Senior Lawyer, Helix

Department/Division: Helix            
Duration: Permanent 
Location: Virtual (UK)

Reports to: Managing / Group Managing Lawyer

Reference Number: 10381

The Role

There is a different way to practise commercial law.

Dentons Helix is building a modern legal delivery model for clients whose legal needs are growing faster than traditional ways of working can support. We bring together experienced lawyers, legal operations, technology, data and continuous improvement to create a model that is connected, intelligent and effective.

We are looking for a Senior Commercial Lawyer to join that model.

This role assumes the legal experience, judgement and technical capability expected of a senior commercial lawyer. You will be comfortable drafting, reviewing, negotiating and advising on a broad range of commercial agreements, and taking ownership of matters from instruction through to completion.

However, success in Helix is not defined by technical legal experience alone. It is also about how that experience is applied: exercising sound commercial judgement, adapting to different clients and commercial environments, managing competing priorities, working within structured delivery models and using technology, data and smarter workflows to deliver legal services more effectively.

You will work across a portfolio of clients, becoming immersed in different businesses, sectors, operating models and commercial priorities. The work will include commercial contracts, supplier arrangements, procurement-related agreements, outsourcing arrangements, digital and data-related agreements, IP-related provisions and other agreements that support clients’ business operations.

You will help clients navigate contractual issues and legal risk with clarity and confidence. You will need to understand each client’s objectives, risk appetite and ways of working, and translate legal complexity into clear, practical and commercially focused advice.

This role is also about contributing to how legal work is delivered. You will use playbooks, templates, workflows, legal technology, AI, data and escalation frameworks to improve consistency, reduce friction and create a better experience for clients and colleagues.

Helix offers a distinct career within Dentons: one centred on excellent legal judgement, client outcomes, innovation and the continual improvement of how legal work gets done.

Responsibilities

You will:

• Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements.
• Provide clear, practical and proportionate legal advice aligned with each client’s commercial objectives and risk appetite. 
• Take ownership of matters from instruction through to completion.
• Identify key legal and commercial issues, manage deadlines and escalate appropriately.
• Work across different clients, sectors, stakeholders, playbooks and delivery models.
• Build an understanding of each client’s business, priorities and ways of working.
• Prioritise competing matters and communicate proactively where deadlines or expectations need to be managed.
• Use agreed templates, playbooks, workflows and escalation processes consistently.
• Capture matter and performance data accurately to support reporting, visibility and continuous improvement. 
• Use legal technology, AI and automation tools appropriately and in line with relevant policies and professional obligations.
• Identify opportunities to improve templates, processes, workflows and ways of working. 
• Share knowledge and collaborate with Helix colleagues, the wider Commercial and TMT practices, legal operations specialists and client teams. 
• Contribute to a collaborative, output-focused team whilst working with a high degree of independence. 

The role reflects how Helix delivers recurring legal work at scale: through structured processes, standardisation, technology, intentional data capture and continuous improvement rather than simply adding legal capacity.

Required experience, skills, and attributes

Essential

Candidates should be able to demonstrate:

• Qualification as a lawyer in a relevant jurisdiction, with experience appropriate to the role. 
• Substantive capability in drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial agreements. 
• Ownership of matters from instruction through to completion. 
• A track record of providing practical, proportionate and commercially focused advice.
• Effective management of multiple live matters and competing deadlines. 
• Direct engagement with clients or senior business stakeholders. 
• Confidence working within templates, playbooks and agreed escalation frameworks. 
• Strong drafting and communication skills, including explaining legal issues clearly to non-lawyers. 
• Sound judgement, including knowing when to work independently and when to escalate. 
• Adaptability across different clients, stakeholders and ways of working. 
• A collaborative approach to knowledge sharing and supporting colleagues. 
• A constructive response to feedback and changing priorities. 
• Practical use of digital tools to support legal delivery.

Desirable experience

It would be beneficial to demonstrate:

• Knowledge of technology, outsourcing, SaaS, supplier, procurement, data or IP-related agreements.
• An in-house, secondment or managed legal services background.
• Practical use of legal technology, generative AI, automation or workflow tools.
• Contribution to improving templates, playbooks, processes or ways of working.
• Collaboration with legal operations, technology, project management or data specialists.
• Responsibility for supporting or supervising less experienced colleagues.

Firm Profile

Across more than 80 countries, Dentons helps you grow, protect, operate and finance your organisation by providing uniquely global and deeply local legal solutions. Polycentric, purpose-driven and committed to inclusion, diversity, equity and sustainability, we focus on what matters most to you. www.dentons.com

Inclusion and Diversity

We are committed to building an inclusive culture here at Dentons where our people can thrive, regardless of their background or circumstance. As well as being the right thing to do, it makes good business sense too. A richness of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives helps us best serve our clients and the communities in which we operate. You can find out more about inclusion and diversity at Dentons here: Inclusion and Diversity

Dentons is committed to providing equal opportunities for all. We welcome applications from everyone including of any age, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, neurotype, disability, or with parental or caring responsibilities. We are also “Happy to Talk Flexible Working” and welcome conversations about flexible working arrangements.

Dentons is a Disability Confident employer. Candidates with a disability may choose to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme. We will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role. Where application volumes are high, we may offer interviews to those who best meet the minimum criteria, consistent with our approach for all candidates.

During the application process, all applicants have the opportunity to tell us about any adjustments or support they require so they are able to perform at their best. Any information you share with us during the application process is treated in confidence.

If you have any questions about this or the role criteria, please email recruitment.matters@dentons.com. 

NO AGENCIES PLEASE

If you are interested in applying for this position, we welcome direct applications via our careers page, but if you have any questions beforehand, please email  recruitment.matters@dentons.com. Enquiries only please – applications will not be accepted via email.

Please note that we will not accept unsolicited CVs sent to the business, nor will we accept any associated terms of business.