Job Description:

Job Purpose: Junior Regional Counsel South : To support the regional RC and ARC in due diligence, execution and registration of leases, manage regional legal data base (digitization of leases, uploading on the portal, etc.,) and coordinate with Lawyers, for due diligence, litigations, processing professional payments.

Job Context:

The role extends to South region for ABFRL business. The laws/regulations whether relating to leasing, retail compliance, litigations, etc., vary from state to state that make the decision-making process complex. Managing common legal regional teams to support businesses separately within the timelines that are often steep is also a challenge. Following are the operational challenges.

1. Synergy in leasing and litigation processes between PT and MFL and ensure seamless support to both the businesses
2. Resolve issues arising out of legal due diligence of properties proposed to be taken on leases that are escalated by regional legal counsel.
3. Registration of Lease - Non-registered lease deeds put the business to high risk and will be construed as month to month tenancy in which case the landlord can evict the tenant                 (ABFRL) by giving mere 15 days’ notice. The Landlords, especially the Malls do not support in registration process. Further Malls want to partner in our business rather than position themselves as landlords and demand variable commissions. To get lease deeds with revenue sharing models registered is a herculean task. To drive high rate of registrations through regional counsel is also challenge.
4. Various issues arise across regions in respect of value violations. Providing time bound legal support in filing police complaints, closure of cases, etc.

Managing litigations on daily basis, coordination with internal team members to provide the right input to lawyers and get favourable reliefs from Courts, settlement of matters (if the need be) is always a challenging task which if not handled well can expose the organisation to high risk of financial liabilities and risk of loss of reputation.

Key Result Areas	Supporting Actions
Advisory service to cross functional teams	RBD Review of legal risks arising out of Due diligence of properties conducted by external lawyers and recommend approval or rejection of property Negotiation of leases, CAM documents, Renewal of lease, etc Provide SOPs for driving higher % of Registration of leases or any leasing requirement Negotiation of costs with lawyers Prosecute third party or defend MFL in all litigations pan India F & Com Advice on legal issues concerning the franchisee, landlords, etc., Initiate or defend legal action (civil/criminal/labour/consumer). Retail HR Resolution of cases of violation of legal and values - Filing of police complaints, advice on process for disciplinary inquiry, etc External compliance agency Work with external counsel on resolution of employee value violations cases Work with lawyers on strategizing actions to be taken in litigation
Services to internal customers	Conduct training programs for creating awareness Monthly Leasing dash board Maintenance of data base of leases of pan India on the legal portal for access to customers (RBD, Finance, Brand Ops, etc)

Qualifications:

Minimum Experience Level:
8-10 Years

Report to:
Group Manager