Contracts Lawyer

The role

Kennedys is seeking a Contracts Lawyer with 3+ years of PQE to join their Office of General Counsel practice area in Birmingham, Leeds, or London. This role focuses on providing expert legal advice and support on client contracts, terms of engagement, and supplier agreements, ensuring compliance with risk appetite and commercial objectives.

What you'll do

• Review, draft and negotiate client engagement terms, outside counsel guidelines, framework agreements, service level agreements and other commercial contracts
• Advise partners and business services teams on contractual obligations, legal risks and compliance issues
• Support negotiations with clients and suppliers to achieve commercially acceptable outcomes while protecting the firm's interests
• Provide guidance on contractual provisions including liability, indemnities, confidentiality, intellectual property, termination rights, data protection and insurance requirements
• Identify, assess and mitigate legal and regulatory risks arising from contractual arrangements
• Advise on compliance with applicable legal and regulatory obligations, including SRA requirements and professional conduct standards
• Support the development and maintenance of contractual risk policies, procedures and guidance materials
• Ensure contractual arrangements align with internal governance and approval frameworks
• Build strong relationships with partners, fee earners and business services teams
• Act as a trusted adviser on contract-related matters across all jurisdictions
• Work collaboratively with the wider Risk & Compliance function, including Conduct Risk, Data Risk, Financial Crime and New Business Intake teams
• Support the continued development of the firm's contract management processes and systems
• Contribute to the implementation of technology and AI-enabled solutions to improve contract review and management efficiency
• Monitor trends and recurring contractual risk issues, providing recommendations for improvement
• Deliver training and guidance to partners, lawyers and business services professionals on contractual risk and compliance matters
• Prepare practical guidance notes and playbooks to support consistent decision-making across the firm
• Keep abreast of legal and regulatory developments affecting professional services contracts and communicate relevant changes to stakeholders

What we're looking for