Legal Officer

Job title : Legal Officer

Summary

• We are seeking an experienced and commercially minded Legal Officer to provide legal and regulatory support across the organization's real estate operations.
• The successful candidate will support the organization in managing legal risks, reviewing and negotiating contracts, ensuring regulatory compliance, protecting the company's interests, and providing practical legal guidance to Management and relevant business units.

Key Responsibilities

• The Senior Legal Officer will provide legal advice and support on corporate, commercial, property, real estate, construction, investment, employment, contractual, and regulatory matters.
• The role will be responsible for drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and managing contracts, agreements, property documentation, investment documents, vendor agreements, consultancy agreements, and other legal documents required by the organization.
• The successful candidate will support the review and management of land and property transactions, development projects, construction agreements, and related documentation, ensuring that the organization's interests are adequately protected.
• The role will monitor applicable laws, regulations, permits, licences, and statutory requirements relevant to the organization's operations and advise Management and relevant departments on compliance requirements.
• The Legal Officer will identify potential legal and regulatory risks, recommend appropriate mitigation measures, and escalate significant issues to Management where necessary.
• The role will also support the management of disputes, claims, legal notices, negotiations, and other contentious matters and coordinate with external solicitors when specialist legal support or litigation services are required.
• The successful candidate will maintain proper legal records and documentation and ensure that contracts, licences, permits, property documents, regulatory filings, and other critical legal documents are properly maintained and tracked.
• The role will work closely with internal departments, external counsel, government agencies, regulatory authorities, consultants, contractors, and other stakeholders on legal and compliance matters.

Requirements

• Candidates must possess an LL.B degree and be called to the Nigerian Bar.
• A minimum of 3 years of relevant post qualification experience is required, with at least 3 years in a supervisory or team leadership role.
• Experience in the real estate sector is highly preferred, particularly experience involving property transactions, land documentation, construction projects, development agreements, contracts, and regulatory approvals.
• The ideal candidate should have strong knowledge of Nigerian property, land, corporate, commercial, construction, contract, and regulatory laws.
• Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills, sound legal judgment, commercial awareness, analytical ability, attention to detail, and excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential.
• Experience managing external counsel, regulatory relationships, legal disputes, and compliance matters will be an added advantage.

Key Competencies:

• The successful candidate should demonstrate strong legal research and advisory skills, contract management and negotiation capabilities, regulatory and compliance knowledge, risk assessment and mitigation skills, leadership and supervisory ability, stakeholder management skills, sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to provide practical legal solutions in a fast paced business environment.
• This role presents an opportunity to contribute to the legal and regulatory function of a growing real estate organization, work closely with Management and multidisciplinary teams, and play a key role in protecting the organization's legal and commercial interests.