Group Legal Adviser/Company Secretary at Michael Stevens Consulting

Michael Stevens Consulting - Our client a pre-eminent builder of distinctive real estates, interests in Banking & Finance, Warehouse leasing, Manufacturing & Trading seeks to urgently fill the role:

Job Title: Group Legal Adviser/Company Secretary

Location: Lagos

General Objectives of the Job

• To ensure the legality of all activities engaged in or intended to be engaged in by the companies in the Group; and provide legal advisory opinions on the impact of any and all statutory laws, and regulations.
• To review, analyze, and advise all court cases, and provide in respect thereof, detailed instructions to counsel. To follow up and monitor all court cases instituted against or by the company in the Group.
• To ensure that the legal department deliver high professional services to the various companies in the Group, departments and units, and ensure that all transactions are valid, legally protected, ensure that the assets and securities offered to the company are adequate. Ensure that the best practice in the management of in house legal department is adhered to.
• The Company Secretary as a statutory official of the companies and an administrative officer on the Board of Directors, must ensure that the companies in the Group fulfill their obligations under the Companies and Allied Matters Act,(“CAMA”) 1990, the Investment and Securities Act 1999 and all other applicable laws; prepare the annual Budget, including that of AGM.
• To maintain inter-parties relationship with all the shareholders of the companies pursuant to the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company, and in compliance with CAMA.
• To ensure that the companies comply with relevant laws and liaise with all Government agencies on matter related to his/her schedule of duties.

Fields of Responsibilities

Policy Formulation:

• Formulate strategy, policies and procedures for efficient running of the legal department/Secretariat.
• Managing subordinates to achieve result. Plans and coordinates personnel
• effectively and allocates responsibilities appropriately, and inspire their respect.
• Training, career tracking, staff motivation and appraisal of performance of his/her Department.
• Budgeting and implementation.

Advisory:

• Advises the Executive Management on the legal matters, renders legal opinions on new laws as it affects the Group business and attend to legal issues on a day-to day basis as referred to the Legal Adviser.
• Delegate responsibilities to other subordinates.

Executive Task:

• Deal with directives or assignments from Board of directors/senior executive.

Secretarial Matters:

• Shall act as the Secretary of Churchgate Executive Committee (“CEC”) meeting and Board of Directors meeting.
• Provides secretarial services for the CEC/Board of Directors.
• Initiate a follow up of CEC directives and ensure that the decisions are implemented.
• Supervise other Company Secretaries in ensuring that proper records, capital files, minute books and other statutory documents are kept as required by law.

Capital Market Transactions:

• Advise on the regulatory landscape of the capital market generally.
• Collate the statutory documents that are required as a condition to raise capital in the primary market of Nigeria

Litigation:

• To prepare an update of the status of delinquent accounts as referred to the Legal Department from other units and ensure that management is kept abreast with the action plan of the Department.
• To collate the required facts and necessary documents in order to brief a firm with the requisite competence to act on behalf of the Company.
• To adopt an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) approach where practicable to resolving delinquent disputes.
• To be involved in settling pleadings, and in case management in view of the front loading system that most jurisdictions have adopted.
• To prepare for pre-trial conference as the case may be.
• To refer matters to the appropriate governmental agencies such as the Nigeria Police Force where necessary and ensure that the assets of the companies are realized.
• To be actively involved in the ground work of levying execution where a judgment has been granted in favour of the companies.
• To generally be involved when a matter is on appeal, whether for or against the companies.
• To liaise with external lawyers retained to handle our legal cases.
• To negotiate and recommend legal fees of external lawyers.
• To attend courts whenever there are matters of litigation coming up.

Person Specification

• Good honours degree in law from a reputable university. a masters degree will be an added advantage.
• Relevant professional qualification such as associate member of the chartered institute of secretaries.
• Minimum of 15 years experience out of which at least 5 years must be in a similar position
• must be experienced in court procedures, be required to provide legal/company secretarial services and must be proficient in the use of computer. should have good negotiating and drafting skills.
• Must not be more than 45 years of age.

Application Closing Date
30th September, 2014.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV's to: [email protected] using 'Group Legal Adviser/Company Secretary' as the subject of the email.