Legal Counsel - VR/30490

A leading global organisation seeks a skilled Legal Counsel to join their Aberdeen team. This role involves contract negotiation, risk mitigation, and providing legal support on diverse international projects. Ideal candidates are UK qualified Lawyers with in-house or law firm experience in EPCI, renewables, or offshore construction.

Overview of Role

The company are looking for a Legal Counsel to join our team at our Aberdeen office on a full time, staff basis.

As Legal Counsel, you will work directly with and report to the Legal Director and Legal Manager of our business units. Becoming a valued member of a highly motivated and skilled Legal Team with exposure to clients and projects around the world.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Reviewing and qualifying conditions of contracts and other requirements contained within client invitations to tenders.
• Taking the lead to identify and advise Tender Teams on steps to mitigate potential contractual and commercial risks.
• Participating with other functions to ensure review of the complete bid in order to achieve consistency and avoid double up with commercial/technical qualifications.
• Preparing contractual risk summaries and attending Tender Boards (if required) to present the contractual risk summary to the Management Team.
• Supporting seeking appropriate deviations from contracting principles where required.
• Attending meetings with prospective clients and major suppliers to negotiate and arrive at acceptable terms and conditions of contract.
• Evaluating and including tax and insurance recommendations and reviewing client-provided CAR insurance.
• Drafting, reviewing and revising agreements including confidentiality agreements, mutual hold harmless agreements and other legal documents relating to tenders.
• Reviewing wording of bank guarantees/parent company guarantees and preparing qualifications as required.
• Reviewing and revising terms and conditions of commercial, frame and service contracts.
• Reviewing, qualifying, drafting and negotiating general legal agreements including joint bidding agreements, joint venture agreements, consortia, vessel charters and other types of contractual documents and agreements generally used in the offshore fixed wind construction industry.
• Providing guidance to contracts, supply chain and project personnel on contractual wording/risk mitigation and advising on contractual interpretation.
• Providing corporate legal support.
• Commenting on and revising standard agreements and participating in or instigating other business improvement initiatives.
• Delivering ad hoc training to other functions.
• Supporting peers and management and providing legal advice and support, anticipating and managing legal risks associated with the business strategy and operations.
• Advising on and ensuring claims and disputes are handled in such a way that minimises risks and is cost effective.
• Providing support on ethics and compliance issues, ensuring that the company policies and procedures are adhered to.
• Participating in managing litigations for the organisation.
• Attending the weekly Legal Team call and occasional offsite training events.

Skills, Experience and Qualifications

It’s the commitment and enthusiasm of our people that gives us our energy to create change and make an impact for the future. And we want you to bring your personality, skills and experience, powering us to be leaders in offshore wind.

• Qualified Lawyer – Minimum honours LLB in Law (or equivalent – English or Scottish) is essential (other common law, German, Dutch or Norwegian equivalent qualifications also considered).
• Extensive experience as an in-house counsel or comparable law firm experience with an EPCI contractor (experience in renewables and offshore construction is highly desired).
• Experience in a commercial/contracting environment; reviewing, advising on and negotiating complex tenders involving multiple stakeholders is essential.
• Experience of advising on contentious matters and disputes.
• Knowledge of standard industry contracts, such as FIDIC, BIMCO and LOGIC as well as knowledge of a variety of contract documentation such as, framework agreements, supply contracts, JV’s, consortiums, partnership, NDA’s, etc.
• Good understanding of construction terminology, progress calculation methods, programmes of work and project timelines and risks.
• Understanding of contracting under English law (civil law experience would be beneficial).
• Extensive communication skills in English, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to identify risks and propose alternative strategies in order to mitigate risks while accomplishing the preferred path forward for the business if possible.
• Skilled at functioning well within a team that interacts across different departments.
• Ability and willingness to timely meet changing priorities.
• Ability to be discreet and maintain confidentiality.
• Proficiency in planning, negotiation, and organising abilities.
• Positive ethical values and willingness to raise concerns to internal team members.