CornerstoneONE
Legal Counsel
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Company Description
CornerstoneONE is a Swiss-based company specializing in Office Design, Construction, Real Estate Property, and Facility Management. As part of the PSI CRO Group, a globally recognized leader in clinical trial delivery, we manage office properties and deliver support services across 40+ countries. Since our founding in June 2024, we have grown into an international, fast-paced team of architects, accountants, legal professionals, and facility managers. Our mission is to deliver exceptional service in real estate management while fostering a collaborative and inspiring work environment.
Role Description
This is a full-time, home-office-based role in the United Kingdom for a Legal Counsel with a primary focus on real estate law and significant responsibility for corporate and commercial matters.
As the sole in-house legal adviser for the CornerstoneONE Group, the Legal Counsel will manage legal matters relating to property transactions, construction projects, leasing activities, corporate governance, commercial contracting and other legal issues arising across the business.
This is a global role reporting to the CEO of CornerstoneONE AG, with functional oversight and support from the General Counsel of PSI CRO AG or a designated member of the PSI CRO Legal Department. The successful candidate will work independently while collaborating closely with senior stakeholders, international teams and external legal advisers.
Key Responsibilities
Real Estate Legal Support
- Independently review, draft and negotiate real estate agreements, including purchase agreements, lease agreements, construction agreements, financing agreements and property management agreements.
- Advise on the legal aspects of property acquisitions, disposals and leasing transactions.
- Support legal due diligence relating to real estate assets and projects.
- Ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations relating to land use, zoning, environmental matters and construction.
- Support internal teams on real estate development, asset management and operational matters.
- Monitor the work of external legal counsel and coordinate legal input for cross-border real estate transactions.
Corporate & Commercial Legal Support
- Act as the primary legal point of contact for day-to-day legal matters across the CornerstoneONE Group.
- Provide legal advice on corporate law, corporate governance, entity management, commercial contracts, employment law, regulatory compliance and data protection.
- Prepare and review corporate documents, including board and shareholder resolutions, powers of attorney, corporate records and intercompany arrangements.
- Draft, review and negotiate corporate and commercial agreements, including service agreements, supplier agreements, consultancy agreements, NDAs and other agreements applicable across multiple jurisdictions.
- Review and support employment and labour agreements, finance agreements with banks and internal company loan agreements.
- Support cross-border corporate matters and coordinate advice from external local counsel where required.
- Escalate legal matters and material issues when appropriate.
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Risk Management & Senior Stakeholder Advice
- Identify, research and analyse legal issues and assess their potential impact on the business.
- Take ownership of identifying and managing areas of legal risk for the company.
- Prioritise legal risks according to their potential business impact and propose proportionate mitigation strategies.
- Present practical options and a clear recommendation, taking account of commercial priorities, urgency and the company’s risk appetite.
- Provide senior stakeholders with clear, concise and decision-oriented advice, including key risks, available options and a recommended course of action rather than lengthy legal analysis.
- Communicate complex legal matters through brief, clear emails and executive summaries.
- Represent the CornerstoneONE Group in legal proceedings, mediations and administrative hearings as required, coordinating external counsel where appropriate.
Policies, Procedures & Compliance
- Identify the need for new or revised legal policies and procedures and develop or update them as required.
- Support the cross-functional implementation of legal policies, procedures, standards and templates.
- Ensure compliance with existing policies and procedures relating to legal matters.
- Develop and implement internal legal policies, procedures and templates to support operational efficiency and compliance across the CornerstoneONE Group.
- Monitor legal developments in key jurisdictions and advise management on their potential impact.
- Contribute legal expertise to international and cross-functional projects.
Coordination with PSI CRO Group
- Manage and provide legal oversight for projects with a global impact in close collaboration with the PSI CRO Legal Department.
- Maintain regular communication with the PSI CRO Legal Department.
- Draw on the knowledge and expertise of the PSI CRO Legal Department, particularly regarding corporate matters.
- Collaborate with and seek oversight from the PSI CRO Legal Department when handling complex legal matters.
- Align local and international legal practices with group-wide policies, standards and strategic objectives.
- Escalate material legal risks and issues to the PSI CRO Group as appropriate.
- Participate in group-wide legal initiatives, compliance programmes and cross-border projects.
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Documentation & Additional Support
- Maintain complete and well-organised legal documentation in the company’s designated shared storage spaces.
- Use the tools provided by the company, including SharePoint and Yardi, to share and maintain work and legal records.
- Assist with any other legal or administrative matters as requested.
Minimum Qualifications
Education
- Degree in Law and Master of Laws.
Real Estate Experience
- A proven track record in real estate law, ideally including substantial experience advising on property transactions and portfolio management in an international environment.
Corporate & Commercial Knowledge
- Good knowledge of corporate and commercial law, including corporate governance, entity management, corporate documentation and commercial contracting.
International Exposure
- Experience advising an international business and handling cross-border or multi-jurisdictional matters is strongly preferred.
Legal Judgement
- Sound judgement and commercial awareness, with the ability to navigate complex legal frameworks and provide pragmatic legal advice.
Risk Management
- A risk-based approach and the ability to recommend practical mitigation options based on business impact, commercial priorities and risk appetite.
Communication
- Strong communication skills and the ability to explain complex legal matters concisely through clear emails, executive summaries and decision-oriented recommendations.
Languages
- Very good command of English, German is a plus.
Skills
- Strong negotiation and organisational skills, with a proactive and solution-oriented approach.
Working Style
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively within cross-functional and international teams.
Location
- Based in the United Kingdom and working primarily from a home office, with the ability and willingness to travel internationally when required.
Application Process
Interested candidates are invited to send their CV and letter of intent, both in English, to hr@cornerstoneone.com.
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