Senior Legal Counsel (f/m/d)

Purpose of Position

Awin's Legal team advises the group on its legal rights and obligations across a global affiliate and partnership network. As Senior Legal Counsel, you will be a trusted, hands-on partner to our commercial, product and leadership teams, leading complex negotiations, supporting M&A and strategic transactions, and helping the business grow across Europe, the UK, the US and beyond. You will report directly to the General Counsel.

We are looking for a pragmatic, business-enabling lawyer who enjoys solving problems, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and is excited about how AI is changing both our industry and the way legal teams work. If you enjoy working across cultures and jurisdictions, join us full-time in one of our hubs, London or Berlin, or work from another country where Awin has an office – you can choose.

Key Tasks

• Leading the drafting, review and negotiation of complex, high-value commercial agreements with advertisers, publishers, agencies, technology partners and vendors, including MSAs, SaaS and platform terms, partnership agreements, DPAs and NDAs
• Acting as the go-to legal partner for commercial teams across regions, giving consistent, risk-weighted and business-focused advice that helps close deals
• Advising on cross-jurisdictional corporate, commercial, competition, intellectual property and regulatory matters under EU, UK, US and other international legal frameworks
• Supporting M&A and strategic transactions end to end, from due diligence and transaction documents to corporate approvals and post-merger integration
• Managing disputes, litigation and third-party information requests such as subpoenas, together with external counsel
• Working with the Privacy team on the commercial and contractual side of data protection, including GDPR, UK GDPR, US state privacy laws and other regimes
• Shaping how Legal uses AI: introducing AI tools and workflows that make the team more efficient, and advising the business on the legal aspects of AI, including the EU AI Act
• Improving templates, playbooks and legal processes, and delivering practical training to non-lawyers

Skills & Expertise

• Qualified as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales and/or admitted to practise as an attorney in a US state
• 5+ years' post-qualification experience, ideally in-house in an international business or at a law firm handling comparable commercial work
• Strong track record in complex commercial negotiations, ideally in affiliate or performance marketing, or in a related sector such as tech, SaaS, AdTech or e-commerce; experience with US commercial contracts, litigation, subpoenas and dispute resolution is a plus
• Solid M&A experience, including due diligence, transaction documentation and post-closing integration
• Working knowledge of data protection laws such as GDPR, UK GDPR and US state privacy laws is an advantage
• Native or native-level English, with excellent drafting and communication skills and the ability to explain complex legal, technical and business matters clearly to non-lawyers; additional languages such as Spanish, French or Portuguese are a plus
• A keen interest in AI and confidence using AI tools in your daily work, with an eye for how they can make legal work faster and better; knowledge of AI regulation and governance, such as the EU AI Act, is a plus
• A pragmatic, hands-on and open-minded approach with a business-enabling, can-do mindset
• Strong organisation and prioritisation skills: you manage several matters at once, work independently and keep quality high under tight deadlines and constant change; experience with contract management systems, Asana or other legal tools is welcome
• A collaborative team player who builds strong relationships across functions and regions

• Flexi-Week: We prioritise your mental health and wellbeing by offering you a four-day Flexi-Week (with one lighter or completely disconnected day per week) at full pay, with no reduction to your annual holiday allowance.
• Flexi-Office: We offer an international culture and flexibility through our hybrid working model, designed to foster collaboration, trust, and autonomy.
• Work Expense Contribution & Remote Working Furniture: You will receive a monthly allowance to cover part of your running costs, as well as a furniture package to support you in setting up a comfortable workspace at home.
• Pension: We make regular contributions to support your retirement savings.
• Private Medical Insurance: Comprehensive coverage for a range of health, vision and dental treatments.
• Electric Vehicle & Cycle to Work Schemes: Save on commuting costs through tax-efficient schemes for electric vehicle leasing and bike purchase.
• Workplace Nursery Benefit: Save on childcare costs through a salary sacrifice scheme with tax and National Insurance savings.

Established in 2000, Awin is proud of our dynamic, social and inclusive culture.

Like all businesses, we’ve had to adapt and nurture our culture in a virtual environment. Our virtual ‘Life @ Awin’ hub brings our colleagues from across the globe together for various social activities.

Diversity & Inclusion are paramount to us, and we proudly pursue and hire diverse team members. We champion uniqueness and authenticity; this is who we are at our core. Our network of affiliate partnerships are diverse and transparent, as are the employees powering our vision to build the world’s leading open partner ecosystem. We welcome all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. If you need support at any point in the application or interview process, please let us know.

Awin is part of the Axel Springer group. Learn more at axelspringer.com/en/, and explore the Axel Springer Essentials here: axelspringer.com/en/inside/the-essentials-what-we-have-adapted-and-why  

Apply now to begin the next stage of your career at a progressive company that supports both your professional and personal development.