Senior In-House Lawyer

Overview

In this role you act as a trusted, commercially focused legal advisor to Hastings Direct, guiding high-value matters and strategic initiatives. You’ll lead and mentor the Group Legal team, while deputising for the Head of Legal and shaping the legal direction of the business. You’ll translate complex regulatory and contractual issues into clear business guidance and drive improvements in legal operations. This is a chance to impact product development, outsourcing, and technology contracts within a fast-growing digital insurer. You’ll thrive in a collaborative, ambitious culture that values transformation and cross-functional partnership.

Pay / Benefits

• flexible working
• bonus scheme
• private medical insurance ( PMI )
• life assurance (4x salary)
• pension contributions up to 10%
• mental wellbeing programme

Responsibilities

• Provide expert legal advice across a broad range of commercial, outsourcing, technology and insurance-related contracts
• Draft, negotiate and advise on complex, high-value agreements
• Lead on high-risk transactions with risk identification and mitigation
• Advise on legal requirements, policy wording and customer journeys; translate issues into business guidance
• Align legal advice with commercial objectives and risk appetite as a strategic partner
• Provide strategic legal input into business initiatives, product development and change programmes
• Support Head of Legal in legal operations including systems and process improvements
• Identify opportunities to improve service delivery, scalability and consistency in the legal function
• Manage legal administration staff and allocate work, driving high performance and development
• Mentor and coach junior lawyers and trainees; contribute to training and knowledge sharing
• Lead strategic legal and business projects; own defined workstreams and drive change initiatives
• Contribute to shaping the strategic direction of the Legal team alongside Head of Legal

Key requirements

• Significant post-qualification experience (typically 10+ PQE) in-house and/or private practice
• Strong background in commercial and/or corporate law; insurance or regulated environments desirable
• Experience advising on outsourcing, technology and data agreements and/or corporate transactions
• Experience managing and mentoring others in a legal capacity
• Proven track record in legal operations and transformation initiatives
• Advanced contract drafting and negotiation with regulatory and risk management capability
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to interpret complex legal/regulatory landscapes

• Senior stakeholder management
• Strategic advisory capability
• Mentoring and coaching
• Contract drafting and negotiation
• Regulatory risk assessment
• Legal operations and process improvement

…