Senior Legal Counsel

Our client is a leading international environmental advocacy organization working across Southeast Asia to advance environmental protection, climate action, and social justice.

As the organization continues to strengthen its regional operations, it is establishing a dedicated in-house legal capability to provide strategic legal guidance, protect organizational interests, and support its advocacy and campaign work across multiple jurisdictions.

The Opportunity

We are looking for a Senior Legal Counsel who will serve as a trusted strategic legal partner to the Executive Director and Senior Management Team.

This is a highly visible regional role combining legal advisory, governance, risk management, employment and industrial relations, litigation, regulatory compliance, and campaign risk management.

The successful candidate will help build the organization's in-house legal and risk framework while ensuring that legal considerations are integrated into strategic and operational decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

Legal Strategy & Governance

• Establish and develop the organization's in-house legal and risk management framework across Southeast Asia.
• Develop policies, processes, and governance mechanisms aligned with local laws and international standards.
• Advise senior leadership on regulatory, governance, and organizational risks.
• Provide legal guidance on laws and regulations affecting NGOs, charities, advocacy organizations, and civic activities.

Environmental Advocacy & Campaign Risk

• Provide legal advice on environmental campaigns, advocacy initiatives, direct actions, and public communications.
• Assess potential legal, regulatory, litigation, defamation, and media-related risks associated with campaigns.
• Advise teams on legal considerations relating to protests, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and civic advocacy.
• Develop practical legal strategies that enable effective environmental advocacy while protecting the organization and its people.

Employment & Industrial Relations

• Provide expert advice on employment and labor matters, including restructuring, workforce transitions, employee relations, and organizational changes.
• Advise on collective bargaining, labor unions, employment disputes, and related regulatory matters.
• Support internal investigations involving potential violations of organizational policies or codes of conduct.

Litigation & External Counsel Management

• Oversee litigation, regulatory proceedings, employment disputes, and other legal matters across the region.
• Manage and coordinate external legal counsel across Southeast Asia.
• Lead settlement discussions and support the organization's interests in employment tribunals, regulatory proceedings, and other disputes.
• Build relationships with volunteer legal networks, activist legal communities, and pro bono legal providers.

Contracts, Compliance & Risk

• Review and negotiate commercial agreements, contracts, and memoranda of understanding.
• Provide advice on data privacy, intellectual property, organizational liability, and regulatory compliance.
• Maintain strong legal documentation, case management, and contract management processes.
• Provide legal risk assessments and compliance guidance to senior leadership and governance bodies.
• Develop and support legal and compliance training for employees, interns, and volunteers.

What We're Looking For

• Juris Doctor, LLB, or equivalent law degree.
• Admission to the Bar in at least one Southeast Asian jurisdiction is highly preferred.
• 8–10+ years of progressive post-qualification legal experience.
• Strong experience in environmental advocacy, environmental NGOs, INGOs, public-interest organizations, or related sectors.
• Strong expertise in employment law, industrial relations, governance, regulatory compliance, and risk management.
• Experience handling litigation, regulatory proceedings, investigations, or complex disputes.
• Experience working across multiple Southeast Asian jurisdictions is highly advantageous.
• Experience in a law firm and/or in-house legal environment is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to advise senior executives and stakeholders on complex and highly sensitive legal matters.
• Strong understanding of NGO, charity, advocacy, or civic-space regulations is an advantage.
• Excellent ability to translate complex legal matters into practical, actionable advice for non-legal stakeholders.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a strategic and mission-driven legal professional who combines strong technical legal expertise with a genuine commitment to environmental advocacy.

You should be comfortable operating in complex, sensitive, and high-pressure environments and be able to balance legal risk with the organization's need to pursue meaningful environmental campaigns.

Strong emotional intelligence, cultural awareness, sound judgment, and the ability to influence stakeholders without direct authority are essential.