Country Legal Counsel

About the role

Standard Chartered Bank is hiring a Country Legal Counsel in Kampala, Uganda. The role advises the Bank on legal and regulatory risks affecting its operations, supports banking and finance transactions and product development, and works closely with business and functional teams.

Key responsibilities

• Provide practical advice on legal and regulatory risks affecting the Bank's operations in Uganda, and monitor changes in legislation, regulation, case law and legal precedent, escalating material implications where appropriate.
• Support business and functional teams in interpreting and applying legal and regulatory requirements, and develop and maintain policies, processes and standard documentation for legal risk management.
• Deliver legal risk training and prepare legal updates and bulletins.
• Draft, review, negotiate and advise on banking and finance transactions, including cross-border transactions, commercial agreements and other legal documentation involving customers, counterparties and third parties, ensuring enforceability under Ugandan law.
• Support the development and review of products, product programmes and standard-form documentation from a legal perspective.

Required profile

• Bachelor of Laws degree.
• Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre, or an equivalent recognised qualification.
• Qualified lawyer eligible to practise in Uganda.
• At least five years of post-qualification legal experience.
• Demonstrable experience in banking and finance, corporate and commercial transactions, and/or financial services regulation.
• Experience in legal advisory, contract drafting and negotiation, regulatory risk and dispute resolution.
• Experience in a financial institution or law firm with banking and finance matters; experience engaging senior management, regulators and business stakeholders.
• Experience in corporate governance or company secretarial matters is an added advantage.

Required skills

• Legal advisory and regulatory risk management.
• Commercial contract drafting, review and negotiation.
• Corporate governance and company secretarial support.
• Strong legal analysis, judgement and problem-solving, and independent ownership of matters.
• Effective stakeholder communication and influencing, and strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong written and spoken English.