Job Overview
Location
London
Job Type
Full-time
Category
Engineering Manager
Date Posted
February 26, 2026
Full Job Description
đź“‹ Description
- • As the Head of Product Engineering at Lawhive, you will be instrumental in shaping the future of our AI-native legal platform, a revolutionary approach to making legal services accessible and efficient. Reporting directly to our CTO, Jaime van Oers, you will be the driving force behind the evolution of our entire engineering department, playing a pivotal role in our ambitious growth trajectory. This is a unique opportunity to lead a talented team of 40 engineers and researchers, architecting and building the next generation of legal technology that is already trusted by hundreds of legal professionals across the UK and US.
- • You will be the CTO's right-hand person, deeply involved in defining and executing the technical strategy and architectural vision for Lawhive. This includes not only overseeing the current platform but also pioneering new solutions that will propel us into the next phase of our global expansion. Your leadership will be crucial in fostering a high-performance, delivery-focused culture within the engineering team, ensuring we consistently meet and exceed our ambitious goals.
- • A core aspect of your role will be to act as an exceptional technical leader and architect for a complex, international product. You will be responsible for setting the standards for engineering excellence, ensuring our platform is robust, scalable, and adaptable to diverse legal landscapes. This involves not just high-level strategy but also a hands-on approach, embodying a player/coach mindset where you are willing to dive into the code when necessary to unblock the team or set an example.
- • You will lead the charge in growing and levelling up our engineering team. This means actively participating in hiring exceptional talent, identifying skill gaps, and implementing strategies to attract and retain top engineers and researchers. Your ability to build and mentor a world-class team will be paramount to our success.
- • A significant part of your responsibility will be to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of our engineering processes. You will define and refine our ways of working, establish clear quality standards, and implement best practices across the board. This includes formalising delivery management processes and evolving our performance development frameworks to support individual and team growth.
- • Building and maintaining exceptionally strong cross-functional partnerships will be key. You will work closely with Product, Design, AI Research, Legal, Customer Success, and Sales teams, fostering a collaborative environment where we operate as a single, cohesive unit. Driving strong communication standards and ensuring seamless integration between departments will be critical for delivering a unified and exceptional product experience.
- • As a key member of Lawhive's Senior Leadership Team (SLT), you will contribute to setting the future business strategy, particularly as we scale globally. Your technical insights and leadership will be invaluable in guiding Lawhive's expansion and ensuring our technological capabilities align with our overarching business objectives.
- • You will be a champion for innovation, cultivating a product-minded culture within engineering. This involves encouraging experimentation, leading the charge on leveraging AI to scale our output effectively, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in legal tech. We are not satisfied with traditional 'chat' interfaces and are actively inventing new paradigms for human/machine interaction.
- • Ensuring our products evolve rapidly and safely is a top priority. You will oversee the implementation and adherence to the best development, security, and testing practices, guaranteeing the integrity and reliability of our platform as it scales and expands into new markets. This includes building modularity and legal flexibility into the core of our platform to support country independence, a critical factor in our international expansion.
- • The engineering team is responsible for architecting, building, and running Lawhive’s AI-native platform. In the next 12 months, our focus is on delivering full-stack AI-native legal services, building a modular platform with legal flexibility and country independence, and pushing the envelope on the user experience of lawyers’ AI interactions. Your leadership will directly impact our ability to achieve these critical objectives and solidify Lawhive's position as a leader in the legal tech industry.
🎯 Requirements
- • Proven experience in a senior engineering leadership role, with a track record of building and scaling high-performing engineering teams.
- • Strong technical background with experience in architecting complex, distributed systems, ideally with a focus on SaaS products and cloud infrastructure (AWS preferred).
- • Excellent understanding of modern software development practices, including Agile methodologies, CI/CD, and a commitment to quality, security, and testing.
- • Experience working in a fast-paced, high-growth startup environment, with the ability to adapt to changing priorities and drive results.
- • Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across diverse teams and influence stakeholders at all levels.
- • Player/coach mentality with a willingness to get hands-on with code when necessary, alongside strategic leadership responsibilities.
🏖️ Benefits
- • Meaningful early-stage equity at one of Europe’s fastest growing startups.
- • 33 days’ annual leave (25 + bank holidays) plus your birthday off.
- • Pension contribution via Nest.
- • 20% off legal fees through Lawhive.
- • Top-spec equipment - MacBook/Windows.
- • Regular team building activities and socials.
Skills & Technologies
Python
TypeScript
PostgreSQL
AWS
Terraform
Onsite
About Lawhive Inc.
Lawhive is a legal tech company that provides a comprehensive platform designed to streamline legal operations for law firms. Their AI-powered solution automates administrative tasks, manages client communication, and organizes case documents, allowing legal professionals to focus more on practicing law and less on paperwork. The platform aims to enhance efficiency, reduce overhead costs, and improve client service delivery. By integrating features like intelligent document analysis, automated billing, and secure client portals, Lawhive empowers law firms of all sizes to modernize their workflows and achieve greater productivity in a competitive legal landscape.
