Senior Legal Counsel

The Opportunity

William Grant & Sons is a sixth-generation independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1887. The Company distills, bottles, and distributes some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky and other spirits. The Company’s global icons include the world’s most-awarded single malt Scotch whisky Glenfiddich, The Balvenie range of handcrafted single malts, Monkey Shoulder blended malt Scotch and super-premium Hendrick’s Gin. Other spirits in the portfolio include Grant’s and The Famous Grouse blended Scotch whiskies, Tullamore D.E.W. Irish whiskey, Sailor Jerry spiced rum, Drambuie whisky liqueur, Milagro tequila, Reyka vodka, Discarded Spirits Co. and ultra-premium Silent Pool Gin.

This role provides a unique opportunity to work with two of the Company’s main Business Units: the Stocks Business Unit and the Operations Business Unit, as well as the WG&S Group IT function (GTS). The Stocks Business Unit manages the Group’s whisky and spirit stocks, wood and warehousing requirements. The Operations Business Unit is responsible for distilling and bottling all these superb brands to the highest standards of quality and productivity. The Company operates distilleries, packaging and warehouse establishments in the United Kingdom, Ireland, USA and Mexico. This role will also be integral to the expansion ambitions of the Company’s digital advancement. It is a truly global role.

This opportunity exists because our current Senior Counsel is taking a short-term secondment within WG&S to develop their career in another legal role – perhaps this is the opportunity for you to do the same? To try your hand at something new and challenging for 12 months?!

What you will be doing

You will provide front-line legal support to the Stocks Business Unit, Operations Business Unit, Global IT department and other Central Services. You will partner with senior leaders across these functions (including C-suite members) and act as one of the key trusted advisors, developing innovative and effective ways of working and supporting the Company’s legal compliance agenda across these teams. This means one day you might be negotiating a trading deal on Caribbean rum; next, reviewing a framework agreement for the purchase of luxury packaging; then deliver Competition Law training tailored to commercial teams; or advise the business on the latest sustainable packaging legislation. In a fast-paced dynamic business, pretty much any and every type of legal work is in scope. You won’t be on your own though. There is an internal legal team you can lean on to support you and you’ll instruct and work with external counsel too.

Our Ideal Candidate

You were probably one of the top performers in every place you’ve studied and worked. You’re curious, inquisitive, ambitious and you like a challenge. You’re a self-starter. Confident, but not arrogant. You don’t have all the answers but are savvy and know who to go to and how to find them. You’re a clean, concise communicator. You have energy and want to have fun at work. You have a number of years practising law under your belt now, and your technical skills have been honed a bit. You want to focus on how you become a better in-house lawyer, more commercial, and a better business partner. If any or all of this sounds like you and you’re looking for an opportunity (at least for 12 months) to broaden your skills and try your hand at something new, then we’re keen to hear from you!