Job Description

Description / Duties:

Under the supervision of the Director of the University Legal and Compliance Office (ULCO), the Senior University Legal Counsel shall be responsible for providing legal and compliance support specifically to the assigned unit (with supplementary support to other units) in order to mitigate legal risks and ensure legal compliance.

I. Governance and Compliance

• Enable the key administrators of the assigned unit to make strategic decisions by providing legal know-how to mitigate potential legal problems and ensure compliance with relevant laws
• Draft and recommend policies, programs, and protocols to manage the legal and compliance risks of the assigned units
• Prepare a wide variety of written materials for the purpose of documenting activities, providing written references, conveying information, and/or supporting presentations concerning policy and procedure changes
• Collaborate with external stakeholders in providing input to national or local legislation that impacts the University’s operations
• Provide guidance to the University in effecting policy changes in the assigned unit that may impact other units of the University
• Advocate and collaborate with internal stakeholders in introducing and adopting policy changes to address legal issues
• Provide input to the Internal Audit and Financial Risk Management Office and to the President on the regulatory and compliance aspects of the assigned unit’s operations
• Legal advice on operational and transactional matters
• Evaluate complex and volatile situations with legal implications, and recommend the best option available for the assigned unit /University administration
• Research and evaluate different risk factors pertaining to legal exposures in transactional and operational matters
• Provide accurate and timely legal advice to key administrators of the assigned unit on a variety of legal concerns, including labor and immigration law, administrative proceedings, torts, and damages, education law, corporation law, commercial and construction law, tax and finance law, intellectual property law, and data privacy
• Provide the assigned unit administration with information or updates on laws and issuances that require compliance by the assigned unit

II. Documents drafting and review

• Prepare legal communications on behalf of the assigned unit
• Draft and/or review agreements, contracts, and other legal documents entered into by the University, through the assigned unit, to ensure the University’s legal compliance and protect the University’s rights and interests
• Review external and internal communications of the assigned unit to ensure that information is conveyed in a legally-compliant manner

III. Legal representation

• Represent the assigned unit in internal and external activities requiring legal representation (e.g., consultations, workshops, conferences, etc.).
• Represent the assigned unit in administration and negotiations with internal and external constituents
• Where circumstances warrant, represent the assigned unit (therefore the University) in the direct handling of certain legal proceedings

IV. Dispute management

• Manage a range of legal disputes involving a variety of internal and external stakeholders
• Review complaints involving acts of misconduct or disciplinary offenses by employees in the assigned unit and provide legal guidance on handling the investigative and disciplinary processes
• Identify disputes that are appropriate for mediation and recommend referral to alternative dispute settlement
• Identify critical disputes that have a high potential for litigation and determine the necessity for referral to external counsel in preparation for possible lawsuits

V. Legal empowerment/Building of a compliance culture

• Initiate programs and activities to promote a corporate culture that maintains the highest possible standards of legal and regulatory compliance
• Identify and train key personnel to perform paralegal services
• Design and implement training and information sessions to raise awareness and compliance with laws, other governmental issuances, and University/school policies, rules, and regulations
• Develop information, education, and communication tools to communicate the legal responsibilities of a variety of constituents

VI. Administrative functions

• Manage external legal services
• Establish and implement protocols for identifying and vetting external counsels and referring legal matters involving the assigned unit to external counsel, including matters that require legal advice or intervention from experts in specialized areas of law
• Design and implement a monitoring and evaluation system to ensure quality and cost-efficient services of external counsel with regard to legal matters involving the assigned unit
• Review and monitor the assigned unit’s budgets for engaging services of external legal counsel
• Coordinate, whenever necessary, with the assigned units on legal matters
• Attend various meetings for the purpose of conveying and/or gathering information required to perform job functions
• Develop and implement a case/legal intervention management system to document the legal requirements of the assigned unit and ensure responsiveness to the assigned unit’s needs for legal services

VII. Communication

• Represent key administrators of the assigned unit in communicating sensitive, controversial, and complex messages of a legal nature to internal stakeholders, and coordinate the exchange of information on such matters with the assigned unit
• Provide input to the University Marketing and Communication Office on the legal aspects of communications with external stakeholders

Skills required:

• Strong initiative, as well as excellent skills in management, team building, delegation, and problem-solving
• Above-average leadership skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal and negotiating skills
• Substantive knowledge of a broad spectrum of relevant legal principles, practices, and proceedings
• Demonstrated ability to create legal defensive or proactive strategies
• A high degree of professional ethics and integrity
• Sound judgment and ability to analyze situations and information
• Ability to work independently with little or no supervision
• Able to handle multiple matters simultaneously

Experience required:

• Member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in good standing
• At least ten years in the practice of law, preferably with experience as legal counsel in a school environment
• At least two years of litigation experience
• Experience in contract law, labor and employment law, torts, and damages, and education law is desirable

Hours offered:

Mondays to Saturdays, 44 working hours per week