Legal Counsel - India

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Legal Counsel - India

Department: Legal Department

Location: Mumbai/Pune

Report to: Chief Counsel, APAC

Membership in Leadership

Teams: Member of India country leadership team

Business Partner to: Managing Director, India

Job Responsibilities:

1. To provide professional legal advice, legal leadership, strategy and risk management through knowledge experience and help develop compliance systems and processes for all K-C operations and all areas of the business in India in conjunction with functional and business leaders in the countries and with appointed external legal advisors. To ensure that all K-C operations in India including joint venture with Hindustan Lever in India comply with the law in all areas.

2. To provide and set strategic direction, sound balanced legal advice on a wide range of corporate commercial matters. Accountability for corporate compliance and legal issues. Oversight for various legal regulatory and government affairs related matters.

3. To provide guidance, advice on product developments and approval on marketing claims and marketing materials in India.

4. Review and participate in the negotiation review and approval of material contracts. To pro actively ensure compliance in all areas of laws and contractual agreements and have preventive measures in place. To ensure legality of all significant contracts entered in particular with regard to third party contractors, distributors, purchasing, employment, compensation etc.

5. To advise on employment related issues e.g. termination, severance, mutual separation, outsourcing arrangements, employment templates.

6. To participate in negotiation and advice and be involved in preparation of documentation for mergers, disposals, restructures, strategic alliances, acquisitions of companies (if any).

7. To participate, assist and liaise with corporate functional departments on key technical service fee agreements, professional consultancy/services agreements, licensing and assignments as well as in dealing with third parties in matters of conflict and settlement.

8. To be actively involved in managing potential litigation and ensure that K-C interest is protected. To advise and assist the business partners in negotiations with third parties and to assist as appropriate in concluding settlements.

9. To work with external counsel to manage IP enforcement programs in India including raids.

10. To coordinate and work with regional APAC legal team and corporate legal groups in the global legal function such as the IP COE, Employment COE.

11. To ensure that all material legal and compliance related issues are approved by in accordance with policies and guidelines.

12. Development and maintenance of relationships with relevant external contacts and organisations (e.g. external lawyers, lawyers of key customers/competitors, governmental organisations, regulators, trade / industry associations, external bodies etc). Identifying work to be outsourced, selection and management of external lawyers, their fee arrangements and service levels. When the event requires the appointment of external lawyers, to instruct external lawyers, manage and liaise with them.

13. To work with APAC Compliance & Ethics Leader to drive compliance in India including driving compliance trainings and initiatives in India.

14. To develop and have training programs for non-legal functions on contractual, intellectual property, marketing law issues, where necessary.

15. Establishing a strong business partnership based on trust.

16. Providing support to supply chain and the Mills.

Qualifications and Experience:

(a) Law Degree from recognized university in India or Asia Pacific country

(b) Admitted as qualified lawyer in India.

(c) At least 10-12 years- experience post qualification in medium or large private practice (law firm) or MNC (in-house), preferably both.

(d) Excellent command of both spoken and written Hindi and English

(e) Experience providing legal counsel on a wide variety of corporate/commercial matters

(f) Experience drafting and negotiating agreements

(g) Initiative and creativity in seeking solutions to problems

(h) Ability to work independently and also as part of a diverse team

(i) Strong drive and commitment to deliver results

(j) Strong compliance/commercial experience. Prior FMCG experience will be a plus, but not necessary

(k) Highest ethical standards, promote ethical behaviour and high professional integrity

(l) Excellent interpersonal, organizational and analytical skills

(m) Ability to think strategically, take strategic risks and make tough decisions

(n) Ability to work effectively as part of a diverse multicultural team