Legal Counsel at BIC Nigeria


BIC Nigeria

BICĀ® products are known and appreciated all over the world for their quality, their affordability and ease of use. The ballpoint pen, the pocket lighter, the one-piece shaver are all part of the daily lives of millions of consumers. These products make BICĀ® one of the best known international brands, present in 3.2 million retail outlets, in more than 160 countries. As we explore the tremendous opportunities ahead, we have a need for dedicated and dynamic employees to help build our team.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Legal Counsel

Location:
 Lagos
Employment Type: Full-time

The Role

  • Legal Counsel with expertise in both band enforcement and anti-counterfeit action.
  • This role involves a dynamic blend of legal proficiency and strategic enforcement, ensuring adherence to Nigerian laws and effective combat against counterfeit operations.
  • It will have end-to-end responsibility for all legal and compliance matters for Commercial and Group Supply Chain operations in Nigeria.
  • The successful candidate will report to the Senior Legal Counsel in WACA.

Key Responsibilities

  • Provide legal guidance on matters related to band enforcement and anti-counterfeit strategies.
  • Draft, review, and oversee the execution of legal documents and settlement agreements.
  • Assist in legal proceedings related to band enforcement and anti-counterfeit actions.
  • Engage with law enforcement authorities and external partners.
  • Develop and implement strategies to combat counterfeit activities effectively with the Group Head of the Anti-Counterfeit Department.

Legal Advisory:

  • With the guidance of Regional Senior Legal Counsel and/or external counsel (as applicable), give accurate and timely legal counsel to the business operations in Nigeria.

Contracting Excellence:

  • Draft, review and advise on a variety of legal documentation and contracts.
  • Send out prompters for Agreement renewals and arrange for the proper and timely execution of Agreements.
  • Negotiate with outside parties on specified contractual issues and legal disputes.
  • Update the contract management tool in a timely manner and follow up with the relevant stakeholders in its life cycle.

Corporate Entity Management:

  • Responsible for keeping up to date Board Meetings, annual and periodic corporate filings,
  • Prepare appropriate delegations of authority to business leaders and for business activities like bank account operations, etc

Regulatory Compliance:

  • Working with the Regional Senior Legal Counsel and external counsel, ensure that current laws, regulations, rules, and legal materials/information likely to impact Business Partners operations are pre-emptively identified and develop materials to advise the business accordingly.
  • Maintain a compliance calendar to track important deadlines, filings, and reporting requirements.
  • Prepare regular reports and updates on the Companyā€™s compliance status at the local level.
  • Maintain accurate records of all legal and compliance-related documents, contracts, permits, and licenses specific to the local jurisdiction. Ensure that the organization is up-to-date with all necessary filings

Litigation Management:

  • Assist with reviewing new claims and collaborating with business teams to devise efficient defense, working with the Regional Senior Legal Counsel.
  • Collate information and documents to aid the Litigation process and arrangements for Company witnesses and pre-trial briefings.
  • Proactively liaise and collaborate with external counsel, including follow-up and obtaining feedback on cases.

Legal Risk Management:

  • Proactively research and evaluate different risk factors regarding business teams’ decisions and operations and advise accordingly.
  • Perform initial due diligence in legal matters, where required.

Training and Awareness:

  • Prepare periodic articles, training materials, and updates on relevant legal issues for the business’ information.

Legal Operations:

  • Ensure timely payment of External counsel and other Legal Vendors.
  • Prepare legal reports and slides as assigned by the Regional Senior Legal Counsel.
  • Update and maintain online and physical legal files and documentation.
  • Ensure monthly updates of templates and other legal departments on the Legal Sharepoint
  • Ensure proper filing of the Legal Team’s documents.
  • Projects/Programmes
  • Support Legal Projects and/or other such programs within the Company.
  • Carry out other legal-related tasks received from the Regional Senior Counsel.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Law and admitted to the Bar.
  • 5 years of relevant experience, preferably in consumer goods business with exposure to the manufacturing environment
  • Proficiency expected in spoken and written English
  • Self-driven, result-oriented with Business partnering skills
  • Excellent business communication skills with the ability to explain complex issues in layman’s terms without ā€œlawyeringā€ and driving business leaders to the informed decision-making process
  • Creativity to propose alternative legal solutions that make business sense
  • A combination of ā€œproject ownershipā€ mentality, intellectual curiosity, roll up your sleeves ā€œcan doā€ attitude
  • Courage and diplomacy to discard legally unviable options
  • Computing proficiency to work with Group legal tools and MS Office
  • Excellent organizing, planning, and prioritizing skills with the willingness to learn and grow professionally.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online