Job Description

The role

The Client Terms Team, in which the Contracts Lawyer sits, forms part of the firm's General Counsel function providing crucial in-house legal support to the firm's offices globally. The Team is primarily responsible for reviewing, negotiating and concluding contracts which the firm is entering into with clients as well as suppliers of goods and services to the firm. The role sits within a busy, established Team responsible for ensuring that contracts concluded with suppliers and clients fall within the firm's risk policy and align with firm standards, practices and values.

Who you will work with

The Team works closely with the firm's Head of Legal, General Counsel, Director of Business Intake, the Chief Risk & Compliance Officer and the Procurement Director as well as the firm's partners, other lawyers, Pricing, and Client and Market Development ("CMD"), and other business professionals across a range of expert disciplines to ensure that contractual commitments are consistent with the firm's standards and practices.


The Team comprises the Head of Client Terms and Contract Solutions (to which you will directly report) and two Contracts Executives. The Team ultimately reports to the firm's Head of Legal within the General Counsel's office.


In this role, you will work closely with the firm's clients and perform the role of a trusted advisor to partners, lawyers and other business professionals within the firm.

What you will be responsible for

The role will be to work directly with partners, other lawyers and business professionals, focussing on:

The review and negotiation of commercial contracts under which the firm, globally, acts for its clients. This may be associated with client bids/RfPs, panel arrangements or specific matters. Delivering advice to the firm on a range of contractual issues including in relation to events and business development initiatives, secondment arrangements and NDAs. Reviewing and providing input on the commercial contracts which the firm enters into with its material suppliers (IT and non-IT). Support with management of client questionnaires. Updating terms associated with client use of legal technology tools and platforms made available by the firm, or technology platforms that clients may request the firm to interface with. Providing in-house legal input to ad-hoc firm projects as well as assisting with updates to the firm's standard Terms of Business, templates, internal policies and processes. Supervise the Contracts Executives as and when needed. Drive efficiencies in the Team's knowledge management and processes, including leveraging technology where appropriate.

What you will do

Reviewing Framework Agreements, Outside Counsel Agreements, Policies and Codes, engagement letters, amendments to the firm's standard Terms of Business and similar documents received from clients ("Client Terms") to identify provisions which will require amendment/negotiation. Liaising with others within the firm on specialist topics (such as IT security, data privacy, conflicts). Coordinating with the Pricing Team, where pricing or other commercial issues are also under discussion with the relevant client. Incorporating provisions which the firm will want added to Client Terms. Preparing responses/mark-ups to Client Terms and communicating the firm's position to clients both internally (to relevant partners) and to external clients, including negotiating amendments. Dealing with requests from clients to amend the firm's Terms of Business. Updating client terms and internal guidance documents to ensure adherence to those terms. Contributing to updates to the Terms of Use upon which the firm makes available legal technology solutions to its clients. Undertaking initial review and delegating where appropriate to the firm's Client Questionnaire Team to coordinate and seek factual input from others within the firm on client questionnaires. Assisting the Client Questionnaire Team to develop precedent responses to common questions and maintaining and updating that information. Assisting the Procurement Team to develop, update and implement its suite of template contracts for the supply of goods and services to the firm. Reviewing requests for amendments to the Procurement Team's standard contracts and draft contracts received from suppliers, typically where the Procurement Team has identified a need for legal assistance, in order to identify gaps / areas of concern / appropriate amendments. Preparing a risk summary to be considered before the firm enters into the contract. Assisting Procurement to negotiate amendments to supplier contracts. Contributing to the provision of training to the broader Procurement Team to increase their skill set. Keeping up-to-date with legal developments and considering if amendments to the firm's Terms of Business are necessary. Preparing draft amendments to the Terms of Business; and discussing those amendments with internal stakeholders. Reviewing draft policies and procedures developed by other teams within the firm and providing feedback. Contributing to internal projects involving development and roll-out of new technology relevant to the work of the Client Terms Team.


Qualifications

Your experience

Skills:

You will be detailed focussed with strong drafting skills. You will have strong influencing and negotiation skills. Flexible to the demands of others and have the ability to work under pressure and on your own initiative. The ability to plan and organise effectively in order to meet business priorities. You will have the ability to adapt quickly to new processes and technology. The ability to form working relationships with others, both inside and outside of the immediate team. Sound awareness of commercial issues and ability to resolve them pragmatically. Flexible and effective verbal and written communication skills and an ability to build and maintain relationships with all members of the Firm. You will be commercially minded with strong analytical, organisational, and interpersonal skills. Ability to work both unsupervised and as part of a team.

Experience:

Prior experience as a practicing lawyer. Experience in reviewing and negotiating commercial contracts. Previous experience of gathering and analysing information, by using it to solve problems in a methodical and practical way. Experience working within or alongside a Risk or Compliance function in a professional services firm would be beneficial but is not essential.

Qualifications:

A Law degree.

How we will support you

From your first day with us, you will have varied opportunities to continuously grow and development your skills and knowledge. From formal training, informal coaching and mentoring through to skills-based and technical training and on the job learning.


You will be working with partners, lawyers and business professionals from all of the firm's offices and practice areas.


You will have exposure to work which often involves complex, high value matters that frequently headline in the financial and business press, and also work involving emerging markets and technologies.


You will develop an unbeatable multi-disciplinary skill set as well as client facing skills whilst working with some of the best-known market leaders in their respective practice areas.


We will provide the opportunity for you to develop as a recognised practitioner in the field.



Company Description

Who we are

We are one of the largest international law firms in the world. With over 30 offices across the globe, we strive to exceed the expectations of our clients, providing them with the highest-quality advice and legal insight, which combines the firm's global standards with in-depth local expertise.


Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures, and languages. We offer our clients a truly international perspective. We believe every career should be rewarding and stimulating - full of opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow. That's why we're so proud of our inclusive, friendly, and team-based approach to work.


Our one firm global strategy is focused on targeted growth led by the needs of our core clients, those who we can best support with the breadth and depth of Clifford Chance expertise, across the sectors and geographies, which matter most to them.


You'll find our clients in commercial and industrial sectors, the financial investor community, governments, regulators, trade bodies, and not-for-profit organisations. But no matter who they are or why they've reached out to us, we provide a world-class service every step of the way. And that's possible thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and conscientious approach to work that you'll find across all of our teams.


Whichever area of the business you join, you'll become an integral part an innovative, diverse and ambitious team of people. Clifford Chance is a place where the brightest minds and the best of colleagues meet.



Additional Information

Hybrid Working

This role follows our 'balanced' hybrid working approach and as long as business needs allow, you will be supported to work in a hybrid way with the expectation of working from the office for a minimum of 50% of your time.

What we offer including our broad range of benefits and working environment

When you join Clifford Chance, you will have access to a broad range of benefits to support you across many aspects of your personal and professional life including financial, wellbeing, lifestyle, and family friendly benefits. For more information on what we offer specifically in the UK, please visit our What We Offer page on our career site.

Equal Opportunities

At Clifford Chance, we understand that our true asset is our people. Inclusion is good for our team and their families, our firm and society.


We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age. This applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment including pay, promotion, training, transfer and every other aspect of employment.


We have a variety of flourishing employee networks. These networks are a place for colleagues to share experiences and advocate for change wherever they see an opportunity for improvement.


Our goal is to deliver an equality of opportunity, an equality of aspiration and an equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm.


Find out more about our inclusive culture here

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