Construction Legal Counsel - Infrastructure/Projects

England Source: WhatJobs

£60,000–£80,000

Construction Legal Counsel - Infrastructure/Projects

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Direct message the job poster from Heriot Brown In‑House Legal Recruitment.

This is an opportunity for a construction lawyer to step into an in‑house role embedded in the delivery of complex UK infrastructure projects, working closely with commercial and project teams rather than advising from the sidelines.

The role suits a junior construction lawyer who enjoys contract work but wants greater ownership, closer involvement in decision‑making, and a clearer line of sight between legal advice and how projects are actually delivered on site.

The role

You’ll join a collaborative in‑house legal team supporting a portfolio of high‑value, strategically important infrastructure and construction programmes across the UK.

The work is predominantly non‑contentious, with some exposure to dispute avoidance and resolution, and a strong emphasis on providing practical, commercially grounded advice to teams operating in live project environments.

Over time, the role offers increasing autonomy and visibility across projects as you build relationships with internal stakeholders and develop a deeper understanding of the business.

What you’ll be doing

Taking ownership of drafting, reviewing and negotiating construction and project contracts, with a strong focus on standard forms (NEC experience particularly relevant)
Advising on associated arrangements including joint ventures, consultancy and professional services contracts, variations, settlement agreements, heads of terms and collaboration agreements
Supporting both upstream (client‑side) and downstream (supply‑chain) contracting on live projects
Working closely with project, commercial and procurement teams to identify, manage and mitigate legal and commercial risk
Managing and instructing external advisers where appropriate, with a focus on efficiency and value
Contributing to the development of practical templates, processes and ways of working within the legal team
Supporting compliance and governance matters relevant to infrastructure delivery, including ESG, competition and ethical business requirements
Providing clear, pragmatic advice that balances legal risk with commercial outcomes

What they’re looking for

A qualified solicitor (or equivalent) with experience in the construction sector
A background in non‑contentious construction and projects work, with exposure to standard form contracts such as NEC, JCT and/or FIDIC
Strong drafting and negotiation skills, with the confidence to advise non‑legal stakeholders directly
Commercially minded, with a genuine interest in how projects are delivered in practice
Comfortable managing multiple priorities in a fast‑moving project environment
Clear, practical communicator who can translate legal issues into actionable advice
Prior in‑house or secondment experience is helpful, but not essential

Why this role stands out

Direct exposure to high‑value, nationally significant UK infrastructure projects
A genuine in‑house position with day‑to‑day interaction with project and commercial teams
Broad scope across non‑contentious work, with insight into dispute management and risk strategy
A strong platform for lawyers considering their first or second move in‑house
An environment that values ownership, curiosity and practical problem‑solving over hierarchy

This role is particularly well suited to construction lawyers who want to be closer to delivery, take on greater responsibility, and develop as commercially astute in‑house advisers.