My client is a professional football club based in London, they require a Legal Counsel to join at an exciting time in the clubs development. As a member of the Executive team, the Legal Counsel will play a critical role in supporting the club's strategic objectives. The role will suit a qualified Lawyer with extensive PQE, keen to work in the fantastic world of sport.
The Role -
* Proactively managing the legal and governance risk for the Club.
* Provide legal support and oversight for the club's commercial activities
* Drafting and negotiating sponsor deals and sponsorship agreements
* Reviewing and drafting event contracts and associated documentation
* Drafting and reviewing all other commercial contracts and agreements as necessary
* Act as the guardian of the Club's IP portfolio, including trademarks and domain names
* Liaise with third parties on licensing and use/commercialization of the club's IP
* Manage IP infringement issues and take appropriate action to protect the club's brand and intellectual property
* Assist with the legal aspects of policy and legacy development, working closely with international federations, national governing bodies, and other stakeholders
* Support the company secretarial duties and other corporate governance matters
* Provide legal advice on employment law issues as required
* Support the Managing Director in ongoing property discussions and liaison with the club's partners and stakeholders on all property matters
* Work with the Football Operations Director to draft and review player-related agreements
* Manage appeals and assist the football operations department on matters of dispute resolution, including compiling evidence bundles
* Collaborate with the Head of People Operations and Head of Safeguarding on specific matters and enquiries
The Person -
* Qualified lawyer (UK) with a minimum of 1-4 years of post-qualification experience, preferably in a commercial, IP, or corporate environment
* Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to provide sound legal advice confidently and proactively
* Proven experience in some or all of the following areas: commercial, corporate, IP, data protection, and employment law
* Preferably, experience working in a regulated industry, with an understanding of the complexity this brings to the management of stakeholders in football
* Emotional intelligence and stakeholder management skills to influence and shape decisions at the Board, Senior Management, and Executive levels
* Well-developed understanding of risk, with the foresight to identify emerging risks and the pragmatism to mitigate them effectively