Legal Counsel Legal & Compliance

• The position is that of a Legal Counsel: Legal and Compliance, and will form part of Group Legal, which is based in Cape Town. The incumbent will be reporting into the Head of Legal.

Job Description Role and Responsibilities

• Providing legal support to the business of the organisation in South Africa to ensure legal compliance of such businesses;
• Vetting of commercial agreements and other legal documents;
• Drafting of commercial agreements, legal correspondence and other legal documents for every business area across the organisation, including lease agreements, and company related agreements
• agreements, information technology related agreements, sponsorship and marketing agreements, reviewing of marketing materials and distribution agreements;
• Draft master agreements for recurring business models so as to standardize key terms and streamline the contract review process.
• Ensure that contracts are of a consistently high quality, practically implementable, substantially fulfils the businesses' requirements, and are compliant with the relevant legislation.
• Provide advice to all stakeholders across the company's businesses;
• Assist in negotiations with potential business partners and provide advice to management to ensure that it is aware of the legal impact of its decisions.
• Ensure that the legal advice provided is of a consistently high quality, practically implementable, commercially and legally strategic, and compliant with the relevant legislation.
• Attending to all legal and regulatory aspects of transactions and projects when required, including the briefing and management of external lawyers and the negotiation of the various agreements;
• Providing Corporate Commercial M & A transactional legal support to the Head of Legal;
• Advise all stakeholders in SA of potential litigation risks associated with business decisions and business practices.
• Research and provision of legal opinions;
• Assisting business units with advice on legislation and alignment of business processes and contracts in accordance with legislation;
• inform the various businesses of developments in legislation which have the potential to impact their business areas.
• Monitor the organisation's compliance with statutory obligations and advise the business of any non-compliance with such obligations.
• Assistance in ensuring that all trade mark and intellectual property matters are maintained, including searches, liaison with external trade mark attorney regarding registration, and monitoring breaches of intellectual property.
• Legal administration;
• Aspects of office administration;

Job Requirements Key Skills, Competencies, Education and Experience Requirements

• Have an LLB or equivalent degree.
• Admission as Attorney and experience in legal practice is advantageous.
• Must have a minimum of at least 2 years post qualification exposure to a legal practice or in-house legal department dealing primarily with general commercial work/drafting and vetting of a wide variety of contracts of the nature described above.
• A sound knowledge of legislation impacting the above business lines
• Experience in litigation and Intellectual Property will be advantageous.
• Excellent analytical skills with attention to detail, logical thought processes and sound judgment and decision-making abilities.
• Excellent organisational, planning and prioritising skills.