A leading financial services client is looking for an ambitious junior corporate/commercial lawyer to join on a 6 month contract assignment. This will be to support both the London and Middle East offices. (Has potential for a Middle East move further down the line).

Office Expectations– 3 days per week in the London office

Structure of team:

• Small legal team in London while also supporting a lead Middle East lawyer in Dubai.
• The London team works closely with overseas stakeholders and provides commercial and compliance support to the business

The ideal candidate will possess:

• Exposure to a broad range of commercial legal work in a lean, pragmatic in‑house environment
• Close access to senior stakeholders and hands‑on deal exposure
• Collaborative, relatively young legal team with a strong emphasis on cultural fit and support
• Opportunity to step into an in‑house role without prior in‑house or secondment experience

Expected Hours / Duration

• Duration: Initial 6‑month contract
• Hours per week: Full‑time
• Schedule: Standard business hours (hybrid)

Job Summary

• Support the legal team with day‑to‑day corporate and commercial legal work
• Draft, review, and support documentation including:
• NDAs
• Terms of engagement / letters
• Transactional and commercial documentation
• Provide practical legal support around M&A‑adjacent work, without requiring deep specialist M&A expertise
• Assist with some compliance‑related matters
• Work closely with senior legal stakeholders, including a Head of Legal & Compliance based overseas
• Act as a junior‑to‑mid‑level support lawyer who can be talked through documents and processes

Top Requirements / Non‑Negotiables (Objective)

• Junior corporate / commercial lawyer
• Broad commercial background (does not need to be a specialist M&A lawyer)
• Law firm experience helpful (a couple of years ideal)
• Fully in‑house backgrounds also welcomed
• No prior in‑house experience or secondment required – team is happy to train
• Strong written English and comfort working closely with senior lawyers

Additional Insights

• Cultural fit will be important given the small and relatively young team
• This is viewed internally as a straightforward, junior interim hire
• Process expected to be lean, potentially one interview stage only

May 2026 starts; please contact: gbalasubrama@mlaglobal.com for further details.