About this role
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Department/Division</strong>: Helix </span><br><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Duration</strong>: Permanent </span><br><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Location</strong>: Virtual (UK)</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Reports to</strong>: Managing / Group Managing Lawyer</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Reference Number</strong>: 10381</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"> </p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>The Role</strong></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"> </p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">There is a different way to practise commercial law.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"> </p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Dentons Helix is building a modern legal delivery model for clients whose legal needs are growing faster than traditional ways of working can support. We bring together experienced lawyers, legal operations, technology, data and continuous improvement to create a model that is connected, intelligent and effective.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><br><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">We are looking for a Senior Commercial Lawyer to join that model.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><br><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">This role assumes the legal experience, judgement and technical capability expected of a senior commercial lawyer. You will be comfortable drafting, reviewing, negotiating and advising on a broad range of commercial agreements, and taking ownership of matters from instruction through to completion.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><br><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">However, success in Helix is not defined by technical legal experience alone. It is also about how that experience is applied: exercising sound commercial judgement, adapting to different clients and commercial environments, managing competing priorities, working within structured delivery models and using technology, data and smarter workflows to deliver legal services more effectively.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><br><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">You will work across a portfolio of clients, becoming immersed in different businesses, sectors, operating models and commercial priorities. The work will include commercial contracts, supplier arrangements, procurement-related agreements, outsourcing arrangements, digital and data-related agreements, IP-related provisions and other agreements that support clients’ business operations.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"> </p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">You will help clients navigate contractual issues and legal risk with clarity and confidence. You will need to understand each client’s objectives, risk appetite and ways of working, and translate legal complexity into clear, practical and commercially focused advice.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><br><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">This role is also about contributing to how legal work is delivered. You will use playbooks, templates, workflows, legal technology, AI, data and escalation frameworks to improve consistency, reduce friction and create a better experience for clients and colleagues.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><br><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Helix offers a distinct career within Dentons: one centred on excellent legal judgement, client outcomes, innovation and the continual improvement of how legal work gets done.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"> </p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Responsibilities</strong></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"> </p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="text-decoration:underline;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">You will:</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"> </p> <ul style="text-align:justify"> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Provide clear, practical and proportionate legal advice aligned with each client’s commercial objectives and risk appetite. </span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Take ownership of matters from instruction through to completion.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Identify key legal and commercial issues, manage deadlines and escalate appropriately.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Work across different clients, sectors, stakeholders, playbooks and delivery models.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Build an understanding of each client’s business, priorities and ways of working.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Prioritise competing matters and communicate proactively where deadlines or expectations need to be managed.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Use agreed templates, playbooks, workflows and escalation processes consistently.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Capture matter and performance data accurately to support reporting, visibility and continuous improvement. </span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Use legal technology, AI and automation tools appropriately and in line with relevant policies and professional obligations.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Identify opportunities to improve templates, processes, workflows and ways of working. </span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Share knowledge and collaborate with Helix colleagues, the wider Commercial and TMT practices, legal operations specialists and client teams. </span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Contribute to a collaborative, output-focused team whilst working with a high degree of independence. </span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align:justify"><br><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">The role reflects how Helix delivers recurring legal work at scale: through structured processes, standardisation, technology, intentional data capture and continuous improvement rather than simply adding legal capacity.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"> </p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Required experience, skills, and attributes</strong></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><br><span style="text-decoration:underline;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Essential</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"> </p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Candidates should be able to demonstrate:</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"> </p> <ul style="text-align:justify"> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Qualification as a lawyer in a relevant jurisdiction, with experience appropriate to the role. </span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Substantive capability in drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial agreements. </span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Ownership of matters from instruction through to completion. </span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">A track record of providing practical, proportionate and commercially focused advice.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Effective management of multiple live matters and competing deadlines. </span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Direct engagement with clients or senior business stakeholders. </span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Confidence working within templates, playbooks and agreed escalation frameworks. </span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Strong drafting and communication skills, including explaining legal issues clearly to non-lawyers. </span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Sound judgement, including knowing when to work independently and when to escalate. </span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Adaptability across different clients, stakeholders and ways of working. </span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">A collaborative approach to knowledge sharing and supporting colleagues. </span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">A constructive response to feedback and changing priorities. </span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Practical use of digital tools to support legal delivery.</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align:justify"> </p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="text-decoration:underline;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Desirable experience</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><br><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">It would be beneficial to demonstrate:</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"> </p> <ul style="text-align:justify"> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Knowledge of technology, outsourcing, SaaS, supplier, procurement, data or IP-related agreements.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">An in-house, secondment or managed legal services background.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Practical use of legal technology, generative AI, automation or workflow tools.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Contribution to improving templates, playbooks, processes or ways of working.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Collaboration with legal operations, technology, project management or data specialists.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Responsibility for supporting or supervising less experienced colleagues.</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align:justify"> </p><p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Firm Profile</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Across more than 80 countries, Dentons helps you grow, protect, operate and finance your organisation by providing uniquely global and deeply local legal solutions. Polycentric, purpose-driven and committed to inclusion, diversity, equity and sustainability, we focus on what matters most to you. <a href="https://www.dentons.com">www.dentons.com</a></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Inclusion and Diversity</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">We are committed to building an inclusive culture here at Dentons where our people can thrive, regardless of their background or circumstance. As well as being the right thing to do, it makes good business sense too. A richness of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives helps us best serve our clients and the communities in which we operate. You can find out more about inclusion and diversity at Dentons here: <a title="" href="https://www.dentons.com/en/about-dentons/inclusion-and-diversity" target="_self">Inclusion and Diversity</a></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Dentons is committed to providing equal opportunities for all. We welcome applications from everyone including of any age, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, neurotype, disability, or with parental or caring responsibilities. We are also “Happy to Talk Flexible Working” and welcome conversations about flexible working arrangements.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Dentons is a Disability Confident employer. Candidates with a disability may choose to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme. We will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role. Where application volumes are high, we may offer interviews to those who best meet the minimum criteria, consistent with our approach for all candidates.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">During the application process, all applicants have the opportunity to tell us about any adjustments or support they require so they are able to perform at their best. Any information you share with us during the application process is treated in confidence.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">If you have any questions about this or the role criteria, please email <a title="" href="[email protected]" target="_self">[email protected]</a>. </span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>NO AGENCIES PLEASE</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">If you are interested in applying for this position, we welcome direct applications via our careers page, but if you have any questions beforehand, please email <a title="" href="[email protected]" target="_self">[email protected]</a>. Enquiries only please – applications will not be accepted via email.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Please note that we will not accept unsolicited CVs sent to the business, nor will we accept any associated terms of business.</span></p>