The Legal Counsel - Litigation & Commercial Contracts will be responsible for managing the company's litigation portfolio across forums, coordinating with external counsels, and providing strategic legal advice to mitigate disputes and risks. The role will also support the business on commercial and procurement-related contracts, ensuring timely, compliant, and commercially balanced outcomes. The role will also support the company's real estate legal matters, including leasing, property documentation, title due diligence, regulatory compliance, and dispute management related to owned and leased properties across India.

This position will work closely with internal stakeholders across business, finance, procurement, and operations, and will report to the India Legal leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Litigation Management

• Lead and manage end-to-end litigation matters across civil, commercial, criminal, regulatory, and quasi-judicial forums.
• Develop and execute litigation strategy, including risk assessment, cost-benefit analysis, and resolution pathways (settlement/ADR/litigation).
• Coordinate closely with external counsels, including appointment, briefing, strategy alignment, monitoring performance, timelines, and costs.
• Ensure timely filings, hearings, updates, and compliance with court directions and statutory timelines.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date litigation records, trackers, and management reports.
• Support internal stakeholders with pre-litigation advisory, notices, responses, and dispute avoidance strategies.

Contracts & Commercial Support

• Draft, review, negotiate, and advise on commercial and business contracts, including procurement-related agreements.
• Support Direct and Indirect Procurement contracts such as supply agreements, services contracts, logistics, facilities, IT, and professional services.
• Identify legal risks in contracts and propose practical, business-oriented mitigation solutions.
• Support contract disputes, claims management, and enforcement actions.

Real Estate & Property Legal Support

• Provide legal support on commercial leasing, leave and license agreements, amendments, renewals, exits, and terminations for offices, warehouses, factories, and project sites.
• Support property acquisitions, divestments, and restructuring, including title due diligence, risk assessment, and transaction documentation.
• Coordinate with external counsels on property litigation, title disputes, landlord-tenant issues, and regulatory matters (stamp duty, registration, local approvals).
• Advise internal stakeholders on real estate compliance including registration, stamp duty, mutation, and local land laws.
• Support cross-functional teams (Finance, RE, Projects, Operations) on property-related risk mitigation and dispute avoidance strategies.

Stakeholder & Risk Advisory

• Act as a trusted legal advisor to business, procurement, finance, and operations teams.
• Provide clear, concise, and actionable legal opinions aligned with business objectives.
• Support internal compliance, audits, and management reporting related to disputes and contracts.

Qualifications & Experience

• Law degree from a recognized university in India.
• 10-15 years PQE, with strong experience in litigation management, preferably a mix of law firm and in-house roles.
• Proven hands-on experience managing external counsels and complex litigation portfolios.
• Good exposure to commercial and procurement contracts, including drafting, negotiation, and dispute support.
• Experience working in a corporate / matrixed environment is strongly preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong litigation strategy, analytical, and judgment skills.
• Ability to balance legal risk with commercial realities.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• High level of ownership, independence, and accountability.
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple matters and deadlines simultaneously.
• High standards of professionalism, integrity, and confidentiality.

Let us learn about you! Apply today.

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