Legal Counsel at Mott MacDonald
hace 14 horas
Croydon
jobs Verified: 19 Aug 2026 London, England, United Kingdom (Croydon preferred; agile working considered with regular Croydon/London visits) M Organising Institution / Firm Not Specified by Organiser London, England, United Kingdom (Croydon preferred; agile working considered with regular Croydon/London visits) Not Specified England and Wales qualified solicitor with extensive PQE (qualification in other common law jurisdictions considered); relevant construction law experience in private practice or in-house for major contractor/engineer/architect; significant experience negotiating and drafting construction documentation; experience with construction disputes and insurance (desirable); strong analytical, communication, and negotiation skills; ability to multitask, problem-solve, balance competing priorities, work autonomously and collaboratively. Job In the competitive landscape of UK legal recruitment, few opportunities signal a definitive step up quite like an in-house counsel position at a globally recognised, employee-owned engineering consultancy. The Legal Counsel role at Mott MacDonald, based primarily in Croydon with agile working flexibility, represents a rare convergence of high-stakes infrastructure work, international exposure, and a culture that genuinely prioritises professional autonomy. For solicitors looking to pivot from the billable-hour grind of private practice to a strategic, business-integrated legal function, this opening deserves rigorous analysis. "We adopt a pioneering mindset, working collaboratively with a global network of legal experts to meet challenges head on." — Mott MacDonald Group Legal Department The infrastructure sector is undergoing a once-in-a-generation transformation. With the UK government's renewed focus on levelling up, net-zero commitments, and major transport programmes like HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail, the demand for legal professionals who understand the commercial reality of construction delivery—not just the black-letter law—has skyrocketed. Mott MacDonald sits at the epicentre of this activity. Their Group Legal Department isn't a cost centre; it's a strategic enabler for a business that delivers projects shaping communities across 50 countries. Unlike traditional in-house roles where legal is siloed, this position demands daily interaction with project teams and regional senior management. You are not reviewing contracts in isolation; you are advising on the legal architecture of projects that define the built environment. This proximity to the commercial coalface accelerates professional development in ways private practice rarely replicates. You gain fluency in the language of engineers, project managers, and commercial directors—a skillset that makes you indispensable. The job description lists a familiar suite of construction documents: consultancy agreements, construction contracts, framework agreements, collateral warranties, novation deeds, and parent company guarantees. But the context of drafting at Mott MacDonald is distinct. You are drafting for an engineer/architect/consultant perspective, not a contractor. This nuance is critical. The risk profile, liability caps, professional indemnity triggers, and design responsibility clauses differ fundamentally from main contractor appointments. Mastering this 'consultant-side' drafting is a specialised asset that significantly enhances your market value across the entire construction supply chain. Moreover, the role explicitly includes governance oversight—identifying departures from internal approval matrices and guiding project teams through the necessary sign-offs. This introduces a compliance and risk management dimension that prepares you for future General Counsel or Head of Legal roles. You are effectively operating as a mini-General Counsel for the EUNA (Europe & UK) region, with a dotted line to the Regional General Counsel. The role primarily serves the Europe and UK business but explicitly mentions opportunities to assist North America, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. This is not boilerplate language. Mott MacDonald's project portfolio is genuinely borderless. A Legal Counsel in Croydon might spend Monday negotiating a framework agreement for a UK water sector client, Tuesday reviewing a collateral warranty for a Middle East rail project, and Wednesday advising on a novation deed for a North American transit programme. • Cross-jurisdictional exposure: You will encounter FIDIC, NEC, JCT, and bespoke international forms., • Cultural agility: Working with legal colleagues in 140+ offices develops the 'global lawyer' mindset that top-tier firms and multinational corporates pay a premium for., • Secondment potential: High performers in employee-owned structures often secure international secondments, accelerating partnership-track equivalent trajectories. The requirement for an 'England and Wales qualified solicitor with extensive years PQE' is deliberately broad. In the current market, 'extensive' for a senior counsel role of this calibre typically implies 6–10+ years PQE. However, the emphasis on relevant experience over a specific number is telling. They are hiring for competence, not just tenure. If you are a 5-year PQE associate at a top-tier construction team (think Keating Chambers, Atkin Chambers, or the construction groups of Herbert Smith Freehills, CMS, Pinsent Masons) who has run their own files, led negotiations on major frameworks, and advised on adjudication/arbitration, you are competitive. Conversely, a 10-year PQE lawyer with only general commercial experience will not fit. The 'nice to have'—construction disputes and insurance experience—is actually a strong differentiator. In-house counsel who can manage external litigation counsel effectively, understand quantum experts, and navigate professional indemnity insurance layers save the business significant cost and risk. The requirement for occasional travel to Croydon (approximately twice per month) with openness to other UK locations reflects a mature, post-pandemic operating model. This is not 'remote work' in the isolation sense; it is agile working predicated on trust and output. For candidates based in the South East, Midlands, or even further afield with strong rail links, this expands the talent pool significantly. It also signals a culture that judges performance on the quality of legal advice and stakeholder relationships, not desk presence. This is a crucial factor for lawyers with caregiving responsibilities or those seeking a sustainable long-term career without the burnout culture of City firms. Securing this role requires more than a standard CV. You must demonstrate commercial awareness and stakeholder management in your application and interview. Here is a targeted preparation strategy: • Reframe your experience: Don't list matters; describe business outcomes. Instead of "Drafted JCT Design & Build contracts," write "Negotiated and delivered a suite of JCT D&B appointments for a £200m framework, reducing liability exposure by 15% through bespoke amendments aligned with client risk appetite.", • Showcase template management: Have you revised standard forms? Created drafting guides? Trained fee-earners? This role explicitly requires revising/maintaining templates and drafting legal guidance. Evidence of this is gold., • Prepare for the 'in-house mindset' questions: Expect scenarios like: "A project director wants to sign a contract with a departure from our governance policy to meet a deadline. How do you handle it?" The answer balances legal rigour with commercial pragmatism—escalate, document risk, propose mitigation, but never just say 'no'., • Research Mott MacDonald's project wins: Reference specific recent projects (e.g., their role in the Thames Tideway Tunnel, HS2 enabling works, or international metro projects) to demonstrate genuine interest. While the posting doesn't disclose salary, market data for Senior Legal Counsel roles in major UK consultancies (AECOM, Arup, Atkins, Mott MacDonald) with 6–10 PQE typically ranges from £85,000 to £115,000 base, often supplemented by generous benefits: defined contribution pensions (often 10%+ employer contribution), private medical, life assurance, and crucially, employee ownership trusts (EOT). Mott MacDonald's employee-owned model means annual profit-sharing bonuses are a structural feature, not discretionary. Over a 5-year horizon, total compensation can significantly outpace private practice equivalents when adjusted for hours worked. Career trajectory is equally compelling. The Group Legal Department is described as a 'dedicated in-house team of talented legal professionals.' Progression paths include Senior Legal Counsel → Regional General Counsel (EUNA or other) → Group General Counsel. Because the business is global, there are lateral moves into commercial management, risk director roles, or even project leadership for legally qualified professionals. The 'employee-owned' ethos also fosters longer tenures, meaning you build deep institutional knowledge—a powerful asset. This Legal Counsel vacancy at Mott MacDonald is not merely a job change; it is a strategic career pivot into the heart of global infrastructure delivery. It offers the intellectual rigour of top-tier construction law, the commercial breadth of a multinational consultancy, and the cultural sustainability of an employee-owned enterprise. For the construction lawyer ready to own their advice, influence major projects, and build a career without the billable hour, this is the opportunity to target. Prepare meticulously, articulate your commercial value, and position yourself as the proactive, positive legal partner their Group Legal Department seeks. A: No. The job posting explicitly states that Mott MacDonald Ltd. is not currently offering sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route due to recent changes to UK immigration rules. Candidates must have existing right to work in the UK. A: While not specified, market norms for a Senior Legal Counsel role at a major consultancy handling significant infrastructure frameworks and reporting to a Regional General Counsel typically align with 6–10+ years PQE. However, exceptional candidates with 5 years PQE from leading construction practices demonstrating file ownership and complex negotiation experience should apply. A: The posting indicates 'occasional travel... typically around twice per month.' This is a structured expectation, not ad-hoc. The role supports agile working from other UK locations, but candidates must be willing and able to maintain this regular Croydon/London cadence for stakeholder engagement and team collaboration. A: Yes, highly. The posting explicitly welcomes experience 'from a contractor or engineer/architect perspective.' Contractor-side experience is valuable because it gives you insight into the opposing party's risk profile, commercial drivers, and negotiation tactics. The key is demonstrating you can switch mindset to protect the consultant's professional indemnity and design liability exposure. #J-18808-Ljbffr
