Role Synopsis:
The Legal Counsel will enable the BP’s Fuels and lubricants businesses in India and South Asia (including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal) to tap into the law as a resource for the business’ sustainable competitive advantage.
The role will work closely with the leadership teams in India to gain a deep understanding of the lubricants business and to enable them to play an active role in the business’ drive to develop and execute legally compliant and commercially savvy business strategies. To do so, and to drive consistently high-quality standards consistent with the legal teams’ outputs around the world, the Legal Counsel – India will also work closely Global Lubricant and Fuels marketing team, its individual members and their counterparts in other legal teams within BP Downstream..
Key Accountabilities:
Reporting to the Managing Counsel – India based in Mumbai, the role of Legal Counsel will be based in Mumbai and will require travel within India to understand the market and build business relationships and possibly international travel occasionally.
Responsibilities will include:
- Be a trusted team member and adviser to the Managing Counsel, India;
- Develop strong working relationships with the BP’s businesses in India and South Asia and to establish himself/herself as a trusted legal adviser of the business.
- Provide strategic, commercially focused legal advice and management counsel to the Leadership Teams in India on key legal issues;
- Provide day to day legal advice to the businesses, including bespoke legal advice new projects and ventures including:
- Support on a day to day basis the standardisation, negotiation, drafting, revision, analysis and interpretation of various forms of contracts such as supply, product acquisition, sales agreements, distributor agreements, agency agreements, marketing agreements
- Support on strategic projects for the business such as accessing new markets/jurisdictions and advise, with assistance of external counsel, the corresponding legal aspects and documentation
- drafting and negotiating IP related agreements including confidentiality agreements, testing services agreements and collaboration agreements working closely with IP specialists within BP Legal;
- reviewing and advising on marketing materials, particularly comparative marketing and website marketing, assisting with sponsorship agreements and press releases for the business stakeholders;
- furnishing advice and opinions on legal issues that arise in the course of business such as quality/quantity disputes, competition law, health and safety and product legal compliance;
- liaising with external lawyers in countries not comprising bp lawyers collaborating with them to serve the BP’s business interests in that jurisdiction;
Essential Education:
Qualified to practice law in India – Bachelor’s Degree in Law
Essential Experience & Job Requirements:
- Proven track record as a Solicitor / Advocate with experience of 08 – 12 years working as a mature and independent senior lawyer, preferably with solid commercial background and work experience gained in a reputed company or law firm.
- Gravitas and independence to drive and deliver projects
- Client counselling and negotiation experience as a legal practitioner, with proven record of commercial awareness and business acumen.
- Proven track record as an effective and passionate team player.
- Ability to network with BP staff at all levels to advise on legal aspects of operations and transactions.
- Sensitivity to cultural differences.
