Counsel – Litigation, Arbitration & Investigations

About the Role

BAE Systems is seeking an experienced Counsel – Litigation, Arbitration & Investigations to join our Head Office legal team. This is a crucial role responsible for managing complex disputes, providing expert legal advice, and supporting the development of investigations capabilities across the business. You will collaborate closely with senior stakeholders, delivering pragmatic, commercially focused guidance on high-value and sensitive legal matters while contributing to the broader global legal community.

Core Duties

• Manage disputes on behalf of the business.
• Support the development and implementation of investigations capabilities across the organisation.
• Identify legal risks and implement effective mitigation strategies.
• Advise on dispute avoidance and negotiate dispute settlements, pre- and post-proceedings.
• Oversee and manage external legal advisers to ensure high-quality, cost-effective outcomes.
• Provide specialist advice on English law, including High Court litigation and international arbitration.
• Deliver clear, practical legal guidance in straightforward language.
• Contribute to knowledge sharing and deliver training on dispute resolution topics.
• Promote high standards of legal delivery, focusing on accuracy, clarity, and commerciality.
• Willingness to travel and attend in-person meetings in the UK and internationally.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Qualified solicitor or barrister in England & Wales.
• Experience in dispute resolution, including High Court litigation and international arbitration.
• Background in a leading international law firm and/or relevant in-house experience.
• Proven ability to assess and manage legal risk in complex environments.
• Commercially focused with a client-oriented, service-driven approach.
• Sound judgement and decision-making capability.
• Ability to communicate complex legal matters clearly, concisely, and effectively.
• Comfortable taking end-to-end ownership of matters and being proactive.
• Works collaboratively, with a solutions-focused mindset, and builds internal networks.

The Legal Team

You will join a collaborative and high-performing Head Office litigation, arbitration and investigations team, reporting to the Head of Investigations & Dispute Resolution. The team partners closely with stakeholders across the business, providing expert support on complex and strategic legal matters. As a subject matter expert, you will play a key role in shaping legal strategy, building relationships, and contributing to a supportive, forward-thinking legal function.

Security and Export Control

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.