Job Title: Co-Head of Legal (Fixed Term – Maternity Cover)

Posted: 05 November 2014
Closing date: 3 December 2014

The Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of the world’s leading provider of news and information, is committed to empowering people around the world with trusted information and free legal assistance. Its initiatives stand for better governance, greater transparency, women’s rights, more effective humanitarian relief and a robust global press (www.trust.org).

The Foundation is recruiting a Co-Head of Legal (Maternity Cover) for its TrustLaw service. The position would be based in London in Thomson Reuters’ Canary Wharf office.

TrustLaw is the Thomson Reuters Foundation's global pro bono service that connects NGOs and social enterprises with the best law firms around the world. Launched in 2010, TrustLaw Connect has grown to include 2,000 members in 170 countries, including over 400 law firms and in-house legal teams and over 1600 NGO and social enterprise members. Our mission is to spread the practice of pro bono worldwide to drive social change.

Our legal requests range from everyday commercial matters such as corporate structuring, IP, non-profit governance or employment advice through to large scale cross-border research programmes on social or policy issues. See our publications here on issues ranging from human trafficking and slavery, domestic violence laws, health and social innovation.

Reporting to the Director of TrustLaw and working as part of a dynamic team, the main duties and responsibilities of this role will include:

• Managing a team of 4 (two Legal Officers and a Legal Assistant in London and a Legal Officer in New York) with support from your Co-Head of Legal in Johannesburg;
• Scoping and managing cross-border research programmes that address the most critical social, policy and advocacy needs facing our NGO and social enterprise members;
• Overseeing the team’s handling of pro bono requests from our global community of NGOs and social entrepreneurs, from the scoping of the pro bono legal requests, placing projects with lawyers and follow up with the parties involved;
• Devising and implementing strategies for TrustLaw globally to ensure quality and growth metrics are met;
• Working closely with the Foundation’s CEO on key strategic initiatives, including Trust Women an influential gathering that brings together global corporations, lawyers and pioneers in the field of women's rights;
• Assisting with the design and hosting of events targeting key themes and topic areas to engage a range of clients and stakeholders;
• Representing the Foundation at major events and presenting TrustLaw to key partners;
• Advising the Foundation on internal legal matters (and briefing external counsel where necessary) including structuring, reviewing funding agreements, supplier agreements and other legal issues as they arise;
• Building and maintaining relationships with our law firm and in-house legal team members globally and supporting each of the legal officers to do this in their respective regions;
• Monitoring key metrics and allocating resources as needed to manage project flow;
• Working closely with the team to manage regular communications with our global network of members, oversee relationship management, facilitate their engagement with the service and plan and host events to promote our work and raise our profile.

The skills, qualification, and experience for this role include:

• A qualified lawyer with at least 7 years of experience in a commercial legal environment;
• Someone with excellent project management skills and experience managing complex cross-border matters around the world;
• Experience working with diverse teams and proven people management skills;
• Experience in pro bono and an interest and experience in the development world;
• Experience working on social or policy issues would be an advantage but is not required;
• Someone with a good understanding of the legal industry internationally;
• An excellent communicator with first-class written and verbal communication skills. Being a global service that works with the best law firms, NGOs and social entrepreneurs in the world, we are looking for someone confident who can present the TrustLaw services to professionals from diverse backgrounds and cultures;
• A creative quick thinker who is also a highly motivated self-starter, with an ability to work independently and contribute ideas to the team; and
• Fluent in English. Additional languages are highly desirable.

The salary for this role is competitive. This role is offered for a fixed term period (12 months) only.

The closing date for this application is 3 December 2014. To apply for this position, send your CV and covering letter describing how you meet the specifications to trustlaw@thomsonreuters.com, with subject line “Co-Head of Legal position”. Please include contact details for two referees with your application (these will not be contacted without your permission).