Senior Counsel

**Job Summary:** The Senior Counsel– India supports the Office of General Counsel in managing the day‑to‑day operations of the India legal function and providing practical, business‑aligned legal advice across the firm’s India operations. The role is responsible for employment law advisory, corporate secretarial compliances, contract reviews and legal support to internal stakeholders including IT, location services and functional leadership teams. **Essential Duties:** **Employment Law \& HR Advisory** * Provide legal advice and support on Indian employment and labor laws, including hiring, separations, disciplinary actions, performance management, and employee relations matters * Review, draft and advise on employment contracts, policies, handbooks and HR related guidelines * Monitor changes in employment laws and regulations and provide proactive guidance on impact to India operations * Support in reviewing the benefits, leaves, insurance etc. as legally mandated for the India entity * Provide support in implementation of Labour codes for the India entity through cross functional collaboration between Talent, Finance, IT etc. * Partner with Talent team to address workplace issues, investigations and compliance with applicable employment regulations * Monitor the statutory compliances and advise on improvement opportunities to remain compliant to the statutory obligations **Corporate Secretarial \& Statutory Compliances** * Support corporate secretarial compliance for India entity, including Companies Act and related regulatory requirements * Coordinate with internal stakeholders and external advisors to ensure timely filings, board and committee processes, and statutory records * Assist in preparation and review of board papers, resolutions, minutes and governance documentation * Track compliance calendars and ensure adherence to statutory and regulatory deadlines * Assist in providing legal input on entity governance, corporate restructuring and regulatory matters impacting India entity * Support in projects for corporate actions and act as a first point of contact for legal advice to internal stakeholders. * Partner with stakeholders on Data Privacy compliances, including implementation of DPDP framework, for the India entity. * Assist in enhancing India Governance Framework by identifying statutory obligations and internal compliances, mapping it to the relevant stakeholders and ensure periodic updates to ensure appropriate governance and oversight with the Office of Risk Management (ORM) team **Contracts Review \& Commercial Legal Support** * Review, draft, and negotiate a wide range of commercial contracts, including vendor agreements, lease agreements, NDAs, and service arrangements * Provide risk‑based legal advice to business teams on contractual terms, deviations, and mitigation strategies * Ensure contracts align with firm policies, risk appetite, and applicable legal requirements * Support contract standardization, playbooks and process improvements to drive efficiency and consistency * Coordinate with strategic sourcing teams on firm‑wide contracting initiatives **Leadership Support, Governance \& Presentations** * Support the India Legal Leader in preparing leadership, board, and governance presentations, reports and briefing materials * Assist with legal function strategy, planning and execution of key initiatives * Prepare summaries, dashboards and updates on legal risks, matters, and compliance status for senior leadership * Contribute to cross functional projects and firm wide legal or risk initiatives as required **Stakeholder Management \& Collaboration** * Act as a trusted legal advisor to India business stakeholders and functional teams * Coordinate with global legal, ORM and external counsel teams to ensure consistent legal outcomes * Promote a culture of legal awareness, risk discipline and proactive issue identification across India operations **EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS** * Bachelor’s degree in Law from a recognized Indian university and Company Secretary or equivalent professional credential (required) **TECHNICAL/SOFT SKILLS** * Strong working knowledge of Indian employment and labor laws, corporate laws and commercial contracting * Demonstrated ability to provide practical, risk‑based legal advice aligned to business objectives * Experience advising internal stakeholders across HR, Finance, IT, location services, and operations * Ability to interpret laws, regulations, and firm policies and translate them into clear, actionable guidance * High attention to detail with sound legal judgment in complex and ambiguous situations **EXPERIENCE** * 8–12 years of post‑qualification legal experience, preferably in a professional services firm, multinational organization, or reputed law firm (required) * Hands‑on experience in employment law advisory, corporate secretarial compliances, and commercial contracts (required) * Experience supporting India entities within a global or matrixed organization (preferred) * Experience coordinating with external counsel, regulators, and cross‑functional internal stakeholders (required) * Exposure to U.S. or other international legal and compliance environments (preferred) **LEADERSHIP SKILLS** * Strong communication skills and ability to engage credibly with stakeholders * Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and advise stakeholders independently with appropriate escalation * High degree of integrity, professionalism, and sound judgment * Ability to operate effectively in a collaborative, fast‑paced, and evolving environment * Demonstrated capability to support legal function strategy and governance initiatives