Who are we Founded in 1896, Knight Frank was registered as Knight Frank LLP a Limited Liability Partnership, on 3 November 2003, registered in England & Wales at 55 Baker Street, London, W1U 8AN with the registered number of OC305934. Headquartered in London, UK, Knight Frank is one of the world's leading independent real estate consultancies. We work responsibly in partnership to enhance people's lives and environments in over 50 Markets, 600+ Offices, 20,000+ People, 1 Global Network. At the heart of all we do are our Clients. A relationship built on trust is vital. As trusted partners in property, we act with integrity and care, understanding our clients’ unique needs and consistently thinking about the bigger picture to provide personalised, clear and considered advice across all areas of property. Through our deep understanding of key markets and sectors – both emerging and established – we are dedicated to meeting and exceeding their property goals. A true partnership is a balanced one, and our People are passionate about, and committed to, making our business inclusive and diverse. We give every individual the space and opportunity to perform at their best and be recognised for the immense value they bring. We empower everyone to have autonomy in their role and encourage them to use their voice in how we can make a positive impact as a firm and shape the future of real estate, the built environment and the impact on the communities we serve. Our collaborative and engaged teams provide excellent and dedicated client service. In our workplace, opinions are respected, everyone is invited to contribute to the success of our business and innovation, and new ideas are celebrated. In 2021 we celebrated our 125th anniversary and set out Our Desired Future, cemented in three pillars: People Potential, Client Centricity and always Creating our Future, together. Learn more about what sets us apart here. About The Role Scope Established in 1896, Knight Frank is a leading global professional services business, offering agency, consultancy and professional services in the property industry and across Commercial, Residential and Rural sectors. Headquartered in London, Knight Frank now comprises a global network of over 500 offices in 70 territories. Our Legal Team Knight Frank’s in-house Legal Team supports all areas of the Knight Frank business including its residential, commercial, and business services divisions. We enable the Knight Frank business to take forward its commercial objectives whilst effectively managing legal risk in a proportionate way. On a day to day basis, Knight Frank’s Legal Team advises and partners on a broad range of subjects and projects, including strategic matters, growth and corporate M&A, franchising, regulatory matters, supplier and client contracts, the resolution of disputes, data protection, intellectual property and much, much more. We are now seeking to grow our corporate function which will sit within Knight Frank’s wider Legal Team. We are looking for a Head of Corporate Legal to oversee a growing team of two (based here in the UK), as well as supporting with plans to grow corporate in-house resources in other key global jurisdictions. The Head of Corporate Legal will be responsible for both UK based and global corporate matters (in certain jurisdictions), including M&A, licensing and global regulatory compliance, as well as providing strategic advice to senior leadership. We are a busy, fast paced team but we can offer you a friendly, entrepreneurial, and supportive environment within which to work. It is an exciting time to join and lead Knight Frank’s legal function – We have some ambitious plans for the next 12 months, including the growth of our Corporate Team. This may be the right role for you if you enjoy: Managing and developing people. Liaising and supporting Executive Board members on a day-to-day basis with complex, strategic workstreams. Have a deep understanding of corporate law, M&A and franchising law. Can think strategically, aligning legal advice with business objectives, and tackling a broad ranging workload with a solution focused mindset. Responsibilities Your responsibilities will include: • Providing strong leadership in overseeing, supporting and developing a small team of UK based corporate lawyers, as well as supporting plans to grow corporate in-house resources in other key global jurisdictions. • Provide expert advice to senior leadership and internal stakeholders on a range of transactions which vary in complexity, including M&A, business restructuring and franchising. Typical day-to-day responsibilities will include: • Managing a busy pipeline of corporate transactions, ensuring these are appropriately resourced; • Advising on deal structures; • Drafting and negotiating Heads of Terms; • Supporting with due diligence exercises; • Ensuring international pre-contract disclosure and local regulatory requirements are met; and • Actively managing deals and execution. • Acting as the main point of contact to the business for urgent, complex, corporate matters. • Partnering with key stakeholders internally to ensure clear visibility of corporate pipeline, developing a clear understanding of Knight Frank’s corporate strategy, ambitions and plans. • Proactively identifying, managing and mitigating legal risks associated with transactions, enabling the business to take forward its corporate objectives, whilst managing risk. • Develop and implement legal procedures and policies to ensure adherence to best practice and compliance with law. • Responsible for preparation and oversight of legal budgets for corporate matters, monitoring and driving down legal spend, preparation of monthly and quarterly management information. •Helping to manage Knight Frank’s panel law firm relationships, ensuring value for money for Knight Frank and quality of advice. • Manage instructions to external counsel within agreed policy and budget. You’ll work in close collaboration with our panel law firms for specialist corporate advice. • Embed a culture of legal engagement and compliance across the business, building strong working relationships with key stakeholders, providing regular training and encouraging business partnering between Legal and core internal teams. Professional experience and personal skills profile - You’ll have senior post qualification experience as a corporate lawyer (at least 8-10 years PQE), specialising in M&A and franchising. - You’ll be a strong negotiator, capable to managing complex transactions. You’ll be experienced supporting senior leadership on complex, strategic projects and day-to-day matters. - You’ll be familiar with, or interested in, successfully taking forward plans to grow and develop both UK and global corporate teams. - You’ll enjoy working in a fast paced environment, managing a busy workload and working with a variety of teams from across the business. - You’ll need to be personable, user-friendly in your advice, commercially minded and pragmatic in your approach to solving challenges and problems. - - - This role suits someone who is organised, works well under pressure and who is comfortable using their initiative. - You’ll enjoy being a team player, valuing the individual and working collaboratively. A supportive and friendly team culture should be important to you. Competitive salary Please note: this is a Direct Search led by Knight Frank. Applications from recruitment agencies will not be accepted nor will fees be paid for unsolicited CVs, even if provided by PSL agencies. Your trusted partners in property. We work responsibly in partnership to enhance people’s lives and environments. Founded in 1896 and headquartered in London, UK, Knight Frank is one of the world's leading independent real estate consultancies.