Lead Legal Adviser, Leeds

We are seeking an exceptional Lead Legal Adviser to join our award-winning Legal Services team, recently recognised as In-House Legal Department of the Year at the British Legal Awards 2025. Our team plays a vital role in protecting the careers, reputations and financial wellbeing of our members worldwide, delivering trusted, expert support when it matters most. As part of this high-performing function, you will help ensure we continue to provide an in-house legal service that is relied upon, valued, and consistently delivers fair treatment and positive outcomes for our members.

The ideal candidate will role model the high-performance culture we are aspiring to achieve. You will be a forward-thinking and progressive, commercially minded and inspiring leader, keen to make a difference and embrace a positive culture of continuous improvement. As a respected and trusted senior lawyer, you will lead the team to be technical experts in the regulatory healthcare field, with a keen passion to see others develop and succeed.

In this senior position, you will have day-to-day operational management and technical leadership responsibility for the Cases Legal Team (Leeds), leading a team of lawyers at varying levels of experience alongside Legal Assistants. You will oversee the team’s overall performance, measured through retention, productivity and the quality of outputs and outcomes, while shaping and driving the delivery of high-quality legal services across regulatory and inquest matters. Combining technical expertise, strong leadership and operational oversight, you will play a pivotal role in fostering a culture of excellence, continuous improvement and member-centric service.

• Lead, develop and support a team of Legal Advisers and Assistants, ensuring clarity of accountability, strong performance and alignment with organisational strategy.
• Oversee efficient caseload allocation, establish clear technical escalation routes, and provide coaching to build capability and maintain high professional standards.
• Drive operational excellence through delivery of service standards, KPIs and financial targets, contributing to effective planning, budgeting and resource management.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, using member insight to shape decisions and ensure fair treatment and outcomes for members.
• Promote strong risk management and ensure full compliance with regulatory requirements, professional ethics and internal policies, including data protection and IT security.
• Maintain a partial caseload appropriate to the role, and act as the primary escalation point for complex or technical matters.
• Identify training needs, support talent development and succession planning, and contribute to cross-functional projects and relevant governance forums.

• Degree-level education and a relevant postgraduate qualification (or equivalent).
• Qualified Solicitor, CILEX lawyer or Barrister with substantial relevant experience.
• Proven operational management experience within legal teams or departments, with strong leadership skills and a track record of developing high-performing teams.
• Extensive legal experience in medical malpractice complaints, regulatory matters and inquest case management.
• Experience working within a progressive claims or medical malpractice environment.
• A proactive, can-do attitude with a positive, solutions-focused approach and the confidence to navigate complex situations and conversations constructively.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a talented and dedicated legal team within a mission-led organisation, where you’ll have the scope to influence strategy and shape the future of our member-focused legal services. You’ll join a supportive environment that champions continuous development, innovation and excellence, and have the chance to make a meaningful, lasting impact on the careers and lives of professionals worldwide.

We encourage early applications, as shortlisting will take place throughout the process.

Alongside a competitive salary, you will also receive:

• Up to 30% discretionary annual bonus
• 11% pension contribution (3% from you, 8% from us optional additional matched 3% contributions, e.g. 6% from you, 11% from us)
• 30 days annual leave plus flexible bank holidays (option to buy/sell 5 days)
• Car allowance £2,335
• Private Medical Cover
• Healthcare cash plan
• 6x salary death in service
• Paid volunteering day
• A personal GP service enabling you to get a video consultation with an NHS-registered, private GP
• Employee Assistance Programme
• A range of shopping discounts from major high-street retailers