Head of Corporate (Legal)

Scope

Established in 1896, Knight Frank is a leading global professional services business, offering agency, consultancy and professional services in the property industry and across Commercial, Residential and Rural sectors. Headquarters in London, Knight Frank, now comprises a global network of over 500 offices in 70 territories. 

Our Legal Team and the role

Knight Frank’s in-house Legal Team supports all areas of the Knight Frank business including its residential, commercial, and business services divisions. We support the delivery of Knight Frank’s strategic objectives, enabling the business to achieve its commercial objectives whilst effectively managing legal risk.

On a day to day basis, Knight Frank’s Legal Team advises on a broad range of subjects and projects, including strategic growth and corporate opportunities, franchising/licensing and partnering arrangements, supplier and client contracts, the resolution of material disputes, data privacy and regulatory and legal compliance, intellectual property and more. We are a busy, fast-paced team but offer a friendly, entrepreneurial, and supportive environment within which to work.

We are now seeking to grow our corporate legal capabilities at a time where Knight Frank is looking to expand its global network and increase its global presence. It is an exciting time to join the firm.

The Senior Corporate Counsel will be responsible for advising on UK, European and global corporate matters in certain jurisdictions, including acquisitions and disposals, restructurings, licensing, referral and other commercial arrangements, ensuring legal and regulatory compliance.

Whilst the role will report to the Head of Legal, it will require close working with relevant business leaders including the provision of strategic advice. The Senior Corporate Counsel will oversee a team of two (based in the UK) and will also be required to work closely with internal counsel in other key global jurisdictions as well as external counsel.

This may be the right role for you if you:

Have experience of and enjoy liaising and working with Executive Board members and other senior business leaders on a day-to-day basis on complex, strategic workstreams.

Have a deep understanding and practical experience of advising on corporate law, corporate acquisitions and disposals, licensing deals and franchising law.

Can think strategically, aligning legal advice with business objectives, and managing a broad ranging workload with a solution focused mindset.

Have experience and a passion for managing and developing people.

Responsibilities

Your responsibilities will include:

• Providing expert advice to senior leadership and internal stakeholders on a range of transactions which vary in complexity, including acquisitions and disposals, business restructurings and out-licensing and franchising arrangements. Typical day-to-day responsibilities will include:

• managing a busy pipeline of corporate transactions, ensuring these are appropriately resourced and handled;

• advising on deal structures and planning;

• drafting and negotiating Heads of Terms and other key contractual documents, where necessary liaising with external counsel;

• supporting with due diligence;

• ensuring d local legal and regulatory requirements are met; and

• proactively managing deals through to Completion.

• Acting as the main point of contact to the business for corporate matters.

• Partnering with key stakeholders internally to ensure clear visibility of the corporate pipeline, developing a clear understanding of Knight Frank’s corporate strategy, ambitions and plans.

•  Proactively identifying, managing and mitigating legal risks associated with transactions, enabling the business to take forward its corporate objectives, whilst appropriately managing risk.

• Developing and implementing procedures, policies and standard documentation to ensure adherence to best practice, compliance with law and support efficiencies.

• Preparing the legal budget for corporate matters working closely with the Head of Legal, monitoring and looking for opportunities to reduce external legal spend, preparing monthly and quarterly management reports and information.

• Helping to manage Knight Frank’s panel law firm relationships, ensuring value for money for Knight Frank and quality of service and advice.

•Instructing and managing external counsel within agreed policy and budget. 

• Providing strong leadership including in overseeing, supporting and developing a small team of UK based corporate lawyers,

•Supporting and embedding a culture of legal engagement and compliance across the business, building strong working relationships with key stakeholders, providing training on key legal topics and encouraging business partnering between Legal and core internal teams.

Professional experience and personal skills profile

• You’ll have senior post qualification experience as a corporate/commercial lawyer (at least 8-10 years PQE), with significant experience of both UK, international and cross-border acquisitions and disposals, out-licensing and franchising.

• You’ll be a strong communicator with experience of managing complex transactions.

• You’ll be experienced in working with and supporting senior leadership on complex, strategic projects and day-to-day matters.

• You’ll have experience of working in growing businesses and contributing to that growth and developing corporate legal teams.

• You’ll enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, managing a busy workload and working with a variety of teams from across the business.

• You’ll need to be personable, business focused in your advice, commercially minded and pragmatic in your approach to solving challenges and problems with strong influencing skills.

• This role suits someone who is organised, works well under pressure, is comfortable using their initiative and is delivery focused.

• You’ll enjoy being a team player, valuing the individual and working collaboratively in a supportive and friendly team culture.