Legal Counsel

Job Introduction

Selfridges has always been much more than a shop. We’re a social space where everyone is welcome and feels a sense of belonging, a creative playground where culture and commerce collide, and an experimental hub where you can discover the most innovative and sustainable ideas in retail. We’re here to help make the world brighter. And you can be an important part of this. We’ll talk more about the role below, but before we get to that, let’s share with you the good stuff…  

Rewards and benefits 

Life at Selfridges is dynamic, exciting, and always evolving. As well as working with some of the most cutting-edge, iconic and boundary-pushing brands, designers and creatives, we also offer our team members opportunities to help make a positive difference through our network of communities, both within and outside Selfridges. Here are just a few of our rewards and benefits that help make our team experience that bit more extraordinary. 

• Flexible working options to benefit you, your family and your wellbeing that can include part-time, flexi-time, job sharing or hybrid working

• Generous annual leave that increases with length of service 

• Up to five paid volunteering days – from beach cleans to co-ordinating food and clothing donations 

• Family leave that suits your set up including Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Surrogacy and Shared Parental leave policies 

• Defined pension contribution scheme  

• Generous bonus and/or commission scheme  

• Enviable team member discount including sale previews and double discount days 

• Exclusive local discounts on a range of restaurants, bars, beauticians and entertainment 

• Subsidised gym memberships  

• Annual travel pass and cycle-to-work schemes  

• A sustainable car salary sacrifice scheme 

• Several internal communities to get involved in from our Diversity Board and Green Warriors who are leading the charge on D,E&I and sustainability, to the Wellbeings who are always thinking of new ways to champion healthy minds, bodies and routines for our team members 

• Workplace Options, our confidential team member assistance programme for when life gets tricky or you need a little guidance 

• Access to a wide range of training programmes to help your career development 

Read on to find out how you can play your part in Reinventing Retail… 

Role Responsibility

As Legal Counsel in Selfridges Legal Team, you will support the business to achieve its vision to reinvent retail, whilst putting the customer at the heart of what we do; providing legal solutions ensuring that key legal issues and responsibilities are addressed and compliance requirements are met. You will understand and embrace Selfridges as a whole, from the customer facing front-of-house teams to the back-of-house functions and project teams that are needed to run a truly omni-channel, global, luxury retailer.

You will be impactful, build strong relationships and bring a positive, pragmatic decision-making focus, identifying risk and balancing common sense with a can-do attitude in a fast-paced environment. You will demonstrate careful attention to detail, the ability to plan and prioritise, ensuring key tasks are carried out in a timely manner, bringing clarity and structure to assist others. You will be comfortable in multi-tasking, in questioning and finding solutions, advising and supporting colleagues from across the business.

As Legal Counsel you will:

- Support the General Counsel and legal team to provide legal solutions for Selfridges, providing effective and strategic advice on a range of matters from commercial contracts, data and digital technology, to marketing, compliance and procurement, property and consumer law. Whilst the role is broadly commercial, we would particularly welcome candidates with experience in contentious/ regulatory matters as well as environmental, social, and governance (ESG).

- Provide sound legal advice to the business, in plain English and without jargon; sometimes working with external advisors. You will be comfortable flexing how you deliver your advice for different stakeholders, as well as adjusting for the risk appetite of the business.

- Be comfortable to work autonomously, or as part of a team; bringing in more senior colleagues as appropriate and updating senior stakeholders on key points or issues.

- Prepare and assist with legal documents, contracts/deals, disputes/litigation, advice and investigations e.g. from a regulator. Draft, review, negotiate and administer contracts; research and analyse the law; advise or provide training or updates; support with compliance; keep good records. Support on business projects. Analyse and identify legal risks. Spot new or changing laws and the implications for Selfridges.

- Support the legal team to be a high performing team; supporting colleagues to achieve their goals to drive the business forward.

The Ideal Candidate

- A lawyer (likely a UK qualified solicitor), with some prior legal experience (other than as a trainee solicitor). Ideally someone with retail experience or in-house experience

- Someone with strong academic results and great legal experience, which should be relevant to Selfridges’ business and the broad range of commercial and legal work covered by the Legal team and needed by the business.

- Someone who can manage a busy workload and demonstrate their ability to translate complex legal issues into straightforward, pragmatic and user-friendly advice or documents; able to work alone or as part of a team.

- Experienced in supporting a customer-centric business with a can-do, collaborative approach; working at pace, and adjusting your style to suit your audience.

- Solutions focused and analytical. You are excellent at seeing through a problem and finding a solution, with strong organisational skills and a keen eye for detail. Able to manage deadlines and a complex workload, able to adjust pace or direction.

- A great communicator. With sound interpersonal skills and strong written and verbal  communication, you can influence business stakeholders and develop strong relationships.

- Able to consider financial implications, risks, business impacts and working to a budget.

- Able to produce clear and concise advice or documents, be a good listener, be a collaborative team member and to offer leadership or ideas when required.

- An ambassador for the business, the legal and DPO team and their roles.

- Someone with integrity, professionalism and trustworthiness – essential for any lawyer.

- Someone who demonstrates Selfridges Values, a trusted and respected colleague.

About the Company

Everyone is welcome 

Selfridges is a place where we want everyone to feel a sense of belonging. We embrace every self and are committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive working culture. We are leading with purpose to not only increase the visibility and recognition of under-represented talent within our organisation, but the wider industry too. Here at Selfridges, everyone is welcome – irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or disability, we stand by equal opportunities for all.   

Our awards cabinet  

We’re not ones to brag, but since you asked...Selfridges has won the award for The World’s Best Department Store an unprecedented four times at the IGDS awards, with an additional award for the Best Sustainability Campaign. We were also recognised as a ‘Best 25 Big Company to Work For 2020’ as awarded by The Sunday Times. 

Selfridges