Legal Officer at Spire Bank Kenya

Summary Purpose of the Job:

Serve as a Legal Officer for the Bank responsible for facilitating the execution of legal mandate of the Bank by providing efficient and effective legal services as required.

Key Job Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

• To assist in handling of all the litigation matters involving the Bank.
• To assist in conducting of legal research, collate evidence, preparing witnesses for pre-trials and hearings, prepare legal briefs and opinions as well as develop effective defense strategies,
• arguments and testimony in preparation for legal proceedings of legal cases in liaison with external lawyers.
• Represent the Bank before any court or tribunal or to watch brief (where necessary). Preparing, reviewing and vetting demand letters, pleadings, statutory notices, affidavits and other relevant debt recovery and litigation documents served upon the bank and drafting appropriate responses.
• Liaise with external advocates on the progress of all the court cases where the bank is involved and submit weekly and monthly status reports on the position in court.
• Provide support on all debt collection related matters, create legal awareness and provide advice on suitable action to avert and/or minimize litigation.
• Assist in the recovery of all NPA Accounts to the maximum extent possible.
• Maintaining accurate management information on the entire Litigation and NPA portfolio.
• Engaging the bank and other litigants in Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms with a view to arriving at an expedited out of court settlement.
• Action on inward communication from customers, agents and advocates within the required bank standards and SLA.
• Ensuring all invoices received for services rendered to the bank in litigation and NPA matters are in compliance with the SLA’s, drawn to scale and are paid in time
• Maintain adequate diary and/or bring up system and follow-up on diarized matters.
• Giving internal legal advice on various matters affecting the operations of the bank as and when requested to do so by the affected department and or branch.
• Liaising on a continuous basis with the bank’s legal service providers and ensuring external legal activities in regard to litigation and recoveries are coordinated and done in an efficient
• and effective manner.
• To maintain highest level of confidentiality concerning the sensitive, strategic and integral legal & other information, data, decisions and developments taking place at the company.
• Any other duties that may be assigned from time to time by the Head of Legal

Key Competencies and Skills

• Well-developed communication and inter personal skills.
• Exhibit sound judgment abilities.
• Sound understanding of Kenyan Law to be able to put up a claim or a defense
• Demonstrates trustworthiness and integrity
• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from a recognized university;
• Diploma in Law(KSL) and Admission as an Advocate with a current practicing Certificate;
• Post Graduate qualifications in relevant field will be an added advantage
• Minimum (3-5) years’ experience in legal practice most especially in dispute resolution/litigation.
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation, problem solving, negotiation skills with the ability to positively and clearly communicate with a variety of audiences.
• Possess a high degree of professional ethics & personal integrity.
• The candidate must be hardworking, flexible & service oriented;
• Proficiency in use of computer applications; and
• Ability to work with minimum supervision