Senior Legal Counsel

Create Solutions that will enable a better tomorrow

Are you motivated by working with complex commercial contracts, legal risk management and major construction and infrastructure projects in an international environment? Do you enjoy combining strong legal expertise with a pragmatic, business-oriented approach to support decision-making and deliver practical solutions? And do you thrive in a collaborative role where you can build relationships across a global organization? Then COWI could be the right place for you.

To support our business in Denmark and internationally, we are looking for a Senior Legal Counsel to join our legal team at COWI's headquarters in Lyngby, Denmark. As an international consultancy, COWI delivers engineering, architecture, energy and environmental solutions across the globe. We contribute to some of the world's most significant and sustainable projects, and our legal team plays an important role in enabling our business, managing legal and commercial risks, and supporting successful project delivery.

In this role, you will report to the Head of Legal responsible for Business Line Denmark. You will join the Danish legal team, consisting of four senior legal counsels and two paralegals, and become part of COWI's Group Legal function. Group Legal comprises 25 team members based in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the UK, Ireland and Canada, providing comprehensive legal support across COWI's business lines.

This position is ideal for an experienced legal professional who enjoys working hands-on with complex contractual matters, negotiating commercial agreements and supporting large construction and infrastructure projects. You will take ownership of legal matters, provide clear and commercially focused advice, and work closely with colleagues across the organization to manage risk and find practical solutions.

Your key responsibilities

• Providing day-to-day legal advice and assistance to senior management, operational management and project managers in Denmark and internationally.
• Structuring, drafting and negotiating consultancy agreements, framework agreements, joint venture agreements, memoranda of understanding, teaming agreements and other commercial contracts.
• Advising on contract management, claims management and the identification, assessment and mitigation of legal and commercial risks.
• Reviewing and negotiating contracts for large and complex construction and infrastructure projects, including agreements based on ABR 18, AB 18, FIDIC and bespoke contractual terms.
• Providing legal support to ongoing projects throughout their lifecycle, helping project teams navigate contractual obligations, risks and commercial challenges.
• Advising on disputes and settlement negotiations, including instructing and coordinating external legal counsel.
• Supporting, training and guiding line managers and senior management on legal matters, including contracts, public procurement, competition law, intellectual property rights and data protection.
• Supporting corporate housekeeping and advising on legal compliance matters.
• Providing legal support for mergers and acquisitions and other strategic business initiatives.
• Contributing to the continuous improvement and development of COWI's standard contract templates and legal processes.

Your skills. Our teams. Together we design the future.

At COWI, collaboration is essential. We value professionals who build strong relationships, take ownership, and contribute with both technical expertise and a pragmatic, business-oriented mindset. You are proactive, curious and motivated to continuously improve how legal support is delivered across the organization.

On top of that, you will have:

• A Danish Master's degree in Law.
• Experience from a law firm and/or an in-house legal function.
• Extensive experience in contractual review and negotiation, including ABR 18, AB 18, FIDIC and bespoke forms of agreements.
• A strong understanding of legal and commercial risk management, with the ability to identify, assess and mitigate contractual risks.
• Strong drafting and communication skills in both Danish and English.
• Excellent analytical skills and the ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, concise and commercially relevant advice for legal and non-legal stakeholders.
• A pragmatic, business-oriented approach, balancing attention to detail with an understanding of the bigger picture.
• The ability to work independently, take ownership of complex legal matters and make sound, well-reasoned decisions.
• A collaborative mindset and an interest in working as part of a specialist legal team supporting a large international organization.
• Experience working in an international environment would be an advantage.

A place to work and so much more.

At COWI, we collaborate with our customers to shape a sustainable and liveable world. We do it by applying our knowledge and curiosity – and sometimes even our courage – to create the solutions the world needs today to enable a better tomorrow.

We support our customers' transition towards increased sustainability. We strive to set a positive standard by embedding environmental management, social responsibility and good governance into our business practices and the solutions we provide for our customers.

We value differences and development and cultivate an environment of belonging and having fun, because that is what brings out the best in you, at work and at home. With offices primarily located in Scandinavia, the UK, North America and India, we bring together expertise in engineering, architecture, energy and the environment to create lasting impact.

Got More Questions?

If you have any questions about the role or what we have to offer, please contact Head of Legal Denmark, Kit Bækgaard at kich@cowi.com or Senior Global Talent Acquisition Specialist, Mette Gutte at mtgt@cowi.com

Get to know us even better at our website, www.cowi.com, where you can learn more about our projects, our strategy and what life is like at COWI.

Before you apply

All you need to include in your application is your CV – no photo or application letter. At an interview, you can tell us everything we need to know about why you're interested in joining COWI. As for the photo, we prefer to form our first impression in person rather than from a picture.

Diversity is fundamental to COWI, inclusion is key.

We are committed to creating a respectful and fair work environment where all employees have a sense of belonging and equitable opportunities to thrive and grow. We ensure that our leaders are role models for inclusive leadership by cultivating a culture where diverse perspectives and thoughts are seen as strengths.

We take diversity and inclusion into account in all relevant decisions and processes and when setting up teams and forums. We do it because it is part of our values and because it is simply the right thing to do.