PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

We are seeking a data protection, privacy and commercial law specialist to support and grow our nationally recognised Data and Digital team, with a particular focus on data subject rights and DSAR handling for major clients.

This hire is to help meet increasing client demand across our core sectors – retail, tech, sports, healthcare, and financial services – for robust, scalable DSAR programmes, privacy operations and data rights governance.

We are particularly interested in individuals with at least 3 years' PQE+, who are looking to step into an Associate level role.

THE TEAM

Our Commercial team is a national group, with teams across each AG office working together on national and cross border matters.

The Scottish team have an enviable client base and consists of three partners (Helena Brown – Head of Data, Ross McKenzie and Ross Nicol), fee earners, trainees, and embedded paralegals. The team advises on a range of work types including data protection compliance programmes, data subject rights (including complex DSAR handling), freedom of information, Intellectual Property protection and exploitation, IT outsourcing, business process outsourcing, facilities management outsourcing, logistics, SaaS, cloud arrangements and commercial contracts. T

You will be based in our Aberdeen office, working closely alongside Ross McKenzie and the wider Scottish Data and Digital team. The wider Data team are based across all of our UK offices. 

WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS ROLE

You will be handling a spread of data, digital and commercial advisory work, with a particular emphasis on DSAR operations and data subject rights management. This will include strategic advisory projects, data and information access, incident response, and preparing and negotiating a range of commercial contracts for clients on both the customer and supplier side, as well as managing transactions across IT and intellectual property issues.

In this role, you will:

• Lead on complex data, digital and commercial work servicing high-profile clients, including advising on GDPR/UK GDPR compliance, DSAR workflows, data subject rights management, international data transfers, PECR, AI/data ethics, smart data, cyber regulation and regulatory investigations.
• Act as a key point of contact for DSAR and data rights programmes, including advising on triage, scoping, search, review, redaction, disclosure and governance, and working with client operational teams to design and implement practical solutions.
• Be a primary contact for key clients, managing relationships, driving delivery, and offering commercial, solution focused advice on privacy operations and DSAR risk management.
• Deliver and manage large-scale compliance projects, including DSAR remediation exercises, data mapping and records of processing, and incident response plans, ensuring timely and thorough execution.
• Work cross functionally with teams including commercial, disputes, employment, and legal tech to provide integrated client support.
• Help shape team strategy by contributing to thought leadership and client engagement activities and data rights space, including training, horizon scanning and product development.

Your impact will include:

• Strengthening AG's reputation as a trusted adviser on complex data, digital, DSAR and privacy operations issues.
• Enhancing our delivery capability across the UK and internationally for high volume and complex mandates.

YOUR AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE

Essential:

•  3+ years PQE with a strong track record in data, privacy, and information law.
•  Hands on experience advising on and handling DSARs and wider data subject rights (access, erasure, rectification, restriction, portability, objection) for organisational clients, ideally at scale.
• Experience advising on UK GDPR, EU GDPR, and PECR, ideally across multiple sectors.
• Experience drafting contractual provisions and providing corporate and commercial transactional support relating to data and digital matters, including data processing and data sharing agreements.
• A consultative approach with the ability to deliver actionable, commercial advice to senior stakeholders, balancing legal risk with operational realities.
• Proven experience leading client projects, including risk assessments, DPIAs, international transfers, audits and DSAR process reviews.
•   Ability to build and maintain senior client relationships that lead to repeat business and deeper strategic engagement.

Desirable:

• Experience designing or optimising DSAR and data rights workflows, including use of technology assisted review, redaction tools and case management platforms.
• Experience advising on AI and algorithmic governance, digital marketing compliance, or data ethics frameworks.
• Exposure to or collaboration with legal tech tools or delivery platforms, particularly those used for DSAR and privacy operations.
• Experience in regulatory engagement or defending clients in enforcement action relating to data subject rights or access to information.
• Confident working with cross border issues and international teams, including DSARs involving multi jurisdictional data and complex group structures.