Senior In-house Counsel (Contracts & Commercial)

About the role 

As part of the Contracts & Commercial Team within the General Counsel's Office, this role will support the Head of Contracts & Commercial in delivering the firm's commercial contracting, procurement, third-party risk and contractual governance agenda across the international network. The role will help ensure that commercial activity is supported in a controlled, proportionate and legally defensible manner, in line with the firm’s commercial objectives and risk appetite.

Reporting to the Head of Contracts & Commercial, you will support the day-to-day delivery of the team’s work and help coordinate the lawyers and paralegals involved in the firm’s commercial and contractual arrangements. You will contribute to effective prioritisation, consistent and timely execution, and the delivery of high-quality, practical and commercially focused advice across the business.

You will respond to or delegate day-to-day commercial contracting, procurement and contractual governance enquiries and will often be the first escalation point for queries. You will identify when you can make proportionate, risk-based decisions within delegated authority and when a matter should be escalated to the Head of Contracts & Commercial or another senior member of the General Counsel’s Office. You will continually identify and implement ways for the team to work more effectively and efficiently.

You will develop and maintain subject matter expertise and become a key contact and trusted adviser for commercial contracting, procurement and contractual risk matters. You will work collaboratively with stakeholders across all Eversheds Sutherland offices, supporting consistent standards while recognising local legal, regulatory and commercial requirements.

Alongside your commercial contracting responsibilities, you will play a key role in helping to deliver the transformation of the firm's commercial contracting and contractual governance function. Working closely with the Head of Contracts & Commercial, Deputy General Counsel and wider General Counsel's Office, you will contribute to the development and implementation of new approaches to commercial contracting, client terms management and contractual governance, including the use of technology, automation, contract intelligence and agentic AI.

This role provides a unique opportunity to combine high-quality commercial contracting work with innovative transformation activity at the intersection of law, technology and business change.

Key Responsibilities

Team Contribution and Leadership

• Support the Head of Contracts & Commercial in coordinating the Contracts & Commercial team, helping to prioritise work, allocate or delegate day-to-day enquiries and deliver high-quality commercial and contractual advice across the firm.
• Support the delivery of priorities, objectives and work plans for the firm's commercial contracting and procurement governance programme.
• Contribute to the development of the capability, processes and effectiveness of the Contracts & Commercial function, identifying and implementing improvements where appropriate.
• Help ensure the function provides a high-quality, practical, commercially focused and risk-based service to the business.
• Support the Head of Contracts & Commercial in delivering the firm's commercial contracting transformation programme and embedding new ways of working across the Contracts & Commercial function.

Commercial Contracting Framework

• Support the Head of Contracts & Commercial in maintaining and, where appropriate, developing the firm's commercial contracting framework, including policies, standards, governance arrangements, templates, playbooks and guidance materials.
• Support the development of scalable contracting playbooks, decision frameworks, governance standards and risk models that improve consistency and support technology-enabled contracting processes.
• Provide day-to-day commercial and contractual support across the firm, including supplier agreements, client terms, outsourcing arrangements, strategic partnerships, intra-group arrangements and third-party engagements, escalating complex or high-risk matters as appropriate.
• Maintain and update the firm's suite of standard engagement documentation and key commercial templates, with appropriate input from the Head of Contracts & Commercial.
• Ensure contracting activity within your remit is aligned with the firm's commercial objectives, governance requirements and risk appetite.
• Identify opportunities to simplify, standardise and improve commercial contracting processes whilst maintaining appropriate legal and commercial oversight.
• Support the Head of Contracts & Commercial on complex, high-value and strategically significant commercial arrangements, leading discrete workstreams or negotiations where required.

Procurement, Supplier and Commercial Governance

• Support the firm's approach to supplier contracting, procurement governance and third-party risk management.
• Provide day-to-day advice on the contractual aspects of supplier onboarding, procurement activity and supplier management processes.
• Contribute to effective governance, controls and decision-making processes relating to third-party commercial arrangements, escalating material issues to the Head of Contracts & Commercial.
• Advise on supplier relationships and commercial partnerships within delegated authority, supporting the Head of Contracts & Commercial on strategic matters.
• Support initiatives designed to improve supplier contracting, procurement governance and third-party risk management through process improvement, automation and technology-enabled solutions.

Commercial Risk and Governance

• Identify trends, themes and emerging risks arising from the firm's commercial and contractual arrangements and bring material issues to the Head of Contracts & Commercial’s attention.
• Use contract data, assurance findings, market developments and business insight to support stronger controls, improved contracting practices and reduced commercial risk exposure.
• Use contractual and operational data to identify opportunities for efficiency, simplification, automation and continuous improvement.
• Support appropriate governance, escalation and reporting of material commercial and contractual risks.
• Advise stakeholders on contractual risk, commercial structuring, governance and negotiation strategy within delegated authority, escalating complex, novel or material matters as appropriate.

Contracting Transformation, Technology and AI

• Support delivery of the firm's commercial contracting transformation programme.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of AI-enabled approaches to contract review, contract management and contractual governance.
• Develop and maintain contracting playbooks, negotiation guidance, governance frameworks and decision-support tools.
• Work with Technology, Procurement and Business Services teams to help translate legal expertise into scalable workflows, processes and operating models.
• Support implementation of contract lifecycle management, contract intelligence and workflow solutions.
• Help identify opportunities to automate routine contracting activity whilst ensuring appropriate governance and oversight.
• Lead or support specific workstreams within wider transformation initiatives.
• Contribute to innovation, continuous improvement and the development of future contracting capabilities across the firm.

International Contracting and Network Support

• Apply and support the development of contracting standards, templates, policies and governance processes for international use, with appropriate local adaptation where required.
• Work with international offices to promote consistency of approach and manage local commercial, legal and contractual risks, escalating issues requiring senior input.
• Advise on contractual arrangements across the Eversheds Sutherland international network, including intra-group and third-party relationships, within delegated authority.
• Support the sharing of best practice and continuous improvement across jurisdictions.

Strategic Projects and Business Initiatives

• Contribute to strategic projects impacting the firm's commercial arrangements, contractual frameworks and risk profile, leading discrete workstreams where required.
• Provide practical commercial and contractual advice in support of the firm's growth initiatives, transformation programmes and business objectives.
• Provide contractual and commercial support relating to the firm's technology and AI and commercial contracting transformation initiatives.
• Support the design and implementation of new contracting processes, governance frameworks, playbooks and operating models.
• Contribute to projects involving legal technology, automation, contract intelligence, workflow optimisation and AI-enabled contracting solutions. Act as a trusted adviser to stakeholders on strategic commercial matters and complex contractual issues, escalating matters to the Head of Contracts & Commercial or another senior member of the General Counsel’s Office where appropriate.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a key contact and first escalation point for day-to-day commercial contracting, procurement and contractual governance matters.
• Build effective relationships with partners, practice group leaders, international offices, Business Services leaders and external stakeholders.
• Advise stakeholders on commercial risk, contracting strategy, governance and third-party arrangements within delegated authority, escalating material or novel issues as appropriate.
• Work collaboratively with Governance & Compliance, Supplier Management, Finance, IT, Service Excellence and other Business Services teams to support the firm's strategic objectives.

Training, Awareness and Continuous Improvement

• Monitor legal, regulatory and market developments affecting commercial contracting and procurement activity, update the team and business as appropriate, and support responses led by the Head of Contracts & Commercial.
• Develop and deliver, or support, training, guidance and awareness initiatives to strengthen commercial capability and promote consistent contracting standards.
• Provide briefings and insight to stakeholders on emerging developments, strategic implications and areas of commercial risk, escalating material issues to the Head of Contracts & Commercial as appropriate.
• Identify and implement continuous improvements in contracting processes, governance arrangements, controls and service delivery within delegated authority, including opportunities arising from technology, automation and AI-enabled solutions.

Skills & Competencies Required

• Qualified solicitor with at least 8 years’ experience, including substantial experience in commercial contracts, procurement and complex commercial arrangements.
• Experience delivering commercial contracting activity within a complex professional services, regulated or international environment.
• Excellent judgement with a proportionate, pragmatic and risk-based approach to balancing legal, operational and commercial considerations.
• Experience advising stakeholders on strategic commercial, contractual and risk matters, with the judgement to escalate complex or high-risk issues.
• Experience supervising or coordinating small teams, junior lawyers or workstreams in a legal or professional services environment.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, and the ability to deliver clear, practical advice to colleagues at all levels.
• Excellent negotiation skills and strong commercial and financial awareness.
• Ability to think independently, manage own workload, prioritise competing demands and delegate or escalate appropriately across an international environment.
• Genuine interest in technology, innovation and the opportunities presented by automation and agentic AI.
• Experience designing or improving processes, frameworks, governance models, playbooks or operating procedures.
• Ability to think beyond traditional legal advice and contribute to improving how commercial contracting services are delivered.
• Comfortable working alongside technology, operational, project and business teams.
• Strong organisational and project management skills with the ability to manage discrete workstreams.
• Curious, adaptable and enthusiastic about helping to deliver change and transformation.

What’s in it for you?

At Eversheds Sutherland, we provide benefits focused on looking after you: your development, your performance, your financial future and your health, as well as providing the opportunity to make a contribution to the world.

• We’re fair, transparent and equitable
• We share in the success of the firm, reward alignment to our values, going above and beyond and your individual performance
• We support flexible ways of working through our remote working policy and commitment to flexible, agile and hybrid ways of working
• We support your health and performance through our dental, healthcare and wellness support
• We support everything you are and all you bring through our powerful commitment to diversity and inclusion
• We provide a platform for your career, whatever your ambitions through our structured professional and personal training, mentoring and development programs
• We provide experience and opportunity through international and cross-function exposure
• We provide an opportunity to give back through our pro bono work and community engagement
• We help you plan ahead through retirement planning, insurance and assurance