Commercial & Litigation Solicitor - Fixed Term Contract

About us

Halfords is a FTSE 250-listed plc and a recognised name across the UK, operating at scale across motoring services, cycling, retail, and digital platforms. The Group comprises an evolving portfolio of subsidiaries, creating a sophisticated and multi-dimensional operating environment, which has expended internationally.

Our in-house legal function sits at the heart of the organisation, partnering closely with senior leadership and key stakeholders to support strategic objectives and manage legal risk across the Group. The commercial and litigation legal function is integral to this, advising on a wide spectrum of complex and high-value matters.

The Role

As Commercial and Litigation Solicitor at Halfords, you will sit at the centre of the business providing practical, day to day legal advice that touches every department. This is a broad in-house role where you will support on everything from commercial contracts, marketing activity to regulatory matters and customer issues, ensuring the business operates diligently and compliantly. You will work closely with Procurement, Marketing, IT, Finance and Operations, acting as a trusted advisor who can translate legal complexity into clear, workable guidance.

You will split your time across commercial and litigation activities. From drafting and negotiating a range of contracts, managing IP matters, copy clearance, regulatory investigations and small claims across the Group. Alongside this, you will maintain oversight of insurable claims, liaise with external advisers, and support the General Counsel on wider initiatives including policy work, and corporate transaction activity when required.

This is a varied, hands-on role where no two days look the same. You will review and approve contracts from across the business, update templates and policies, deliver guidance and training to internal teams and provide clear, concise advice to non-legal stakeholders. This is an opportunity to apply both commercial and litigation experience in a fast-moving retail environment where your input has visible, practical impact every day.

Key responsibilities

• Manage small claims and support oversight of insurable claims across Retail and Garage Services businesses, maintaining accurate records and reporting and complying with strict deadlines.
• Draft, review and negotiate a wide range of commercial contracts including goods for resale, supplier, and service agreements in partnership with Procurement and other internal stakeholders.
• Provide advice on intellectual property matters including portfolio management, registrations, infringements, and brand protection.
• Deliver copy clearance for marketing promotions and financial services activity, working alongside the FCA Compliance Manager where required.
• Respond to regulatory enquiries and investigations including ASA, DVSA, Trading Standards, Health and Safety and other enforcement bodies.
• Liaise with external legal advisers and third-party suppliers, managing relationships and ensuring effective handling of claims and disputes.
• Review, update and maintain standard terms, template contracts and policies to ensure ongoing legal compliance.
• Deliver legal guidance and ‘know how’ sessions to internal stakeholders across departments including Marketing, Logistics, IT and HR.
• Support the General Counsel with corporate transaction activity including due diligence, post-completion work and contract support.
• Provide clear, concise legal advice to stakeholders across the business, translating complex issues into practical guidance.

About you

• Qualified Solicitor (with LPC/SQE or equivalent) with post-qualification experience across both commercial contracts and litigation or dispute resolution.
• Strong background in drafting, reviewing and negotiating contracts, with the ability to balance legal risk and commercial practicality.
• Confident in handling claims, disputes and regulatory matters, working with both internal stakeholders and external advisers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to translate complex legal detail into clear, actionable guidance.
• Highly organised with strong attention to detail, comfortable managing a varied workload across multiple legal areas.
• Approachable and resilient, building effective relationships across the business while remaining calm in challenging situations.

Reward & benefits

• A fair and competitive salary evaluated against market data, car allowance, pension, life assurance and 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Commitment and dedication to your ongoing personal and professional development. We help you to own and grow your potential so you can be at your best in your current role and to support your future career aspirations.
• We offer hybrid working with a blend of working in our Support Centre and from home.
• You will have access to a wealth of employee discounts across the Halfords suite of products and services.
• Wellbeing and inclusion are at the heart of our colleague experience. We offer resources and ongoing support to enhance your wellbeing at work and active Colleague Networks supporting inclusion initiatives across Halfords.

Not sure you meet all the criteria? We would encourage you to take the wheel and apply anyway! At Halfords we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for our colleagues. We are an equal opportunities employer and proud to welcome applications from all backgrounds and embrace diversity within our one Halfords Family.

Halfords operates a hybrid working policy with this position being based 2-3 days per week at our Support Centre in Redditch, West Midlands.