Senior Legal Officer

Chief Legal Officer (CLO) / Head – Legal & Compliance

Reporting To: Board of Directors / Managing Director / CEO
Department: Legal, Compliance & Risk Management
Location: India (Pan-India & International Exposure)
Experience Required: 15+ years (Corporate, M&A, Fundraising, Litigation Strategy)
Team Size: 25 Core Legal Team + 3000+ Associated Lawyers (Pan-India & Global Network)

The Chief Legal Officer (CLO) will serve as the principal legal authority of the organization, responsible for end-to-end legal governance across corporate operations, fundraising, company acquisition, restructuring, dispute management, and strategic business decisions.

The CLO will integrate legal strategy with business objectives, manage pre-litigation and post-litigation frameworks, and lead a large-scale legal ecosystem comprising internal teams and thousands of associated advocates, counsels, and legal professionals.

This is a C-suite, decision-making role with direct board exposure and strategic responsibility.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES1. Corporate Legal Governance

• Act as Chief Legal Advisor to the Board, CEO, CFO, and senior management.
• Draft, review, and approve:
• Articles of Association, Shareholders’ Agreements, JV Agreements
• Board policies, charters, governance frameworks
• Ensure statutory, regulatory, and secretarial compliance across group companies.
• Develop company-wide legal SOPs, risk policies, and compliance matrices.

2. Fundraising & Investment Legal Leadership

• Lead legal structuring of fundraising transactions, including:
• Equity, Compulsory Convertible Instruments, Debt, Hybrid Instruments
• Private Equity, Venture Capital, HNI & Strategic Investments
• Draft and negotiate:
• Term Sheets, SSA, SHA, Investment Agreements
• Escrow arrangements, investor protection clauses
• Conduct legal due diligence for incoming and outgoing investments.
• Protect promoter and company interests while maintaining investor confidence.

3. Mergers, Acquisitions & Business Restructuring

• Head all M&A legal activities, including:
• Acquisitions, mergers, slump sales, asset purchases
• Strategic stake acquisitions and exits
• Manage:
• Legal due diligence
• Transaction structuring
• Regulatory approvals and filings
• Coordinate with investment bankers, auditors, valuers, and consultants.
• Ensure risk-mitigated and compliant deal closures.

4. Litigation, Pre-Litigation & Dispute Management

• Oversee end-to-end litigation strategy, including:
• Civil, Commercial, Corporate, Financial, and Regulatory matters
• Design pre-litigation frameworks:
• Legal notices, negotiation, mediation, arbitration
• Supervise post-litigation execution:
• Appeals, enforcement, recovery actions
• Manage high-value disputes involving:
• Banks, investors, regulators, vendors, partners, and borrowers

5. Legal Risk & Compliance Management

• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal, regulatory, and contractual risks.
• Develop risk matrices, compliance dashboards, and escalation protocols.
• Ensure adherence to:
• Companies Act, SEBI, RBI, FEMA, Insolvency laws, Commercial laws
• Implement internal audits and legal compliance reviews.

6. Leadership of Legal Ecosystem

• Lead and manage:
• 25+ in-house legal professionals
• 3000+ associated lawyers, counsels, and law firms
• Allocate matters based on jurisdiction, specialization, and risk profile.
• Establish performance benchmarks, reporting systems, and quality control.
• Act as final authority on legal opinions and strategy approvals.

7. Business Strategy & Commercial Advisory

• Participate in strategic business decisions from a legal lens.
• Support:
• New business models
• Product launches
• Expansion into new jurisdictions
• Balance legal protection with commercial practicality.

KEY SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

• Exceptional expertise in Corporate Law, M&A, Fundraising, Litigation
• Strong command over contract negotiation and risk structuring
• Proven ability to manage large legal teams and nationwide counsel networks
• Strategic thinking with business-first legal approach
• High integrity, confidentiality, and leadership maturity
• Strong communication with Board, Investors, Regulators, and Courts

QUALIFICATIONS

• LLB / LLM from a recognized university
• Enrollment with Bar Council (mandatory)
• Additional qualifications in Company Law / Corporate Governance preferred

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• 15+ years of post-qualification experience
• Prior experience as:
• General Counsel / Head of Legal / Senior Partner / CLO
• Hands-on exposure to:
• Fundraising transactions
• Company acquisitions
• High-value litigation and dispute resolution

AUTHORITY & DECISION RIGHTS

• Final approval authority for all legal documents and strategies
• Direct access to Board and promoters
• Power to appoint, remove, and manage external counsels
• Authority to halt transactions posing unacceptable legal risk

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Executive-level compensation (fixed + performance-linked incentives)
• Strategic bonus on successful fundraising & acquisitions
• Long-term growth opportunities with leadership authority

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: ₹25,000.00 - ₹95,000.00 per month

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Internet reimbursement
• Life insurance

Experience:

• LEGAL REPRESENTATION: 10 years (Required)
• LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS: 10 years (Required)
• Acquisition strategy: 4 years (Required)

Language:

• English (Required)

Work Location: In person