Senior Legal Counsel, Trade

Job Description

Our client, a leading merchant and processor of agricultural goods, is seeking an experienced, commercially minded lawyer to join its busy Geneva-based legal team.

This role will provide day-to-day legal support to the company and its affiliates globally.

This key position requires a highly organised, rigorous, and motivated individual with strong commercial acumen and developed legal skills.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a collaborative approach while being able to work independently, particularly in the production of legal advice and documents.

Interactions :

The role involves managing complex relationships both within the organization and externally. The individual will typically handle around 20 live issues simultaneously, requiring interaction and collaboration with traders, platform heads, senior managers in other support functions, global legal colleagues, external counsel, and other advisers.

Quick thinking and adaptability to changing circumstances are essential, as is the ability to prioritize effectively.

Main Responsibilities :

• Provide legally sound and business-oriented assistance to internal clients (including freight & commodities business units, support functions, and management) on all aspects of the physical trading of commodities, both contentious and non-contentious, at a global level.
• Offer comprehensive legal support to business operations, including day-to-day assistance, dispute resolution, and support for trade and business development activities.
• Structure, draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements related to business operations (e.g., offtake and tolling agreements, long-term supplies, and chartering arrangements), in coordination with various internal and external stakeholders.
• Manage arbitration (LMAA, GAFTA, FOSFA, RSA / SAL) and litigation in a variety of jurisdictions.

Problem Solving :

This intellectually challenging role often involves providing assistance under time constraints. Sound legal advice is necessary, but the individual must also take ownership of matters to bring them to resolution, often coordinating with other stakeholders.

Requests for assistance come from all levels of the company, requiring timely and appropriate responses.

Experience :

• 7-10 years of relevant experience, including a minimum of 5 years PQE.
• Strong legal skills in international trade and dry shipping are essential.
• Experience in a commodities trading house is a plus.

Other Skills :

• Ability to build and maintain productive work relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong communication skills, with experience in an international environment.
• Robust analytical skills to identify relevant issues and provide practical solutions.
• Team player, capable of working independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to work well under pressure, meet deadlines, and assume responsibilities.
• Ability to quickly understand legal and commercial issues, analyze facts, form hypotheses, test ideas, propose solutions, and discuss and argue constructively.
• Self-motivated, diligent, and detail-oriented.
• Able to handle a heavy workload and resilient to stress.

Languages :

• Proficient in spoken and written English.
• French and other international languages are an asset.

Academics :

Qualified solicitor in English law or common law is essential.

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