Legal Counsel - Contracts and Advisory

Job Description

We are looking for a highly motivated and business-oriented Manager – Legal to join our in-house legal team. The ideal candidate will be someone with a strong foundation in contracting, and with experience in e-commerce related arrangements as well as a wide range of general commercial agreements relevant to the Indian corporate and regulatory environment.

The role demands a balance of legal acumen, commercial awareness, and stakeholder management, ensuring all business operations align with applicable laws and contractual obligations, while supporting strategic business goals.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Contract Drafting, Review & Negotiation

• Draft, review, vet, and negotiate:
  • Commercial agreements, including services contracts
  • Marketing and PR related contracts
  • Technology, SaaS and licensing agreements
  • MSAs, NDAs, reseller/partner agreements, and consulting/service contracts
• Ensure clarity of commercial terms, risk assessment, and protection of company’s interests and rights. Ensure all requisite clauses and protections are included in the contracts, such as limitation of liability, indemnity, data protection, termination conditions.
• Customize standard templates and build negotiation playbooks tailored to the company’s risk appetite and processes.

2. Stakeholder & Business Partnering

• Engage with cross-functional teams including procurement, business, finance, information security, product, and operations, to support their contracting needs.
• Act as a legal advisor on commercial matters, advising on rights, liabilities, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Participate in internal business negotiations and vendor/onboarding processes from a legal standpoint.

3. Compliance & Legal Risk Management

• Ensure contracts are compliant with the Indian Contract Act, IT Act, E-Commerce Guidelines, Data Protection Laws and other relevant statutory requirements.
• Stay abreast of evolving regulatory and compliance frameworks in India.
• Maintain and update legal trackers and contract repositories.

4. Policy, Process & Template Management

• Develop and periodically update contract templates, legal SOPs.
• Drive awareness of legal and compliance policies through internal trainings and workshops.
• Contribute to automation initiatives for contract lifecycle management.

Qualifications

• LLB or LLM from a recognized Indian law school/university
• 8-10 years of total PQE, with experience in commercial contracts, law firm experience is preferred
• Experience in contract negotiation and legal advisory for various procurement needs, and commercial contracts
• Familiarity with Indian IT regulatory frameworks and e-commerce guidelines

Key Skills:

• Strong command of Indian contract law and commercial legal principles
• Advanced legal drafting and redlining skills
• Excellent negotiation skills with internal and external parties (vendors, suppliers, partners)
• Risk-aware, yet commercially flexible
• Proficient in legal tools, MS Office, and contract management systems

Soft Skills:

• High integrity and professional ethics
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder communication skills
• Ability to manage workload independently with minimal supervision
• Problem-solving attitude with a focus on enabling business within legal boundaries

Nice to Have:

• Exposure to international contracting norms
• Knowledge of the upcoming Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) and its business implications
• Prior experience with internal audits, legal compliance checklists, and vendor legal due diligence, especially in regulated businesses