Legal Officer (Real Estate & Infrastructure) at Cosgrove Investment Limited

Role Summary

• The Legal Officer will serve as the sole in-house legal counsel, providing expert, timely, and strategic legal advice and support across all operations of Cosgrove Investment Limited, with a primary focus on real estate development and road construction projects. This role is critical in ensuring legal compliance across all Federal and Northern State jurisdictions, mitigating legal risks, safeguarding company assets, and managing external legal relationships.

 Key Responsibilities and Duties

• The successful candidate will be responsible for the full spectrum of legal matters, including:

Real Estate & Property Law Management

• Due Diligence & Acquisition: Conducting meticulous legal due diligence and perfecting titles for all land and property acquisitions in FCT and other states.
• Title Perfection: Managing the entire process for obtaining and perfecting all regulatory approvals, Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O), Deeds of Assignment, and securing necessary registrations at relevant land registries (e.g., AGIS).
• Documentation: Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating all real estate transactional documents, including Sales Agreements, Leases, Mortgages, Joint Venture Agreements, and Power of Attorney documents.

Construction & Contract Law Management

• Contract Drafting: Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating major construction contracts, sub-contracts, supply agreements, and consultancy service agreements for road and civil construction projects, ensuring protection of the company's interests.
• Regulatory Compliance: Advising the project team on all regulatory compliance matters related to construction and infrastructure projects, liaising with relevant Ministries (e.g., Ministry of Works, Environmental bodies).

Litigation, Compliance, and Risk Management

• Litigation Management: Coordinating and overseeing all ongoing litigation, arbitration, and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) matters, liaising effectively with and managing the performance of external legal counsel across all jurisdictions.
• Compliance: Ensuring the company is compliant with the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) and all relevant federal and state laws, including taxation, labour, and environmental regulations.
• Advisory: Providing proactive legal counsel and strategic guidance to the Management and Project teams to identify, mitigate, and manage operational and legal risks.

Corporate & Administrative

• Record Keeping: Maintaining a comprehensive, secure, and easily accessible system for all legal documentation, contracts, titles, and corporate filings.
• Statutory Filings: Assisting the CAO with corporate secretarial functions, including necessary filings with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Qualifications, Experience, and Skills

Essential Requirements

• Education: Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree from a reputable university.
• Professional: Mandatory Call to the Nigerian Bar (B.L).
• Experience: A minimum of 3–4 years of active post-call experience in legal administration and practice, with demonstrable, hands-on experience in Nigerian Real Estate Law or Road Construction/Infrastructure Law.
• Jurisdictional Knowledge: Must possess a strong understanding of land administration laws and procedures in the FCT, and other states.

Core Competencies

• Legal Drafting: Exceptional legal drafting and interpretation skills.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Autonomy: Proven ability to work independently as a sole Legal Officer and manage a high-volume workload across multiple locations.
• Integrity: High level of professional ethics, integrity, and discretion.