Legal Counsel – m/f/d in Hamburg

Provide high-quality, pragmatic, and commercially focused legal advice to BAT’s German business
Own assigned product and category portfolios, advising on product lifecycle management, launch readiness, claims, packaging, labelling, commercial activation, and route-to-market strategies
Provide strategic legal counsel on litigation, disputes, and regulatory matters
Draft, review, and negotiate complex commercial agreements, including distribution, supply, service, and marketing contracts
Advise on data protection and privacy matters, including consumer activation, eCommerce, GDPR compliance, consent management, and data governance
Advise senior stakeholders on legal and regulatory risks and compliance with applicable laws and internal policies
Monitor legal and regulatory developments in Germany and Europe and translate them into actionable business guidance
Manage external legal counsel and litigation providers, including quality and budget control
Collaborate with Marketing, Trade & Activation, Regulatory Affairs, Compliance, External Affairs, and Leadership Teams
Improve legal processes, templates, and legal technology tools
Safeguard BAT’s commercial interests and reputation through proactive risk management and strategic legal support

Requirements

• Fully qualified lawyer, ideally admitted to practice in Germany
• 5–8+ years of experience in commercial law, either in-house or in private practice
• Experience advising on legal and regulatory matters in highly regulated industries such as FMCG, food, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, or nicotine products
• Demonstrated experience managing or contributing to strategic litigation and complex disputes
• Strong expertise in data protection law and GDPR compliance
• Proven experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial contracts independently
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills across multiple functions and seniority levels
• Strong communication skills with the ability to simplify complex legal concepts for business audiences
• Deep understanding of relevant EU regulatory frameworks
• Strong knowledge of German legal requirements considered a significant advantage
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and commercial judgment capabilities
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic and fast-paced environment
• Fluent German, with native-level proficiency preferred
• Strong English language skills

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in providing strategic legal counsel, particularly in commercial law, data protection, and regulatory compliance within highly regulated industries. Proficient in drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements while managing stakeholder relationships and legal risks effectively.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Fully Qualified Lawyer
• 5–8+ Years Experience in Commercial Law
• Strong Expertise in Data Protection Law
• Proven Experience in Drafting Commercial Contracts
• Fluent German and Strong English Skills

Hard Skills

• Commercial Law
• Data Protection Law
• GDPR Compliance
• Drafting Commercial Agreements
• Litigation Management
• Regulatory Compliance
• Product Lifecycle Management
• Risk Management
• Legal Process Improvement
• Stakeholder Management

Soft Skills

• Strong Communication Skills
• Analytical Problem-Solving
• Influencing Skills
• Commercial Judgment
• Ability to Manage Multiple Priorities

Certifications & Qualifications

• Admitted to Practice in Germany

Industry Keywords

• FMCG
• Food
• Pharmaceuticals
• Tobacco
• Nicotine Products
• EU Regulatory Frameworks

Tools & Technologies

• Legal Technology Tools