Legal Counsel - UK & Ireland 2028 Limited

Fixed Term Contract - April 2025 to Autumn 2028

The Tournament
Contested every four years, the UEFA European Championship has been showcasing the continent's top talent since its inception in 1960 and is the world's third largest sporting event.

UEFA EURO 2028 is taking place across the UK & Ireland where Europe's top 24 national teams will compete in a 31-day, 51 match tournament, attended by over 3 million spectators and with a global tv audience of upwards of 2 billion people.

As one of the world's largest and highest-profile sporting events, UEFA EURO 2028 will attract the attention of the sporting and major event communities, the media, and the public at large across the UK& Ireland, Europe and the World. With its unique hosting model, the event promises to spread the impacts and benefits of the tournament across the nations and communities of the UK and Ireland.

The Organisation
UK & Ireland 2028 Limited has been set up as a new company to locally deliver several UEFA requirements for the tournament, working closely with UEFA, 9 Host Stadiums, 8 Host Cities and other key stakeholders.

The Role
We are excited to be recruiting the role of Legal Counsel to join the organisation and provide proactive legal support to UK & Ireland 2028 Limited (“UKI2028”) across the full range of the organisation's activities.

What will you be doing?

• Deliver practical legal advice in an efficient and effective manner across the full range of UKI2028's activities
• Draft and negotiate key commercial contracts required for hosting the Tournament, including event staging and venue hire agreements, supply/services agreements, works contracts, funding agreements, and other Tournament contracts with UKI2028's stakeholders, including UEFA, stadium owners, host cities and government partners
• Provide corporate governance support to UKI2028's Board, committees, and stakeholder groups
• Maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders
• Provide focused instructions to external law firms when authorised to do so
• Provide assistance in ensuring and recording compliance with hosting obligations and funding conditions
• Execute additional tasks as required to meet changing priorities.
• Comply with all company policies and procedures to ensure the highest standards of health, safety and wellbeing can be maintained.

What are we looking for?
Essential Skills & Experience

• Qualified to practice as a solicitor in at least one of the jurisdictions within the UK & Ireland
• At least 2 years' PQE working as a qualified solicitor. However, candidates with relevant skills sets and qualifications will be considered regardless of PQE.
• Solid academic background and robust legal training.
• Must be able to demonstrate a breadth of commercial legal knowledge gathered in a major law firm and/or corporate organisation.
• Ability to demonstrate clear, concise and practical written and oral legal advice, which includes drafting, negotiating and interpreting a range of contracts.
• Able to cope with pressurised situations and tight timeframes whilst maintaining a professional approach
• Previous relevant experience in a legal environment, preferably in sport or event delivery.
• Ability to demonstrate clear, concise, and pragmatic legal advice.
• A team player with excellent interpersonal skills
• Proven ability to manage a large volume of contracts.
• Attention to detail, with excellent verbal and written communication skills

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Working knowledge of legal structures in a second jurisdiction within UK & Ireland
• Previous in-house experience (for example, a secondment).
• Experience of dealing with corporate support and company secretarial matters.
• Experience of dealing with data protection issues
• Knowledge of venue operations, particularly stadia
• Knowledge of government funding agreements

Why apply?

We offer a competitive salary (plus benefits of 25 days holiday, contributory pension, Private Medical Insurance etc), which coupled with the opportunity to be part of one of the biggest sporting events to ever take place across UK & Ireland we think makes for an exciting place to be!

Where is the role based?
Our head office is based at the iconic Wembley Stadium in London, however depending on your role you may be required to travel across the UK and Ireland to our 9 Stadiums and 8 Host Cities, with some roles being based in those locations.

As an event delivery organisation, it's important that we have regular time together in the office and currently employees come together at least 2 days a week at HQ in Wembley, with the number of days in HQ increasing as the project develops with a minimum of 3-4 days needed in 2026-2027 and full time in the year of 2028.

Everyone is welcome
UK & Ireland 2028 Limited actively promotes diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from everyone. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. If you have any particular requirements in respect of the recruitment or interview process, please mention this during your application.

As part of UK & Ireland 2028 Limited's commitment to ensuring a safe environment for everyone, every employee will be required to complete a DBS check. The level of the check required will be based on the activity of the specific job role and in line with legislation and government guidance.