Legal Counsel
About this role
Legal Counsel
Application Deadline: 7 September 2026
Department: Legal & Compliance
Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time
Location: London Office
Compensation: £75,000 / year
Description
The Legal Counsel will draft and review contracts, undertake legal research, provide first-line legal advice and support the Head of Legal and Compliance on more complex, strategic and multi-jurisdictional legal matters.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
- Draft, review and negotiate a range of commercial agreements, including: Institutional partnership agreements, agent and recruitment agreements, supplier and technology contracts, Marketing, consultancy and service agreements, lease and hire agreements and c onfidentiality and non-disclosure agreements
- Manage routine contract negotiations, escalating material or complex legal issues to the Group Legal Counsel where appropriate.
- Support the development and maintenance of standard contracts, templates, guidance and contract playbooks.
- Assist business teams in understanding contractual obligations, risks and approval requirements.
- Support contract lifecycle management, including renewals, variations and terminations.
Legal Advisory
- Provide practical first-line legal advice to teams across the organisation on day-to-day legal matters.
- Undertake legal research and analysis on matters affecting the organisation and its operations.
- Prepare clear summaries and recommendations on legal issues for review by the Group Legal Counsel where appropriate.
- Identify and escalate significant legal risks appropriately.
Partnerships and International Operations
- Assist with legal matters arising from the organisation’s international operations.
- Undertake research into legal requirements in relevant jurisdictions and coordinate with external counsel where local advice is required.
- Support legal due diligence for new partnerships, projects and business opportunities.
- Support the Compliance Manager on legal interpretation of data protection requirements where required.
Corporate and Governance Support
- Assist with corporate legal matters and maintenance of appropriate corporate documentation.
- Support the Group Legal Counsel on governance matters and corporate projects.
Disputes and Claims
- Assist with the management of disputes, complaints, claims and potential litigation.
- Undertake initial legal analysis and prepare correspondence and documentation relating to disputes.
Legal Operations
- Support the development and implementation of legal processes and procedures.
- Contribute to the development of standard legal guidance, templates and resources for business teams.
- Assist with the delivery of legal training and awareness across the organisation.
- Support improvements to contract management and legal workflows.
Person Specifications
- Eligibility to live and work in the UK
- Qualified lawyer (UK or equivalent jurisdiction).
- Relevant post-qualification experience, ideally within a commercial legal practice.
Experience and knowledge
- Experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial contracts.
- Strong legal research and analytical skills.
- Ability to identify legal risk and provide clear, practical advice.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to manage a varied workload and competing priorities.
- Strong attention to detail and organisational skills.
- Experience within international education, higher education, or EdTech sectors. (Desirable)
- Experience with partnership, agency, supplier or service agreements. (Desirable)
- Exposure to data protection and privacy matters. (Desirable)
- Experience supporting cross-border commercial arrangements or international operations. (Desirable)
- Experience working with or coordinating external legal advisers. (Desirable)
Personal qualities
- Commercially aware and pragmatic.
- Sound legal judgement with an understanding of when matters require escalation.
- Proactive and able to take ownership of legal matters within their level of experience.
- Collaborative and comfortable working with stakeholders across different functions and jurisdictions.
- Curious and keen to develop expertise across a broad range of commercial legal matters.
- Able to work effectively in a fast-moving and evolving international environment.
Disclaimer
We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the advertised closing date should we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We therefore encourage interested candidates to apply as early as possible.
Company at a glance
Oxford International is a global education platform that works with universities and institutions worldwide to help students access international education and progress into higher education and careers.
Founded in 1991, our portfolio includes university pathway programmes, English language and academic preparation, higher education and vocational courses, English testing and digital learning through Oxford International Digital Institute, supporting learning without limits for students worldwide.
Each year, we help almost 80,000 students from more than 100 countries access education opportunities through our growing portfolio of programmes and partnerships across the UK, Canada, Australia, India, Germany and the USA, as well as through our digital learning.
Our global team of 250+ recruitment, admissions and conversion specialists, based in 50+ locations worldwide, works alongside a network of 2,500+ educational consultants to support international students and connect institutions with the right talent.
With over 30 years of heritage, Oxford International combines global market expertise with strong institutional partnerships to help students succeed and institutions connect with international talent.
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