Legal Counsel

The position is to act as legal counsel within Legal Corporate in London primarily providing legal advice to our Treasury organisation and other Finance and Central Functions in a proactive, timely, cost-effective and professional manner with a view to furthering business objectives in support of the Shell Group Strategy, adding value and protecting shareholder interests. The role will additionally advise certain Group Central Functions on commercial contracts and issues.

The role reports to the Associate General Counsel, Corporate and Finance whose team currently consists of seven lawyers, four based in London, three in the Hague, a paralegal and two corporate specialists doing predominantly company secretarial work in the Netherlands.

This position will provide the successful candidate with exposure to a varied range of English law and international finance issues and transactions and Legal and Treasury/ Finance Function policies and procedures relating to Group structure and financing.,

• To provide English finance law advice as required on a full range of transactions, projects and issues arising in the Holdings and Treasury sector and in other Functions and Businesses, in particular (i) intra-group loans, guarantees or other support to third parties, (ii) funding of affiliates and joint ventures, (iii) project and structured finance transactions with external counterparties and restructuring projects and (iv) loans to third parties purchasers/off takers.


• To provide English law advice on a range of financing, banking and capital markets transactions including intra-group and third-party loan financing, cash management, project finance, structured and asset finance, guarantees, derivatives debt programmes and associated regulatory and compliance issues.


• To be central to the review of Group Financing Proposals and provision of legal functional support and be involved, with the whole team, in assessing the legal impact of legislative change on the Group insofar as it relates to the Holdings and Treasury sector of the Group.


• To undertake matters in other areas of law and transactions outside of immediate role, for example advising other Central Functions on general commercial contracts, insolvency advice.


• To be willing and to have the flexibility to undertake matters in other areas of law and transactions outside of immediate role and/or experience and knowledge, in particular, to provide English law advice on corporate and commercial transactions and queries as may be required.
  
  To have a detailed knowledge of English banking, finance and preferably capital markets law and regulation and a good working knowledge of company and commercial law.


• To have experience of a number of different types of banking, finance and capital markets transactions.



• Common law qualification is required with a background in English commercial and financing law strongly preferred. Experience of a wide range of transactions would also be helpful. The transactions and areas of practice require an interest in technical areas of finance law and regulation coupled with some knowledge of accounting and tax issues.



• This individual must be self-motivated and able to work both independently and as a member of a team, while at the same time knowing when to seek advice and support from more senior colleagues or line manager.



• To have good negotiating and legal drafting skills.



• To explain clearly legal risks and to offer sound legal and commercial solutions and mitigations within acceptable legal and risk frameworks.



• To instruct and manage external legal counsel, where required, within Legal department guidelines where required.



• To run a number of projects in parallel.



• To ensure that appropriate consultation with and provision of key information to Legal Management and to stakeholder organisations on key decisions and issues.



• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to develop and sustain relationships and trust with business and functions at all levels and in a range of cultures.



• Ability to work inclusively with both internal and external stakeholders with diverse external backgrounds, including senior lawyers/business representatives.



• Incisive grasp of legal issues, demonstrated learner mindset and capability to expand knowledge in relevant areas of law, share learnings with wider community.



• Resilience to keep a calm and balanced approach and maintain a robust stance in respect of allocation of risk for the Group, while balancing that with the commercial and strategic drivers.



• Demonstrable record as a self-starter and able to make decisions in ambiguous circumstances, provide pragmatic legal advice and work in an uncertain regulatory and legal environment
  
  Shell started operations in the United Kingdom more than 110 years ago. Since then, we have grown into a leading innovative Oil & Energy company that rewards its employees by investing heavily in their careers and learning. Our people are our greatest asset, and our commitment to your career will see you thrive in a work environment that offers an industry-leading development programme. When your ideas travel, Shell will benefit, and innovation will thrive. Shell has a key role to play in helping meet the UK's growing energy demand, whilst using innovative technologies to develop cleaner energy. We are the largest FTSE 100 company in the UK by market capitalisation and make a significant contribution to the UK economy. As well as processing 35% of the gas coming into the UK, we serve more than four million customers at our filling stations each week. Shell employs some 6,400 skilled staff as well as many contractors.


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