Reporting to: Head of Legal
Job Purpose
The Legal Officer will provide legal support to the operations of the Institution, with special emphasis on litigation, corporate, banking, and corporate finance. In coordination with the legal department team, the Legal Officer will be responsible for reviewing and preparing contracts and other corporate and legal documents, ensuring compliance with banking and microfinance applicable legislation and regulations, representing the affiliate before the regulator, competent courts and other authorities as well as ensuring compliance with labour and employment obligations. In addition, the Legal Officer will be responsible for identifying legal risks associated with the operations of the Institution and proposing mechanisms for mitigating such risks.
Accountabilities
- Process Company legal documents, loans, grants, credit documentation and security instruments such as mortgage deeds, debenture and the like.
- Review internal documents and policies to ensure they are drafted in accordance with applicable legislation.
- Reviewing and preparing, as necessary, contracts and documentation used by the Company in the business of providing microfinance services to its clients.
- Assisting in the preparation and drafting of reports and communications to the regulator
- Provide updates to the Head of Legal and or a person acting in that position on issues affecting the operations of the Company.
- Providing support to the Company to ensure compliance by the Company of its labour and employment obligations as an employer of its staff, including registering with local authorities and entering into employment contracts drafted in accordance with local law and that protect the interests of the Company
- Providing legal opinions based on local laws regarding various aspects of the operations of the Company.
- Prepare court documents and represent the Company in courts of law.
- Assist in drafting legal demand letters to default clients.
- Participate in the training of staff in all legal issues arising out of business and operations. These may include assisting them to identify genuine securities, legal implications of illegal recoveries, fraud etc.
- Perform all other duties assigned to him/her by the Head of Legal and or a person acting in that position.
- Manage and coordinate weekly and monthly reporting
- Coordinate with external counsels on the status of cases and report to HOL.
- Maintaining resources and overseeing cases relating to litigation collection and ensuring timely reporting on the cases and close follow-ups on fraud prosecution handled by external lawyers
- Pursuing claims by the subsidiary as determined and defending the subsidiary against claims by third parties
Education, Professional Qualifications and work experience requirement
- Bachelor's Degree in Law (LL.B) from a recognized University/Institution.
- Possession of a Master’s Degree will be an added advantage.
- Admission as Advocate of the High Court.
- Relevant professional qualifications in Law and Banking
- Minimum of three (3) years working experience.
- Relevant professional qualifications in Law and Banking
- Conceptual and Analytical Skills: Must be able to conceptualize issues and analyze proposals in great detail to understand underlying issues.
- Ability to interpret central bank policies of financial regulations and implement them within Banks' strategic plans.
- Ability to interpret the statutory requirements on all aspects of the bank‘s operations.
- Ability to assess material evidence and advice on appropriate legal measures.
- Keeps abreast of legal issues that affect the bank.