Background

Are you looking for an employer who promotes individual excellence and mutual respect in a team-driven culture with a key focus on social empowerment? The Co-operative Bank of Kenya, “The Kingdom Bank” is the place for people who want to make the world a better place and achieve great things.

Are you a dynamic, keen, self-driven and highly motivated experienced professional with a high degree of integrity, dependability and confidentiality with strong understanding of legal systems? Do you seek to do things differently and go an extra mile to ensure the success of the team? If yes, this is the ideal next career step for you.

Reporting to the Head – Legal Services Department, the role holder will be responsible for provision of sound legal advice, including but not limited to perfection of securities, litigation management, contract and commercial negotiations.

The Role

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advisory services to all departments within the Bank including providing independent legal advice and judgment to mitigate any legal risks.
• Manage litigation against the Bank including external lawyers involved in litigation as well as review, analyzing and interpreting laws, regulations and judicial decisions.
• Provide support in contract negotiations and management including review of contractual agreements for the Bank and providing recourse options for non-performing contractors as well as preparing, reviewing and modifying contractual instruments to assist and support various business activities.
• Advise the relevant departments on the perfection of securities and documentation as well as managing the annual securities audits and advise on the remedial process.
• Offer cost effective and timely legal advisory services and support to the credit recovery function of the Bank in order to foster effective management of regulatory and litigation risk in the recovery of non-performing loans.
• Prepare and facilitate staff training on specific legal matters affecting the Bank including dissemination of appropriate legal requirements to various departments.
• Participate in risk management sessions that have a bearing on legal matters, reviewing risk reports for purposes of managing key risks efficiently in the risk management process and undertake research on current legal developments and preparing briefs to the Head of Legal Services.

Qualifications, Skills & Attributes

Qualifications

• Must have a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) Degree from a recognized University with a minimum of five years legal experience ideally in a leading organization, with a proven track record in litigation management, contract negotiations and conveyance.
• Must be an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with a current practicing certificate. CPS will be an added advantage.
• Working knowledge of the legal environment in banking, general business/commerce in Kenya will be an added advantage.

Skills

• Strong conceptual, analytical, documentation and presentation skills with ability to influence and negotiate at different levels.

• Provide legal advisory services to all departments within the Bank including providing independent legal advice and judgment to mitigate any legal risks.
• Manage litigation against the Bank including external lawyers involved in litigation as well as review, analyzing and interpreting laws, regulations and judicial decisions.
• Provide support in contract negotiations and management including review of contractual agreements for the Bank and providing recourse options for non-performing contractors as well as preparing, reviewing and modifying contractual instruments to assist and support various business activities.
• Advise the relevant departments on the perfection of securities and documentation as well as managing the annual securities audits and advise on the remedial process.
• Offer cost effective and timely legal advisory services and support to the credit recovery function of the Bank in order to foster effective management of regulatory and litigation risk in the recovery of non-performing loans.
• Prepare and facilitate staff training on specific legal matters affecting the Bank including dissemination of appropriate legal requirements to various departments.
• Participate in risk management sessions that have a bearing on legal matters, reviewing risk reports for purposes of managing key risks efficiently in the risk management process and undertake research on current legal developments and preparing briefs to the Head of Legal Services.

• Strong conceptual, analytical, documentation and presentation skills with ability to influence and negotiate at different levels.

• Must have a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) Degree from a recognized University with a minimum of five years legal experience ideally in a leading organization, with a proven track record in litigation management, contract negotiations and conveyance.
• Must be an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with a current practicing certificate. CPS will be an added advantage.
• Working knowledge of the legal environment in banking, general business/commerce in Kenya will be an added advantage.