Senior Legal Counsel or Legal Director

YH2 is a dynamic private family office with a strong investment track record and significant philanthropic interests. The Co-founders currently serve as the Co-CEOs of the family office, overseeing and driving these initiatives. We are seeking an experienced Senior Legal Counsel or Legal Director to provide strategic and practical legal support across the family office and its associated investment and charitable activities, working closely with the Co-CEOs.

This is a broad and varied senior in-house role requiring a commercially minded, adaptable lawyer who is comfortable working across multiple entities, jurisdictions and areas of law. The successful candidate will work closely with the principals, senior management, trustees and external advisers, taking ownership of legal matters from inception through to completion and providing clear, pragmatic advice in a fast-moving environment.

The role would suit a lawyer with approximately 10 years’ post-qualification experience, ideally with previous experience within a family office or, alternatively, a background spanning both investments and charities/philanthropy.

This role will be ideal for someone seeking an in-house legal position who relishes intellectual challenge, enjoys working across a diverse range of legal issues, and takes a practical approach.

Key Responsibilities

Family Office, Investments and Funds

• Provide legal advice to the family office group entities on a broad range of investment, corporate and commercial matters.
• Advise on the structuring, establishment and operation of investment vehicles, funds, SPVs and other investment structures.
• Review, negotiate and advise on investment documentation, including subscription agreements, limited partnership agreements, shareholders’ agreements, side letters, co-investment arrangements and other documentation relating to the family office’s investment activities.
• Advise upon regulatory compliance and tax implications concerning cross-border investment and structuring matters.
• Draft intercompany agreements and undertake company secretarial functions.
• Identify legal and regulatory risks and provide pragmatic, commercially focused advice to the principals and senior management.

Charities and Philanthropy

• Provide legal support to two charities associated with the family office, with activities spanning education, health and scientific research, as well as other philanthropic initiatives.
• Draft, review and negotiate grant, donation, research collaboration, funding and other agreements with universities, research institutions and other organisations.
• Advise trustees and management on charity governance, conflicts of interest, trustee duties, use of charitable funds, Gift Aid, safeguarding, and regulatory compliance.
• Support the development and implementation of appropriate grant-making, governance and compliance frameworks.
• Provide practical data protection and privacy advice across the family office and associated charities, including on UK GDPR compliance, data sharing and processing arrangements, DPIAs, privacy notices and data mapping.
• Advise on cross-border philanthropic activities and work with external counsel where necessary.

Legal Governance & Compliance

• Oversee corporate governance and legal compliance across relevant group entities internationally.
• Develop and maintain legal and compliance policies and procedures, and deliver training on matters including anti-bribery and corruption, insider dealing, cyber security and data protection.
• Monitor relevant legal and regulatory developments and assess their impact on the family office and associated organisations.
• Manage legal matters across a varied portfolio, identifying when specialist external advice is required.
• Select, instruct and manage external counsel in the UK and internationally, ensuring advice is proportionate, practical and cost-effective.
• Support employment and HR matters, including employment contracts and policies.
• Act as a trusted legal adviser to the principals, boards, trustees and senior management.

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will ideally have

• Qualification as a solicitor in England & Wales, with approximately 10 years’ PQE.
• Previous experience working within or closely with a family office or, alternatively, significant experience spanning both investment/funds work and charities/philanthropy.
• Strong corporate and commercial experience, together with experience reviewing and negotiating fund and investment documentation.
• Experience advising charities, foundations, philanthropic organisations or grant-making bodies, or strong familiarity with the legal and governance issues relevant to them.
• Experience managing cross-border matters and working with external advisers across multiple jurisdictions.
• A good working knowledge of UK data protection and privacy law; previous DPO experience would be an advantage.
• Strong drafting and negotiation skills and the ability to communicate complex legal issues clearly and concisely.
• Excellent commercial judgement, including the ability to distinguish material legal risks from issues that can be addressed pragmatically.
• The ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and take ownership of matters with limited supervision.
• High levels of discretion, integrity and professionalism when handling confidential and commercially sensitive matters.

Personal Attributes

• Commercial, pragmatic and solutions-oriented.
• Intellectually curious and able to move confidently between different areas of law.
• Highly organised and capable of managing a broad and varied workload.
• Collaborative and able to build trusted relationships with principals, trustees, colleagues and external advisers.