Legal Director / General Counsel (In-House)

Legal Director / General Counsel (In-House)

Location: Hybrid - London (flexible working)
Contract: Full-time, Permanent
Reporting to: CEO
Sector: Litigation Finance / Financial Services

The Opportunity

A leading UK-based litigation finance provider is seeking an experienced Legal Director / General Counsel to lead all legal, regulatory, and governance functions across a rapidly scaling business.

This is a senior, strategic in-house role with significant influence at board and executive level. You will play a central part in shaping the legal architecture of the organisation, supporting investment and underwriting decisions, managing risk, and enabling sustainable growth.

The role suits a commercially minded lawyer with strong experience in litigation funding, financial services, secured lending, insolvency, or complex corporate/commercial matters, who is comfortable operating in a fast paced, entrepreneurial environment

Key Responsibilities: Legal Governance & Strategic Oversight

• Act as principal legal advisor to the Board and senior leadership team.
• Maintain and develop robust governance frameworks, policies, and legal controls.
• Oversee legal risk across funding structures, SPVs, borrower arrangements, and investor documentation.

Commercial & Corporate Matters

• Draft, negotiate, and manage complex commercial agreements, including:
  • Loan and facility agreements
  • Debentures and security packages
  • Intercreditor agreements
  • SPV documentation
  • Servicing, assignment, and funding agreements
• Lead on corporate structuring, group reorganisations, shareholder arrangements, and new entity formation (UK and offshore).

Litigation Funding & Underwriting Support

• Provide legal input on funded case types (including housing disrepair, motor finance, financial mis selling, PI, BI, and IVA related matters).
• Support underwriting teams with legal risk analysis, case viability assessments, and insurance structures (ATE / PG).
• Advise on audits, portfolio monitoring, and enforcement strategy.

Regulatory & Compliance

• Oversee compliance with relevant regulatory frameworks, including FCA considerations, AML, data protection, and Companies House obligations.
• Support regulatory applications and future licensing initiatives.
• Lead legal review of investor disclosures, IMs, and regulatory documentation.

Security Enforcement & Borrower Management

• Advise on borrower defaults and enforcement processes, including:
  • Enforcement of security and debentures
  • Administrations, pre packs, and insolvency processes
  • Appointment of Insolvency Practitioners
  • Assignment or transfer of funded cases
• Manage relationships with external counsel, auditors, and administrators.

Investor & Transactional Support

• Review and approve all investor facing legal documentation, including term sheets, loan notes, subscription agreements, and data room materials.
• Ensure strong investor protections and legal accuracy across capital raising activities.

Insurance Oversight

• Lead legal negotiations relating to ATE insurance, Surety Bonds, and Performance Guarantees.
• Liaise with insurers, brokers, and claims handlers on coverage, recoveries, and disputes.

Experience & Background:

• 8-12+ years' PQE (Solicitor or Barrister).
• Strong experience in at least two of the following:
  • Litigation funding
  • Financial services / secured lending
  • Insolvency & restructuring
  • Corporate / commercial law
  • Insurance law / ATE
• Prior in house experience or exposure to high growth, entrepreneurial environments preferred.
• Proven experience negotiating complex debt instruments, security packages, and commercial contracts.
• Confident engaging with regulators, senior investors, auditors, and external advisers.

Skills & Attributes:

• Highly commercial with strong business judgement.
• Exceptional drafting, negotiation, and legal structuring skills.
• Able to balance strategic leadership with hands on execution.
• Decisive, organised, and comfortable operating autonomously.
• Collaborative, proactive, and solutions focused.
• Thrives in data driven, operationally intensive environments.

Package & Progression:

• £90,000 - £110,000 base salary, plus performance based bonus.
• Potential long term incentives aligned with senior leadership.
• Clear opportunity to grow with the business and shape its long term legal strategy.

We actively welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and are committed to fostering diversity, inclusion, and well being in our organisation and beyond. If you need any assistance with your application, please feel free to reach out to a member of our team directly.