Commercial Lawyer (Digital/Tech)

Job description

Our national digital, tech and data team is growing. Representing an impressive range of FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 clients, public sector organisations, educational institutions and industry bodies, on high-profile, business-critical projects and regulatory matters, the team plays a vital role in helping clients build growth and success. The team also works alongside our US colleagues on international transactions and projects, and as a Lex Mundi member firm we work with other member firms across the world on international projects for our clients and help their clients when they need assistance in the UK.

We are looking for a 3+ to senior PQE lawyer to join the team, working from our offices in Newcastle, Teesside or Leeds.

What does the team do?

We advise on complex and high-profile technology transactions, digital transformation projects, data protection and cyber security and the use of new technologies such as generative AI.

You will work with developers and suppliers of new products and services. Working closely alongside our commercial team and our various national sector teams you will also help businesses adopt and implement digital technologies to enhance their productivity and competitiveness across a range of industries and applications including advanced manufacturing, energy transition, transport and logistics and international trade, amongst others.

You'll see yourself involved as part of the team in all aspects of transactions and projects including advising on contract strategy, data protection and other regulatory matters and risk management. It's an exciting time to join. Every day brings something new to learn, explore, and celebrate. You'll be part of a diverse group of professionals who believe in supporting one another while embracing creativity along the way.

You will help grow the work we do on multi-jurisdictional projects. You will have the opportunity to help businesses in the North of England and across the UK break into new markets, in particular the USA and Saudi Arabia. The role also includes the opportunity to work on international secondments.

What does the ideal candidate look like?

We're looking to recruit a lawyer with 4 years + post qualification experience in digital, tech and/or data protection gained at a City or large regional firm or in-house. Whatever your experience level you'll need excellent drafting and communication skills, have a genuine enthusiasm for the practice area and the aspiration to deliver a first-class service to our clients.

To be successful in this role, you'll need as a minimum:

• Have at least 4 years of post-qualified experience in the digital technology space as a UK (England, Wales or Scotland) Solicitor.
• Demonstrated experience in a commercial environment, with a strong focus on Digital/Tech and/or Data protection gained at a city or large regional firm, or from a suitable in-house position.
• Expertise in complex and high-profile transactions, including digital transformation projects, software licensing, IT Services, data protection and cybersecurity, and use of new technologies like generative AI.
• The ability to analyse contracts relating to the above and articulate the key issues arising from them and how they might be best addressed.

What makes it great to work here?

We continually work hard to create an open culture that sets us apart from other firms. Our culture gives us much more of a human feel, emphasising that we're more than just suits!

As signatories to the Mindful Business Charter, it's important to us that our people are able to maintain healthy and happy lives, both in and out of work. We have a number of resources and initiatives designed to support health and wellbeing and we're very happy to talk flexible working, full-time or part-time working patterns.

Through our DEI initiatives we create an environment in which difference is valued. We have an Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Group, led by our Board Sponsor, which works with our colleague networks (we currently have firm supported networks for race, ethnicity, and cultural heritage, LGBTQ+, disabilities, families, and women's career development and we're in constant dialogue with our people about how we expand our networks to better support everybody). Find out more about ED&I at WBD here . We encourage applicants from all social backgrounds, ethnicities, disabilities, gender identities and sexual orientations.

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all. If you have a disability or long term condition and need us to make any adjustments to give you the best possible recruitment process, please let us know by contacting the recruiter on the right hand side of this page. Please also let us know if you need this job advert or the application form in a different format.

We will offer an interview to candidates with a disability or long-term condition who meet the minimum criteria for this role. You can opt into this scheme within the application form. Your response to this question is only used for this purpose, is only visible to the recruitment team and is not used for data monitoring.

We are an in-house recruitment team and will always aim to fill our roles directly in the first instance. If you're an agency, please click here for ways that you can work with us.