Financial Times
Legal Counsel - 3 month FTC, immediate start
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About the Financial Times
The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading news organisations, globally recognised for its authority, integrity, and accuracy, with a mission to deliver quality information and services worldwide.
At the FT, curiosity thrives and ambitious thinking is rewarded. Here, you’re given the chance to reach millions, create work that matters, and deliver impartial journalism in a polarised world. In our warm, collaborative culture, you’ll connect with a diverse community of experts who support your growth, career aspirations, and wellbeing.
Your future at the FT will be filled with opportunities that challenge and inspire you. With no fixed path, you’ll discover new skills and forge a career that can take you anywhere.
Build a newsworthy career at the FT.
Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
We believe in the power of unique perspectives and want all voices in our organisation to be heard, respected, and valued. A supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves and operate to their full potential. We are committed to removing barriers for everyone, with a focus on addressing those faced by underrepresented groups.
The Role
The Financial Times is recruiting for maternity cover for one of the commercial contracts lawyer roles based at our office in Belfast, Northern Ireland or fully remote anywhere in the UK.
This is a three-month fixed-term maternity cover position, and we are looking for someone available for an immediate start. This is a salaried position.
The FT's highly-regarded in-house legal team is based across offices in London and Belfast. The Belfast team currently comprises four commercial lawyers who report into a Senior Legal Counsel (also based in Belfast) and the FT’s deputy company secretary.
The Belfast legal team provides dedicated support to important business divisions within the Financial Times, including:
- The FT corporate subscriptions and licensing business
- The Financial Times Live global conferences and events business (http://www.ft-live.com)
- FT’s thought leadership business, FT Longitude
- The FT Specialist range of titles
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This fixed-term contract provides the opportunity to work either fully remotely from anywhere in the UK or as a hybrid worker, based at either our Belfast or London office.
Key responsibilities
- Advising the business on contracts with clients from a wide range of industries and jurisdictions
- Engaging directly in negotiating contract terms with external customers
- Providing highly responsive and commercial advice
- Managing contracts (usually based on standard templates but subject to extensive negotiation)
- Understanding how templates reflect the FT’s business model and updating them as required to meet changing business needs and product developments
- Delivering training to business partners
- Using leading legal AI tools to develop and implement agentic solutions that streamline workflows and enhance the delivery of high-quality legal advice
Required skills and experience
Essential
- Solicitor qualified in the UK.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Strong commercial contract drafting skills and legal knowledge, with a good understanding of copyright, licensing, indemnity and liability issues
- Demonstrates commercial awareness that takes strategic objectives into account
- Highly organised, flexible, and able to prioritise whilst keeping colleagues and managers informed
- Can build effective relationships within the legal team and wider business
Desirable
- Previous in-house experience.
- A forward-thinking approach to legal practice, with a strong interest in - or practical experience of - utilising advanced legal AI tools to design workflows and agentic solutions that improve efficiency.
What’s in it for you? Our benefits
Our benefits vary by location but we are committed to providing best-in-class perks across all our offices. These include:
- Generous annual leave
- Medical cover
- Inclusive parental leave packages
- Subsidised gym memberships
- Opportunities to give back to the community
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Full details of our benefits available here.
We currently operate a hybrid model, which requires staff to work on-site 50% of the time, subject to role requirements and regular review. While flexible working requests will be considered, not all working patterns are suitable for all roles. We believe our balanced approach supports flexibility and protects our culture, making collaboration and communication easier, building stronger relationships and team cohesion, and supporting peer learning. We reserve discretion to change this approach generally or for specific individuals or teams.
Accessibility
We are a disability confident employer and a Valuable 500 signatory. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments or personalisation as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements, or have any questions, email talent@ft.com, and a member of our team will be happy to help.
Further information
At the FT, we embrace innovation and technology, and appreciate that individuals may leverage AI tools as part of their job application process. Whilst we are happy for you to use AI to assist with your application, all information provided must be authentic and accurately represent your skills, experience, and qualifications. Candidates should be aware that the use of AI throughout the application process may be monitored to ensure a fair and transparent hiring process for all.
Please beware of fraudulent job postings
All legitimate opportunities will direct you to apply through the official Financial Times careers site. The FT will never ask for financial information, payments, or referrals to third parties during the hiring process. If you have concerns regarding the legitimacy of a job posting or suspect any scam activity, please contact talent@ft.com.
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