Legal Associate at Standard Chartered Bank

Job Summary

• We are seeking a knowledgeable and proactive Legal Associate to join our dynamic legal team based in Lagos. In this role, you will provide comprehensive legal support across transactional and general legal matters, helping to identify, mitigate, and manage potential legal risks that the bank may face. You will play a pivotal role in supporting the board processes, ensuring that board papers and minutes are managed with precision and punctuality, facilitating clear communication and action follow-up.
• This position demands a detail-oriented legal professional who can effectively liaise with internal and external stakeholders, support regulatory compliance initiatives, and provide sound legal counsel in line with the bank's strategic objectives. Your expertise will contribute to safeguarding the bank's interests while promoting its operational success.

Key Responsibilities
Strategic Alignment

• Develop a thorough understanding of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria’s Corporate & Institutional Banking (CIB) and Wealth & Retail Banking strategies and how these contribute to the wider Group’s strategic goals and performance metrics.

Legal Advisory and Transactional Support

• Deliver comprehensive legal advice on transactional and general legal matters, ensuring sound risk assessment and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Draft, negotiate, and finalise transactional documents accurately and efficiently, safeguarding the bank’s interests.
• Collaborate effectively with external counsel and legal/compliance teams across jurisdictions to coordinate well-informed legal solutions.
• Maintain strong, mutually beneficial relationships with stakeholders by providing clear and proactive legal guidance on regulatory and contractual matters.
• Support local teams with regulatory remediation programs related to the bank’s operations in Nigeria, carefully assessing any legal implications.
• Assess the adequacy and enforceability of contracts and related collateral, ensuring alignment with current legal frameworks.
• Lead efforts on legal knowledge management by optimizing document templates through automation technologies to enhance efficiency.
• Provide support in dispute resolution management involving client matters as needed.

Company Secretarial And Corporate Governance

• Oversee the end-to-end management of board processes, ensuring timely circulation of quality board papers and accurate minute-taking with clear action points that are proactively tracked to completion.
• Act as the Responsible Person for bank entities recorded in Blueprint, ensuring continuous accuracy and compliance of company data.
• Collaborate closely with the Company Secretary to design and implement a robust board succession plan, maintain an updated capability matrix, and monitor independent director status.
• Ensure compliance by preparing and filing statutory returns to the Corporate Affairs Commission promptly and accurately.

Processes

• Resonsible for reviewing, maintaining and managing documentation templates.
• Provide training on legal/documentation matters and legal policies and procedures
• Assist with review of and compliance with policies and procedures

Risk Management
Responsible For The Following

• Providing legal review and feedback required under relevant policies and procedures,
• Management of material contentious issues or inquiries faced by Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria by collaborating with the subject matter experts in the Function and Bank,
• Support and collaborate with broader Legal function to develop effective strategies for identifying horizon Legal risks across Nigeria and West Africa,
• Management of material contentious issues or inquiries faced by Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria by collaborating with the Regional General Counsel, Dispute Resolution, the Global Head of Legal, Government Investigations and the Head of Shared Investigations Services.
• Support and collaborate with broader Legal function to develop effective strategies for identifying horizon Legal risks across Nigeria and West Africa
• Support and provide advice to the local teams involved in delivering Standard Chartered Bank Group or Country commitment to any remediation program, considering any impact for Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria
• Assist in management of client dispute resolution.

Governance

• Assist with review of and compliance with policies and procedures.
• Assist in process governance committees and operational risks committees.
• Review and provide legal feedback for product and country governance documents (where applicable).
• Design and develop new products documentation and country specific documentation.
• Support the effective management of legal disputes across Nigeria
• Support reporting to and participate in key risk control committees and management groups on relevant Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria legal risks and issues.
• Support the management and provision of reports to relevant Group and business risk and control committees and management groups on key Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria legal risks and issues where required.
• Maintain an awareness and understanding of the regulatory framework in which Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria operates, and the regulatory requirements and expectations relevant to the role.
• Work with local regulators (when required to do so) and independent auditors in an open and cooperative manner.

Regulatory & Business Conduct

• Display exemplary conduct and live by the Group’s Values and Code of Conduct.
• Take personal responsibility for embedding the highest standards of ethics, including regulatory and business conduct, across Standard Chartered Bank. This includes understanding and ensuring compliance with, in letter and spirit, all applicable laws, regulations, guidelines and the Group Code of Conduct.
• Effectively and collaboratively identify, escalate, mitigate and resolve risk, conduct and compliance matters.

Key stakeholders

• Board of Directors, CIB, WRB, TB, FM, TTO, Finance, HR, SCM, CRES and other business and functions

Other Responsibilities

• The valued behaviours act as a compass for our staff, helping them feel and behave as one team across different markets and business functions. Living them consistently with our clients, colleagues, regulators, communities, and suppliers we deliver on our Purpose of Driving commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our brand promise of Here for Good.

Skills And Experience

• Demonstrated excellence in decision-making, applying legal knowledge to deliver high-quality and considerate outcomes in a complex banking environment.
• Strong advocacy skills, capable of articulating and defending legal positions effectively both within the organization and in external interactions.
• Proficiency in legislative analysis to accurately interpret and apply legal frameworks in line with regulatory requirements.
• Experience managing litigation processes and contributing to dispute resolution with strategic insight and professionalism.
• Strong business acumen to align legal advice with commercial objectives and operational needs of the bank.
• In-depth understanding of regulatory frameworks and compliance obligations relevant to the Nigerian and international banking sectors.

Qualifications
Education

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree and Barrister at Law (BL) certification from a recognised institution.

Professional Training

• A minimum of seven years post-qualification legal practice experience, ideally within the banking or financial services sector.

Professional Memberships

• Active membership of a recognised Bar Association or equivalent professional legal body.

Languages

• Excellent command of written and spoken English is essential for this role.