Legal Counsel

Roles and responsibilities

Provide commercial and legal advice on corporate, shipping, commercial, compliance, financial and regulatory matters to the organization, including its subsidiaries and joint venture companies. Eliminate or mitigate commercial and legal risks which generally arise in the running and operation of the organization, its subsidiaries and joint venture companies globally. Assist General Counsel with overall Legal department support to the organization.

Accountabilities

Key Accountabilities:

Legal advice:
1. Provide support and legal advice to NAKILAT’s management related to corporate, shipping, commercial. Also, advise on compliance, financial and regulatory matters, including legal support to NAKILAT’s subsidiaries and Joint Venture companies.
2. Assist the Commercial, Planning and Treasury Departments on the structuring, drafting and negotiation of new ventures related to the expansion of organization’s business portfolio.
3. Provide regular legal advice and support to Commercial and Fleet Departments in respect of the negotiation and interpretation of both new and existing LNG and LPG charter party terms and conditions, management agreements, contracts and other agreements.
4. Provide general advice to Administration and HR departments on corporate and employment matters.
5. Manage the process of taking delivery of new vessels, their ship registration process and overall handling of the purchase of new vessels and their charter to third parties.

Contract Management:
6. Handle commercial and charter party differences and disputes arising from international transactions & shipping contracts, including those which are signed by the NAKILAT, its subsidiaries and joint venture companies.
7. Draft and negotiate contracts (i.e. shipbuilding, EPC, etc.) for the construction of offshore and port vessels, as well as offshore platforms & shipbuilding/conversion contracts for NAKILAT’s subsidiaries operating in Ras Laffan Shipyard.
8. Support other departments in reviewing, drafting and negotiating different types of contracts.

Generic Accountabilities:

9. Provide board secretarial services to Nakilat, its subsidiaries and joint venture companies.
10. Liaise with external financing counsels with regards to financing, refinancing and mortgage related matters.
11. Liaise with external legal counsels and manage different types of litigation related to the organization, its subsidiaries and joint venture companies.

Safety, Health, Environment & Quality (SHEQ):
12. Adhere to all relevant SHEQ policies, procedures and controls, so that NAKILAT provides a safe, world class, secure and environmentally responsible service to customers, the public and its own people.

Systems and Processes:
13. Participate in developing the Legal function’s policies, procedures and system, and ensure their proper implementation to support achieving the different set targets and plans, hence NAKILAT’s strategy.

Others:
14. Assist, if requested by General Counsel, in the preparation of the Legal function’s budget, and, if requested, monitor its expenditure, while ensuring the optimal utilization of all available resources to protect NAKILAT’s interest.
15. Carry out any other duties as directed by the General Counsel.

Desired candidate profile

Bachelor’s degree in law
• Master’s Degree in maritime law or specialized certificates
• Professional Legal Qualification

Experience:
• 10-15 years of related experience of which a minimum of 5-8 years should be in a similar position / responsibility, in the same industry
• International Shipping Law firm experience

Job Specific Skills:
• Commercial and Shipping Law
• Corporate law experience
• Strong commercial and negotiation skills
• Communications skills
• Provide legal advice and support to the entire organization, its subsidiaries and joint venture companies
• Address the entire legal concerns of the Commercial and Fleet department in respect of negotiation and interpretation of different types of contractual agreements
• Draft and negotiate shipbuilding contracts and charterparties for the organization, its subsidiaries and joint venture companies
• Handle all types of disputes arising from international transactions and shipping related contracts
• Manage the process of taking delivery of new vessels, their registration and all relevant corporate matters

Interactions and Working Relations
Internal:
• All NAKILAT’s senior management – Provide Legal advice in corporate and commercial matters
• Management – matters related to regular running and operation of the company and the expansion of business, review and negotiating on contracts, assisting on Tender process