A leading financial services client is looking for an ambitious junior corporate/commercial lawyer to join on a 6 month contract assignment. This will be to support both the London and Middle East offices. (Has potential for a Middle East move further down the line).
Office Expectations– 3 days per week in the London office
Structure of team:
- Small legal team in London while also supporting a lead Middle East lawyer in Dubai.
- The London team works closely with overseas stakeholders and provides commercial and compliance support to the business
The ideal candidate will possess:
- Exposure to a broad range of commercial legal work in a lean, pragmatic in‑house environment
- Close access to senior stakeholders and hands‑on deal exposure
- Collaborative, relatively young legal team with a strong emphasis on cultural fit and support
- Opportunity to step into an in‑house role without prior in‑house or secondment experience
Expected Hours / Duration
- Duration: Initial 6‑month contract
- Hours per week: Full‑time
- Schedule: Standard business hours (hybrid)
Job Summary
- Support the legal team with day‑to‑day corporate and commercial legal work
- Draft, review, and support documentation including:
- NDAs
- Terms of engagement / letters
- Transactional and commercial documentation
- Provide practical legal support around M&A‑adjacent work, without requiring deep specialist M&A expertise
- Assist with some compliance‑related matters
- Work closely with senior legal stakeholders, including a Head of Legal & Compliance based overseas
- Act as a junior‑to‑mid‑level support lawyer who can be talked through documents and processes
Top Requirements / Non‑Negotiables (Objective)
- Junior corporate / commercial lawyer
- Broad commercial background (does not need to be a specialist M&A lawyer)
- Law firm experience helpful (a couple of years ideal)
- Fully in‑house backgrounds also welcomed
- No prior in‑house experience or secondment required – team is happy to train
- Strong written English and comfort working closely with senior lawyers
Additional Insights
- Cultural fit will be important given the small and relatively young team
- This is viewed internally as a straightforward, junior interim hire
- Process expected to be lean, potentially one interview stage only
May 2026 starts; please contact: gbalasubrama@mlaglobal.com for further details.