"Legal Counsel/Senior Legal Counsel (Enterprise & Venture Investments)"

About the role

We are seeking qualified candidates to provide legal support to NUS Enterprise, the entrepreneurial arm within NUS which plays a pivotal role in advancing innovation and entrepreneurship at NUS and beyond. The candidate will have experience in providing legal advice and support for venture investments across early-stage and growth stage companies, fund investments, co-investments and joint ventures, and be able to provide guidance on deal structuring and execution, regulatory and compliance oversight. This position will report to the Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel, with a dotted/matrix reporting to the Senior Vice President (Innovation & Enterprise). Day-to-day direction on investment, IP and commercial related matters is provided by the Senior Vice President (Innovation & Enterprise). The role will appeal to qualified lawyers of 5-10 years PQE, who can work steadily and are able to manage both legal and non-legal issues.

Job Description

• Provide comprehensive legal guidance and advice across deal lifecycle, including structuring, due diligence, documentation and closing for seed, Series rounds, follow-ons and exits.
• Draft and lead investor-side review and negotiations of investment and fund documents including side letters, term sheets, shareholder agreements, subscription agreements, LOIs, limited partnership agreements, joint venture agreements, strategic partnership agreements, SAFEs, convertible notes and ancillary instruments.
• Monitor and advise on domestic and foreign legal, regulatory, and compliance matters relevant to venture investing.
• Support operational due diligence and investment responsibility function at NUS Enterprise.
• Review and implement systems, policies and procedures to streamline processes and manage risks in the investment process.
• Work with outside counsel, investment professionals, and the various divisions within NUS Enterprise and other NUS units, faculties and schools to address legal, regulatory, and business issues.
• Render legal support in the roll out and operations of entrepreneurial-related and incubator programmes managed through NUS Enterprise. This would include reviewing and drafting of a variety of commercial agreements such as non-disclosure agreements, vendor contracts, consulting agreements, collaboration agreements, engagement letters and IP Licensing and ancillary agreements.
• Provide legal advice on other non-investment issues as required, including contentious and non-contentious corporate/commercial and IP related matters.
• Advise on legal compliance, governance and policy issues.
• Legal research.
• Conduct or arrange in-house legal training and education.

Qualifications

• Recognised law degree and professional qualifications (preferably called to the Singapore Bar)
• Minimum 5 years PQE in a law firm or as an in-house legal counsel
• Strong preference for experience in a venture-backed startup or venture capital fund.
• Strong corporate and commercial or M&A experience with interest in or exposure to venture and investment-related work, and experience in investor-side review and negotiation of various types of investment fund agreements, Simple Agreement For Future Equity (SAFE), Convertible Notes. Familiarity with regulatory and compliance issues associated with investment-related activities would be advantageous
• Experience or a keen interest in IP-related work such as IP licensing would be advantageous
• Excellence in judgment, writing, analytical and communication skills
• Self-motivated individual, ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team environment with internal and external contacts at all levels
• Highest level of professionalism and integrity
• Strong interpersonal and time-management skills
• Ability to deal with legal and non-l