Senior Legal Counsel

Publicis Groupe; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - GBP 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A global marketing firm in London is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel to join their Commercial Legal team. The successful candidate will advise on commercial legal matters primarily for media planning and buying services, ensuring compliance and managing legal risks. With at least 5 years of experience, the role involves drafting contracts, providing strategic guidance, and collaborating with various stakeholders. The organization promotes a hybrid working model and offers comprehensive benefits, including annual leave and wellness support.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Flexible Bank Holidays

Help@Hand lifestyle and wellbeing app

Onsite Café with complimentary breakfast

Qualifications

• Qualified Solicitor with strong experience in commercial contract law.
• At least 5 years’ experience in an in-house or law firm environment.
• Experience in media planning and buying is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Advise on commercial legal aspects for media planning & buying services.
• Draft, review, and negotiate media service agreements.
• Provide strategic guidance on risks and collaborate on solutions.

Skills

Excellent drafting and negotiation skills

Strong ability to assess risk

Strong analytical and research skills

Comfortable using technology, including AI

Education

Qualified Solicitor (or equivalent)

At least 5 years’ experience in in-house or law firm

Job description

Overview

An opportunity has arisen for a Senior Legal Counsel to join the Commercial Legal team at Publicis Re:Sources. The role involves providing support to the Publicis Groupe agencies to ensure legal and regulatory compliance and to manage key legal risks.

This role will be based in our London office. Please only apply if you have the right to work in UK.

Responsibilities

• Advise Publicis Media agencies in the UK on all commercial legal aspects of their business, with a strong focus on media planning & buying services (traditional and digital advertising) for global clients managed from the UK, as well as other media related service offerings including data and technology, partnerships, content clearance, influencer agreements and affiliate marketing.
• Draft, review, and negotiate media service agreements and other commercial contracts with clients, vendors and third-party suppliers.
• Lead the legal response to new business pitches, including coordination, drafting and negotiation of contractual documentation.
• Coordinate, manage and provide legal support for multi-market agreements, including client master service agreements and global agreements with media owners.
• Provide strategic guidance to business stakeholders on risks and challenges and collaborate on practical solutions.
• Develop legal precedents, best practices and processes, work closely with media agencies to ensure compliance with client agreements, and with members of legal teams in other markets to advocate a consistent global approach.
• Lead and support team initiatives to help improve ways of working, efficiency and the value of the Legal team to the business.
• Keep up to date and ensure awareness of current issues affecting the media and marketing industry and their implications on client contract negotiations, including industry-specific areas that relate to certain Publicis clients (e.g. pharmaceutical gambling, HFSS).
• Maintain a strong understanding of the main principles of GDPR, provide related data protection advice, and review and negotiate data protection agreements.
• Deliver training to business stakeholders to ensure understanding of key legal risks, best practices and contractual obligations.
• Advise the agencies in relation to disputes and litigation resolution, providing internal reports and overseeing outside counsel where required.
• Train members of the Legal team on commercial legal considerations in the media agency space and related approaches, including sharing UK approaches and knowledge with members of legal teams in other jurisdictions.
• Actively develop and maintain strong working relationships with the media agency teams and foster a culture of excellent client service within Publicis Re:Sources, the agencies and across Publicis Groupe as a whole.
• Work collaboratively with the UK Legal team, and members of the Legal team in other markets to share knowledge, promote consistency and uphold high professional standards.

Qualifications

Experience/Qualifications/Certifications

• Qualified Solicitor (or equivalent) with solid experience and at least 5 years’ experience in an in-house or law firm environment. In-house experience

Knowledge

• Excellent knowledge of commercial contract
• Extensive experience of large complex commercial contract drafting and negotiation.
• Previous experience of negotiations in a competitive/pitch environment preferred.
• Previous experience of media planning and buying helpful.

Skills (including technology)

• Excellent drafting and negotiation skills, combined with a pragmatic, solutions-oriented approach.
• Strong ability to assess risk, work under pressure, juggle and prioritise numerous matters, and work at speed without compromising quality.
• Ability to cut through complex issues quickly and provide clear, commercially focused advice.
• Strong analytical and research skills
• Very comfortable using and advising on technology, including AI.

Attributes/behaviours

• Flexible, collaborative and strong team working
• Effective and proven abilities to build client relationships and manage stakeholder expectations.
• Ability to remain resilient and vigilant in a demanding
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with an ability to articulate legal risks and challenges in a clear, understandable and commercial way.
• Excellent attention to detail.

Additional information

We offer a hybrid working pattern of 3 days in the office and 2 days WFH. Our main office is located in the iconic Television Centre (TVC) at White City, London.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and are committed to providing a fair assessment process and are happy to discuss and explore reasonable adjustments during the hiring process. Publicis Groupe UK fosters an inclusive environment through our inspirational Employee Action Groups (EAGs).

We have a comprehensive benefits offering. Our full health and lifestyle benefits package will be shared with you, when you join us. In addition to key benefits like Pension, Life Assurance, Income Protection and Private Medical, some of our other benefits are:

• Annual Leave (25 days plus 8 bank holidays), increasing after 5 years, by 1 day per additional service up to 30 days. Birthday Day Off that can be used in your birthday month and the opportunity to Buy or Sell Holiday at the start on each year.
• Flexible Bank Holidays, you can switch the 2 Easter bank holidays for other days of your choosing. Reflection Days for time away from work to focus on what works best for you. Work your World, after completion of one year, you have the opportunity to work anywhere in the world, where there is a Publicis Groupe office, for up to 6 weeks a year.
• Help@Hand, our lifestyle and wellbeing app that supports you and your family; 24/7 Helpline, Remote GPs, Medical or 2nd Opinion, Mental Health & Wellbeing, Physiotherapy, 1-2-1 Lifestyle Coaching, Nutritional Consultations, Savings & Discounts and lots more.
• Inclusive Policies to support you and your family including enhanced Family Leave, Disability, Carers, Transitioning at Work, Flexible Working, Menopause.
• Local discounts, restaurants & retailers in Westfield White City. Onsite Café with complimentary breakfast, a subsidised lunch menu, and an in-house barista.