Senior Legal Counsel (Sole Counsel)

 The role 

We are seeking an experienced legal professional to serve as IIGCC's Sole Counsel, providing trusted legal, governance and compliance advice across the organisation. The role combines responsibility for managing the organisation's legal affairs with supporting effective governance and ensuring that IIGCC's publications, guidance and communications are legally robust, clear and appropriate for their intended audiences.

As the organisation's primary legal advisor, the postholder will work closely with the Executive Team, Board, colleagues across all functions and external legal advisers. The role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to an influential organisation operating at the intersection of investment, policy, climate and nature.

The successful candidate will be a qualified lawyer who is adaptable, an excellent communicator, and able to explain complex legal issues in clear and digestible terms for a range of audiences. This is a varied role suited to someone who enjoys both substantive legal work and the careful review of written outputs, and who can move comfortably between the two. 

The postholder will report to the Chief Executive Officer, supported by the outgoing General Counsel, who continues in a strategic advisory capacity to provide institutional knowledge and senior legal insight. 

Main responsibilities 

The work will comprise the following key activities:

• Support board governance, including the preparation of legal sections of board papers, reviewing governance documents, and advising on legal matters as required.
• Maintain oversight of legal entity compliance requirements and regulatory filings.
• Conduct legal and regulatory horizon scanning, identifying emerging legal, regulatory and reputational risks relevant to the organisation and its members, and advising on their potential impact and the steps needed to manage them.
• Advise on and support data protection and data governance matters, including compliance with UK GDPR and related legislation.
• Support the implementation and monitoring of compliance and governance policies, including data, confidentiality and competition law.
• Serve as a senior reviewer and editor of organisational and investor-facing documents, undertaking technical and editorial review to ensure outputs are clear, coherent, compliant, and appropriate for sophisticated investor audiences. 
• Provide legal and compliance review of major IIGCC publications, frameworks, guidance documents and external communications to identify legal, regulatory and reputational risks while preserving the technical integrity of the content.
• Review, draft and negotiate contracts, NDAs, MoUs and other legal documents. 
• Conduct legal research and provide concise, actionable advice to internal stakeholders. 
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments and support the updating of internal policies as needed. 
• Support the induction and training of staff on legal and compliance matters. 
• Manage relationships with external counsel. 

Skills and experience

Essential:

• Admission as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales (or equivalent EU jurisdiction or US State Bar admittance with eligibility for recognition under SRA / Bar Standards Board rules).
• For guidance purposes only, likely 5 to 7+ years' post-qualification experience in corporate, commercial or compliance law including time spent in-house.
• Demonstrated ability to operate independently as a trusted legal advisor within a small or medium-sized organisation, balancing legal risk with commercial and organisational objectives.
• Sound judgement and the ability to provide practical, risk-based advice in situations where there may be no clear precedent.
• Strong contract review, drafting and negotiation skills. 
• Demonstrated experience in the technical and editorial review of documents, with the ability to identify and address legally sensitive issues and compliance risks in written materials, and to uphold high standards of clarity, consistency and coherence. 
• Knowledge and practical experience of data protection and data governance, including UK GDPR. 
• Strong interest in issues affecting climate and nature together with a genuine interest in the role of investors in supporting the transition to a net zero and climate-resilient economy.
• Excellent analytical, written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex legal issues in clear and digestible terms. 
• Adaptability and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. 
• Proficiency with legal research databases (e.g. LexisNexis) and the Microsoft Office suite. 
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships across all levels of the organisation. 
• A proactive attitude with a commitment to continuous learning and professional development. 
• Strong ethical standards and professional integrity. 
• High level of initiative, independence and judgement, with the ability to work autonomously while contributing positively to a collaborative team culture.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Desirable:

• Experience of, or familiarity with, institutional investment, financial services, or investor-facing communications, and an understanding of how investor audiences consume information.
• Experience advising NGOs, foundations, or multi-stakeholder initiatives, with a strong knowledge of competition law and the legal risks and mitigations for effective collaboration.
• Experience in climate, sustainability, or financial services regulation.
• Experience in the charity / not-for-profit sector.
• Board or committee support experience.
• Knowledge of international compliance standards.
• Additional European languages.

The full Senior Legal Counsel (Sole Counsel) job description can be found here.

Why work at IIGCC?

People join IIGCC because they care deeply about making a difference by bringing the investment community together to navigate the risks and opportunities of the transition and support progress towards a net zero and climate resilient future. In return, IIGCC offers its employees a competitive salary with a wide range of benefits and supportive ways of working. You can find the full list of our benefits here.

Applications

Applications are being managed by our recruitment partner Leonid Group and can be made directly to Chlöe Lamprell (chloe@leonid-group.com). 

Recruitment timeline:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis; therefore, early submission is strongly encouraged.