Junior Legal Counsel Contracts

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Junior Legal Counsel – Contracts

Location: Mumbai

Experience: Approximately 3 years (post-qualification)

ABOUT THE ORGANISATION

Havas India is a leading media and advertising group with operations spanning creative, media buying, digital marketing and strategic communications. The Legal team provides integrated legal support to all Havas agencies across India, advising on commercial, regulatory and corporate matters.

ROLE OVERVIEW

We are looking for a motivated and detail-oriented Junior Legal Counsel to join our Legal team in Mumbai. Reporting directly to the Head of Legal, this role will focus primarily on drafting, reviewing and negotiating a wide range of commercial contracts across Havas India's agency network. The successful candidate will work closely with business teams and will gain exposure to media, advertising and entertainment law in a fast-paced, multi-stakeholder environment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Contract Drafting, Review & Negotiation

• Draft, review and negotiate a variety of commercial contracts including media buying agreements, sponsorship agreements, artist and talent management agreements, vendor and supplier contracts, consultancy and service agreements, and non-disclosure agreements.
• Maintain and update standard contract templates and clause libraries to reflect current business needs and regulatory developments.
• Conduct deviation analysis on counterparty paper and flag key risk areas for the Head of Legal.

Regulatory & Compliance Support

• Assist the Head of Legal with compliance matters relating to advertising standards, consumer protection, data privacy (including DPDP Act and GDPR) and competition law.
• Support the development and rollout of compliance training materials and internal awareness programmes.
• Monitor regulatory developments relevant to the media and advertising industry and prepare briefing notes.

General Legal Support

• Provide day-to-day legal advice to business teams on contractual queries, intellectual property matters and risk issues.
• Coordinate with external counsel on litigation, arbitration and specialist advisory matters under the direction of the Head of Legal.
• Support due diligence exercises and transaction documentation for M&A and strategic projects as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

Essential:-

• LL.B. or integrated law degree (B.A. LL.B. / B.B.A. LL.B. / B.Com. LL.B.) from a recognized university.
• Approximately 3 years of post-qualification experience in contract drafting, review and negotiation, gained in-house or at a reputed law firm.
• Strong understanding of Indian contract law, commercial law and general corporate law principles.
• Excellent drafting, analytical and communication skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines and work independently as well as collaboratively.

Desirable

• Exposure to intellectual property law, licensing and brand protection matters.