projects, urgent advice and every day matters needing legal support, always with a focus on the customer and the strategy to Reinvent Retail.

As Legal Counsel you will be impactful, building strong relationships and bringing a positive, pragmatic decision making focus to a fast-paced environment, identifying risk and balancing common sense with legal expertise. Outgoing, curious, naturally intuitive and empathetic, you place value in people, demonstrating a passion for the Selfridges’ business. You will be comfortable in questioning colleagues and external advisors to gain understanding and offer challenge, to advise and support colleagues within the business.

As Legal Counsel you will:

•Provide legal advice, supporting the General Counsel, the team and the business. In all matters, ensure the business is advised promptly, carefully, proactively, commercially and pragmatically to help Selfridges be as effective as possible in achieving its strategy, vision and purpose

•Advise key stakeholders on legal issues affecting the business in a commercially savvy way, taking into account the nature of the business, its risk appetite, providing a steer and offering a view, also bringing in more senior colleagues as appropriate

•Keep colleagues and key stakeholders up to date on relevant law, compliance, legal requirements and best practice

•Provide sound legal advice to the business, in plain English and without jargon; sometimes using and managing advice and support from external advisors

•Prepare and assist with legal documents, contracts/ deals, disputes/ litigation, advice, investigations e.g. from a regulator. Draft, review, negotiate and administer contracts; research and analyse the law; advise or provide training or updates; support with compliance; keep good records. Support on business projects. Analyse and identify legal risks. Spot new or changing laws and the implications for Selfridges

•Support the legal team to be a high performing team; inspiring, supporting, coaching, supervising and leading, as required, to help the legal team get to the core of a problem quickly, to navigate legal requirements and issues whilst supporting colleagues to achieve their goals to drive the business forward

A bit about you

How you’ll do it…you will be:

•A lawyer (likely a UK qualified solicitor) with c. 6 months – 2 years post-qualification experience; ideally, with experience of working in-house (not necessarily as a lawyer)

•Someone with excellent academics and great legal experience, which should be relevant to Selfridges’ business; ideally, legal experience including contract law principles, commercial drafting and negotiation; property and construction; technology, IT contracts and digital matters; risk management, disputes management and litigation; an understanding of good governance, compliance and regulatory issues; advertising and marketing; consumer law; data protection; finance matters.

•Someone who can manage a busy workload and demonstrate their ability to translate complex legal issues into straightforward, pragmatic and user-friendly advice or documents; able to work alone or as part of a team

•Experienced in supporting a customer-centric business with a can-do, collaborative approach; working at pace, and adjusting your style to suit your audience

•Solutions focused and analytical. You are excellent at seeing through a problem and finding a solution, with strong organisational skills and a keen eye for detail

•A great communicator and a good listener. With sound interpersonal skills and strong written and verbal  communication, you are able to challenge and influence business stakeholders and to take the lead when required

•An ambassador for the business, the legal and DPO team and their roles

•Able to manage budgets, consider financial implications and plan resource

•Someone with integrity, professionalism and trustworthiness – essential for any lawyer

•An example of our values, a trusted and respected colleague

This guide represents a summary of the role, however all team members are expected to be flexible in the work they undertake, which may change from time to time, according to the needs of the business

A bit about us

Our Creative Spirit 

We are more than a shop. We are a social space where culture and commerce collide to release an energy that we call the Selfridges spirit. We are here to make our world brighter, and everyone is welcome. 

Our Awards Cabinet 

We’re not ones to brag, but since you asked...Selfridges has won the award for The World’s Best Department Store an unprecedented four times at the IGDS awards, with an additional award for the Best Sustainability Campaign.  

Our Future 

Since 1909 we have been at the forefront of retail and today our stores in London, Manchester and Birmingham – alongside selfridges.com and the Selfridges App – continue to redefine the way we shop and socialise. As a Selfridges team member, you will learn what it takes to consistently drive innovation, success and amazing customer experiences. 

Everyone is welcome

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive working culture, and we see this as key to our success and our working culture. Here at Selfridges, everyone is welcome - irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or disability, we stand by equal opportunities for all. We are diverse, we are inclusive, we are Selfridges.

The Fun Stuff  

There are lots of reasons to be excited about joining Team Selfridges – from our fantastic team member communities to volunteer days and behind-the-scenes Selfridges experiences throughout the year. 

Other benefits and rewards include:

• Generous bonus and/or commission scheme 
• Discounted gym memberships 
• Pension contributions  
• Annual travel pass and cycle to work schemes 
• A volunteer day for all team members 
• Access to a wide range of training programmes to help your career development