Managing Legal Counsel

POSITION LOCATION AND REPORTING STRUCTURE:
BASIC FUNCTIONS AND PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
This Legal Counsel will be a member of the Asia-Pacific Region legal team and will work closely with the senior management teams of several business units based in India. This position also will support other general commercial, corporate and contractual matters, and will advise on intellectual property, regulatory compliance and dispute matters.

Specific accountabilities and responsibilities are expected to include the following:

- Serve as legal advisor to Wolters Kluwer’s Global Growth Markets business in India, including direct negotiation of contracts with customers and vendors and advice on regulatory issues applicable to that business.
- Advise people managers and India-based Human-Resources teams on issues pertaining to Wolters Kluwer’s 2,200+ employees in India.
- Manage external counsel supporting Wolters Kluwer’s businesses in India, including in the context of commercial transactions, employment law and real estate;
- Work closely with contract managers, corporate secretary and compliance professionals in India to ensure effective and efficient support for those functions;
- Providing comprehensive legal counseling regarding a broad spectrum of corporate, commercial, and intellectual property matters impacting the businesses, including matters and legal issues related to on-premise / on cloud software and software-related services.
- Counseling on regulatory and compliance matters impacting the businesses.
- Helping to educate the business teams about contracting forms, intellectual property rights and obligations, commercial and legal risks and internal contract review and approval procedures.
- Developing an in-depth knowledge and understanding of Wolters Kluwer, its people, organization, markets, products, customers, competitors and regulatory environment, in order to identify trends and provide high level legal/commercial advice to the businesses.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
This experience should include negotiation of commercial contracts involving information technology, as well as support of a large workforce in India and advising managers and human-resources professionals on issues of labor and employment law. Experience with real-estate transactions also is desirable..

Fluency and ability to conduct business in Tamil also would be a significant asset.

ESSENTIAL CAPABILITIES:

- Fluent in English_
- Licensed to practice law in India._
- Strong intellect, excellent legal acumen and rigorous analytical skills, including_:

- demonstrated proficiency in accurately evaluating, understanding and translating complex legal concepts, and converting that understanding into customary contractual terms or, when needed for enforcement or defense in contested situations, pleadings;
- the willingness, talent and capability to be both an effective hands-on lawyer and a proactive manager of teams that may include internal cross-disciplinary business managers and outside counsel;
- sound and well-respected legal and business judgment.
- Excellent legal drafting and negotiating skills, including competencies in_:

- eliciting critical technical, financial and business information from diverse client constituencies (including business managers across all levels and positions/roles);
- understanding legal requirements and contractual provisions and their foreseeable, practical consequences, allowing management to make informed decisions regarding risk/compliance issues; and
- translating business objectives into clear, pragmatic and legally comprehensive and protective agreements.
- A “can do” solutions orientation, supported by_:

- eagerness to learn about the Wolters Kluwer’s businesses and their competitive landscape;
- thoughtful, practical and creative problem-solving capabilities; and
- the proven ability to manage and deliver execution of detailed, responsive actions, timely and reliably.

CANDIDATES ALSO SHOULD HAVE:

- The ability to grasp and facilitate business and financial objectives, both as a strategic contributor and as a “hands-on” lawyer, while providing objective, independent legal risk assessments and advice, consistent with Legal Team’s standards, and identifying alternative solutions where appropriate.
- Strong, proactive communications skills, including the demonstrated ability to translate into clear business terms and otherwise “demystify” complex legal concepts for less legally sophisticated client groups.
- Unquestioned integrity and ethics in business and personal conduct, including scrupulous respect for confidentiality in dealing with non-public, sensitive information.
- A proven track record of interacting well with, and influencing members of, business unit management teams.
- The experience and confidence to push for change and, when appropriate, to challenge the status quo, in a way that will be heard and respected.