Interim Commercial Lawyer
Location: Chiswick, London
Working Pattern: Hybrid – 2–3 days onsite per week
Start Date: September 2026
Contract: Initial term through December 2026, with potential extension into January/February 2027
Elevate Legal Talent is partnering with a leading global consumer and hospitality organisation to appoint two Interim Commercial Lawyers to join a newly established interim legal team supporting the UK and wider EMEA business.
This is an excellent opportunity for a commercially minded in-house lawyer to work closely with the business, providing practical, day-to-day legal advice across a broad range of commercial, operational and corporate matters.
You will be joining at an important point in the development of the legal function, working alongside senior legal leadership and contributing to a more structured and effective way of supporting the business.
The Role
As an Interim Commercial Lawyer, you will act as a trusted legal partner to a range of business and operational stakeholders.
The role is broad and commercially focused, with an emphasis on practical business counselling, risk management and getting matters done rather than highly technical or complex transactional work.
Your work is expected to include:
- Providing day-to-day commercial, corporate and general legal advice
- Advising on licensing and franchise arrangements and renewals
- Supporting commercial and supply chain matters
- Advising on sourcing and procurement activities
- Supporting buy-side and sell-side agreements
- Providing legal support to physical operations and business teams
- Reviewing, negotiating and advising on a wide range of commercial agreements
- Identifying legal and commercial risks and providing pragmatic, solutions-focused advice
- Working closely with senior stakeholders, procurement, operations and other business functions
- Supporting the wider legal team with consistent processes, templates and ways of working
What We're Looking For
We are looking for lawyers who are commercial, pragmatic and confident working directly with the business.
You will ideally have:
- Strong commercial, corporate or broad generalist legal experience
- Relevant post-qualification experience at a mid-level in-house counsel level
- Experience advising business stakeholders directly
- Strong contract review and negotiation skills
- A practical and commercial approach to legal risk
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
- The ability to manage multiple matters and competing priorities
- Experience working within an international or multi-jurisdictional organisation
Experience in one or more of the following areas would be particularly relevant:
- Licensing
- Franchising
- Supply chain
- Procurement / sourcing
- Consumer or retail
- FMCG
- Hospitality
- Physical operations
- General commercial advisory
Why This Role?
You will become part of a new interim legal team supporting the business through a period of transition and development.
Working alongside experienced legal professionals, you will have the opportunity to:
- Work directly with a major international consumer-facing business
- Become a trusted legal adviser to senior business stakeholders
- Gain broad exposure across commercial and operational matters
- Help shape practical processes and ways of working within the legal function
- Work as part of a collaborative legal team rather than operating as a standalone interim resource
This role would suit a lawyer who enjoys being close to the business, understanding commercial objectives and providing clear, pragmatic legal advice that enables the business to move forward.
If you are an experienced commercial lawyer looking for an interesting interim opportunity within a high-profile global organisation, we'd be keen to hear from you.
Apply now or contact Elevate Legal Talent for further information.