Legal Counsel

Who are we

Founded in 1896, Knight Frank was registered as Knight Frank LLP a Limited Liability Partnership, on 3 November 2003, registered in England & Wales at 55 Baker Street, London, W1U 8AN with the registered number of OC305934. Headquartered in London, UK, Knight Frank is one of the world's leading independent real estate consultancies. We work responsibly in partnership to enhance people's lives and environments in over 50 Markets, 600+ Offices, 20,000+ People, 1 Global Network.

At the heart of all we do are our Clients. A relationship built on trust is vital. As trusted partners in property, we act with integrity and care, understanding our clients’ unique needs and consistently thinking about the bigger picture to provide personalised, clear and considered advice across all areas of property. Through our deep understanding of key markets and sectors – both emerging and established – we are dedicated to meeting and exceeding their property goals.

A true partnership is a balanced one, and our People are passionate about, and committed to, making our business inclusive and diverse. We give every individual the space and opportunity to perform at their best and be recognised for the immense value they bring. We empower everyone to have autonomy in their role and encourage them to use their voice in how we can make a positive impact as a firm and shape the future of real estate, the built environment and the impact on the communities we serve. Our collaborative and engaged teams provide excellent and dedicated client service. In our workplace, opinions are respected, everyone is invited to contribute to the success of our business and innovation, and new ideas are celebrated.

In 2021 we celebrated our 125th anniversary and set out Our Desired Future, cemented in three pillars: People Potential, Client Centricity and always Creating our Future, together. Learn more about what sets us apart here.

About The Role

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.  Headquartered in London, Knight Frank now comprises a global network of over 523 offices in 60 territories. 

Our Legal Team

Knight Frank’s in-house Legal Team supports all areas of the Knight Frank business including its residential, commercial, and business services divisions. On a day to day basis we advise and partner on a broad range of matters and projects, including drafting and negotiating contracts for services with key suppliers and clients, assisting and leading on the resolution of disputes, supporting with corporate matters, data protection, competition law, intellectual property and much more.

We are a busy, fast paced team but we can offer you a friendly, entrepreneurial, and supportive environment within which to work. We take personal development very seriously and if you enjoy a broad ranging workload, coupled with progression and the opportunity to learn new things, this could be the right role for you.

Your responsibilities will include:

• You’ll play a key role in supporting and enabling the business to achieve its objectives whilst effectively managing risk. Our lawyers support across all areas of the Knight Frank business, meaning your day to day workload will be broad ranging and constantly evolving.

• You’ll draft and negotiate complex commercial agreements with key suppliers, clients and partners in the business, including terms of business, client engagements, framework agreements, call off agreements, NDAs, duty of care deeds and reliance letters.

•  You’ll become a trusted and pragmatic adviser to the business, leading and assisting with the resolution of dispute matters, advising on intellectual property queries, data protection, as well as playing a key role in technological and digital projects and other strategic business wide projects.

• You’ll develop strong and trusted relationships with key stakeholders. We provide a supportive team environment within which to work, with lots of opportunity to work with and learn from others. Nevertheless, you’ll have autonomy to run independently  and lead on your own matters.

• You’ll support the business in dispute resolution, particularly in relation to debt recovery claims, advising key stakeholders on potential courses of action, settlement and procedure, as well as liaising with external counsel where necessary to escalate claims.

•  You’ll have the opportunity to get involved in matters affecting our global offices, the establishment of new office openings, disposals and acquisitions, alliances and partnerships.

• You’ll support and contribute towards the strategic development and daily operations of Knight Frank’s Legal Team, helping to shape its operations and introduce improvements in service.

•  Instruct and manage external counsel within agreed policy and budget. You’ll work in close collaboration with our panel law firms for specialist advice (including regulatory, data privacy and intellectual property).

You’ll have at least three years post qualification experience in an in-house role or a law firm. Ideally with experience of in working in a professional services firm or advising professional services clients from a private practice role. 

You’ll have experience in independently dealing in contractual negotiations. Experience managing commercial disputes and/or supporting project based work would be an advantage.

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, user-friendly in your advice, commercially minded, proactive and pragmatic in your approach to solving challenges and problems.

This role suits someone who is organised, works well under pressure, who is inquisitive and wants to learn,who  wants to work in a dynamic, ambitious and growing business and who is comfortable using their initiative. You’ll enjoy being a team player, valuing the individual and working collaboratively.

Competitive salary

Please note: this is a Direct Search led by Knight Frank. Applications from recruitment agencies will not be accepted nor will fees be paid for unsolicited CVs, even if provided by PSL agencies.