Meryl Smith

Qualified solicitor (2010). I am a motivated, self starter who works well on my own as well as part of a team. I have experience in both private practice and in-house, more recently working in-house for a pharmaceutical company.

General Counsel at Cycle Pharmaceuticals Limited (2022-10 – 2025-11)

Responsible for delivering high quality legal advice to stakeholders on a variety of legal matters

• Company and Commercial Law
• Intellectual Property
• Leading management of external legal solicitors to ensure the most cost effective, high quality legal support
• Share options
• Employment Law
• Contract Law and novations
• Company restructuring including the drafting of board papers
• Shaping internal policies, supporting risk management and driving continuous improvement across legal operations
• Providing advice on corporate governance, including Board matters and shareholder relations
• Contributing to strategic planning and decision making
• Responsibility for legal budget
• Involvement in company's first acquisition
• UK GDPR
• Managing External Counsel
• One US direct compliance report and one UK direct report
• UK qualified, with US experience

Legal Counsel at Cycle Pharmaceuticals Limited (2022-02 – 2022-09)

Responsible for delivering legal advice to stakeholders on a variety of legal matters, with a commercial and IP focus.

In-house solicitor and Director at Sequin Art Limited (2018-04 – 2021-12)

In-house solicitor and then promoted to director sitting on the executive team for a family run business in the arts and crafts industry. I operated as Managing Director during covid (when I had responsibility for the strategic direction and operations). Responsible for contract drafting and negotiation (UK, EU and US), employment law, HR, health and safety, dispute resolution, intellectual property disputes and trademark registration, licensing agreements, commercial contract negotiation, contracts register, component purchasing management, risk management, insurance and responsibility for toy safety compliance.

I first joined the company as in-house solicitor. The existing management team were retiring. I was tasked with recruiting a new team and putting new procedures and policies in place, including for example a contracts register.

It was a self-starting role where I worked autonomously as well as being part of a team.

• Settlement of a trademark dispute against a national retailer
• Settlement of a trademark dispute against an international supermarket chain
• Re-negotiation of staff contracts
• Recruitment of a new office team
• Operating during covid

Solicitor, then Associate Solicitor at Gordon Dean Solicitors (2014-09 – 2017-11)

Managed a caseload of Civil claims. Also responsible for supervising three support staff and providing feedback and advice to junior colleagues.

• Settled employers' liability claims
• Settled a historic sexual abuse claim
• Exceeded all billing targets
• Client recommendations and positive client feedback
• Proactively involved in business development activities
• Article writing for local press

Solicitor at McCool Patterson Hemsi Solicitors (2010 – 2011)

I joined the firm as a newly qualified Solicitor specialising in Non Freezing Cold Injury Personal Injury claims against the Ministry Of Defence. I worked under the supervision of a senior Solicitor building up my own Personal Injury caseload, as well as assisting him with more complex cases.

Trainee Solicitor and Solicitor at Gordon Dean Solicitors LLP (2008 – 2010)

Paralegal at Steeles Law LLP (2008 – 2008)

Specialist legal area: Company and Commercial

Level 6 in Probate Practice in Probate – CILEX (2018 – 2018)

Level 6 in Conveyancing in Conveyancing – CILEX

Post-Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice in Legal Practice – Anglia Ruskin University

LLB in Law – University of East Anglia (2005)

A levels in English Language and Literature, Business Studies, Sociology – Diss High School (2002)