Senior Legal Counsel

SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:
Requirements : LLB and admission as Attorney or Advocate in South Africa (in good standing). 7–10+ years post-qualification experience in commercial\/corporate law. Strong experience in drafting and negotiating complex commercial and tech-related contracts. Background in fintech, financial services, or technology-focused legal roles. Strong knowledge of South African banking and financial services regulations. Strong contract drafting, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills. Experience with IP, technology law, SaaS, APIs, and digital platforms. AI and data analytics proficiency is essential. Responsibilities: Provide strategic legal advice on corporate, commercial, regulatory, and transactional matters supporting the bank’s operations and growth initiatives. Identify, assess, and manage legal and regulatory risks across existing operations, new products, services, and strategic partnerships. Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a broad range of commercial agreements, including vendor contracts, technology agreements, software licences, SaaS arrangements, API partnerships, and fintech collaborations. Advise on legal matters relating to digital banking platforms, mobile applications, cloud computing, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies. Manage intellectual property matters, including trademark registrations, copyright protection, patent considerations, licensing arrangements, and IP ownership structures. Support corporate governance initiatives, including corporate restructuring and inter-company arrangements, while monitoring and advising on South African regulatory developments (PA, SARB, FSCA). Provide legal support on disputes, manage external counsel for litigation and arbitration matters, and develop dispute prevention strategies to reduce legal exposure. Select, engage, and manage external law firms and legal service providers, while monitoring legal spend and implementing cost control measures. Mentor and guide junior legal staff, contribute to knowledge management systems, and promote a high-performance, collaborative team culture.