Home Care Senior Legal Counsel

at  Unilever

SKILLS/EXPERIENCE:

As a guide, we consider relevant years’ experience working as a Solicitor (qualified in the UK, Ireland or other common-law based jurisdictions) and advising in relation to marketing and commercial legal issues would be appropriate but we are willing to consider any relevant experience. Experience working in FMCG industry, retail or trade is ideal but not a necessity.

Key skills include:

• Marketing law;
• Contract law
• Competition law;
• Ability to analyse problems and propose commercial solutions;
• Excellent communication, drafting and organisation skills;
• Team player;
• Ability to work under time pressures to meet short deadlines;
• Proactivity, flexibility and adaptability;
• Ability to identify and communicate legal risks to the business, and to assist the business to manage such risks efficiently; and
• Ability to provide creative solutions to legal issues which deliver competitive advantage to the business, taking into account cost, risk and other consequences.

JOB PURPOSE

The Unilever Home Care Legal Team is looking for a Senior Legal Counsel to support our Home Care Business Unit in UK and Ireland.
The role would involve giving advice to the business on a broad range of legal matters relating to the development, marketing and sale of Unilever Home Care products and brands, identifying the legal risks and helping our business to navigate those risks.
The role reports into the HC General Counsel Europe and has shared access to junior level support.
Unilever’s UK and Ireland Legal Team is based in Kingston-upon-Thames in the UK. The Legal Team plays an integral part in the business’ risk control processes for commercial and marketing activities and works closely with all business functions. We provide legally compliant, creative solutions which deliver competitive advantage, considering cost, risk and other relevant factors.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Advising the Home Care UK and Ireland business teams on all aspects of product innovation development, marketing and sales, including on-pack and advertising claims;
• Represent the legal function by being an active member of the UKI Home Care leadership team, providing legal guidance and opinions to aid the business to deliver its targets while mitigating risks;
• Member of the Home Care Europe Legal Team which regularly discusses Pan-European topics, horizon-scans new legal developments and shares relevant learnings across the UK and Europe;
• Being an active member of the cross-functional ‘golden triangle’ which is made up of legal, regulatory affairs and local deployment colleagues. This team reviews Home Care products, packaging and claims to ensure they are compliant with laws and regulations whilst maximising the impact of product claims;
• Evaluating legal options and risks, developing appropriate strategies and advising business partners accordingly;
• Managing product claim litigation with the assistance of external counsel (if necessary) to ensure a cost effective solution;
• Defending and enforcing Unilever product claims against third parties;
• Supporting business partners in management of external relationships (authorities, trade associations, lobbying activities etc.);
• Assisting consumer care line with responses to consumer complaints as necessary, including liaising with the Comms team;
• Collaborating with other Unilever in-house lawyers, both in Europe and globally, including contributing to cross country projects from time to time;
• Drafting and negotiating miscellaneous commercial agreements;
• In close collaboration with other expert lawyers within Unilever, advising on matters concerning intellectual property (including brand protection and licensing; and
• Providing training to the business in relation to any of the above matters, including as part of Unilever’s overall compliance framework.