Managing Legal Counsel at LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group)

Position Summary

• We are looking to recruit a Managing Legal Counsel with a proven record of providing expert and strategic advice as well as a practical, problem-solving approach to support our businesses across the EMEA region, to be based in South Africa.
• The successful candidate needs to be a hands-on, commercial lawyer who will provide specialist and strategic legal advice for all aspects of the Group’s Data & Analytics Division.

Role Responsibilities

• Responsible for providing a wide range of legal advice and support to the sales, proposition and leadership teams in EMEA on a broad range of complex matters.
• Establish strong relationships with senior stakeholders across the Division as a ‘go-to’ member of the D&A legal team. 
• Reviewing, drafting, revising and negotiating agreements with customers, vendors, partners and other third parties, including data licenses, software and intellectual property licenses, strategic partnerships, master agreements, and other complex commercial agreements.
• Advising on legal issues related to the collection, usage and licensing of content/data/news from multiple sources.
• Researching and responding to general legal inquiries from in-house clients that may relate to litigation, regulatory and/or compliance issues, intellectual property, privacy matters, data misuse, and consumer complaints.
• Working on general corporate and data licensing matters as well as projects and initiatives to drive D&A’s divisional objectives. Identifying ways to enhance and support the improvement of internal processes and procedures to ensure compliance with contract terms and work with other members of the legal team and back-office to ensure swift and efficient contracts execution process.
• Leading and managing a wide range of strategic, commercial and corporate initiatives.
• Coordinating legal matters handled by outside counsel.
• Sharing responsibility for maintaining, updating and revising contract template agreements and integrating customer contracts of acquired companies.
• Helping to identify, assess and brief EMEA’s Head of Legal on potential and actual risks and legal exposures and take appropriate proactive and remedial measures.
• Advising as subject matter expert on the Data & Analytics business in connection with M&A activity, including integration planning and execution.
• Collaborating with and, where needed, seeking input from specialist in-house lawyers (eg, Employment, Privacy, Anti-Trust) and compliance professionals.
• Implementing internal controls, policies and procedures to assure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, corporate policies, ethical standards and oversee adherence to contractual obligations.

Qualifications and Experience Required

• 6+ years’ experience in a legal position handling a broad range of commercial law disciplines, experience at a top law firm a plus.
• Must have experience working on complex transactional matters and the ability to take immediate ownership of matters (with escalation support, as needed)
• Exposure to financial services, wealth management and technology environments is advantageous.
• Qualified to practice in the UK, Europe, Middle East or Africa and have a law degree from an accredited law school.
• Fluent in English. 
• Excellent written and oral communications skills.
• Strong contract negotiation and drafting abilities.
• Outstanding commitment to internal and external customer service.
• Excellent planning, organizational, analytical and decision-making skills.
• Strong skills to work both collaboratively and independently.
• Sound administrative and time management skills, with sharp attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage projects and deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and capability to build strong, trusted and effective working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders across different functions and cultures, positively influencing the behavior of multiple stakeholders, and successfully balancing customer interests while maintaining a good legal and fiscal position for the company; judgment, tact and discretion when dealing with people and issues.