Group Manager - Regional Counsel - Retail Industry - LLB/LLM

We Are Hiring: Group Manager - Regional Legal Counsel

Location: Kurla, Mumbai

Experience: Minimum 10 years post-qualification

Qualification: LLB, LLM

Industry: Only candidates from Retail - Good Brand/Consumer Retail sector will be considered

About the Role

We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced Group Manager - Regional Legal Counsel to join our Legal team at our Mumbai (Kurla) office. This is a senior role responsible for managing a wide range of legal matters impacting real estate, retail operations, franchise relationships, HR compliance, and regulatory affairs across our pan-India operations. The ideal candidate will bring strong legal acumen, a collaborative mindset, and prior experience in the retail sector, preferably with a reputable brand.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

Principal Accountabilities

1. Advisory and Support to Cross-Functional Teams

- Review legal risks associated with property due diligence conducted by external lawyers; recommend approval or rejection of properties accordingly.

- Lead negotiations for lease agreements, CAM (Common Area Maintenance) documents, and lease renewals across India.

- Develop and implement SOPs to improve lease registration rates and streamline legal compliance in leasing operations.

- Manage negotiations of legal retainers and professional fees with external law firms.

- Represent the organization in all litigation matters, both civil and criminal, across jurisdictions in India.

2. Franchise, Commercial & HR Legal Advisory

- Provide legal counsel on issues related to franchise agreements, landlord negotiations, and operational contracts.

- Initiate or defend legal proceedings in civil, criminal, labour, and consumer courts as necessary.

- Collaborate with HR to address violations of company policies or legal statutes, including disciplinary actions and police complaints.

- Work closely with external compliance agencies and legal counsel to address employee-related legal violations.

3. Internal Legal Services

- Conduct periodic legal training and compliance workshops for internal stakeholders.

- Prepare and circulate a monthly dashboard covering leasing and litigation updates.

- Maintain and manage a centralized legal database of lease agreements and other legal documents for internal departments including RBD, Finance, and Brand Operations.

4. Process Improvement and Compliance

- Develop and continuously enhance SOPs to standardize leasing and retail compliance operations.

- Lead automation projects to improve the efficiency and transparency of legal workflows and data management.

Why Join Us?

- Opportunity to work with one of the leading brands in the retail goods sector.

- Cross-functional leadership role with visibility across legal, finance, HR, and operations.

- Dynamic and growth-oriented work culture.