Legal Counsel (Automotive, In-house)

Stellenbeschreibung:

Overview

We are seeking a proactive and detail-oriented Legal Counsel to join our Germany subsidiary, providing end-to-end legal support for our automotive business operations. You will be the key legal partner for cross-functional teams, safeguarding the company’s compliance and interests in the German market.

Responsibilities

Contract Management: Draft, review, negotiate and finalize a wide range of legal documents (including NDAs, dealer & after-sales agreements, purchase contracts, cooperation MOUs, etc.). Continuously optimize contract templates and streamline the contract management workflow to align with German commercial law.
Regulatory Compliance & Risk Control: Ensure the company’s automotive business activities (covering product quality, environmental protection, data privacy, trade compliance, anti-bribery, etc.) fully comply with German and EU regulations (e.g., GDPR, WLTP, German Commercial Code HGB). Conduct compliance supervision and provide timely legal guidance for business decision-making.
Dispute Resolution & Legal Support: Handle legal disputes including litigation, arbitration, and consumer claims; provide professional legal analysis and solutions. Offer HR legal support (e.g., labor dispute resolution) in accordance with German Labor Law (Arbeitsgesetzbuch).
Partnership & External Resource Management: Participate in due diligence of potential business partners (e.g., dealer qualification & compliance checks). Select, manage and supervise external law firms to ensure cost-effective and high-quality legal services.
Intellectual Property & Other Duties: Assist in protecting the company’s IP rights related to automotive R&D, brand trademarks, etc. Fulfill other legal tasks assigned by the management team.

Qualifications & Requirements

Education & Qualification: Hold an LLB/LLM degree from a recognized international law school.
German Bar Admission (Rechtsanwalt) or equivalent qualification is a strong plus; familiarity with German and EU automotive regulatory frameworks is a must.
Professional Experience: 5-7 years of post-qualification experience in corporate legal practice, with expertise in general corporate law and dispute resolution.
Prior working experience in multinational manufacturing (especially automotive) companies is highly preferred.
Fluent oral and written English and German.
Solid legal knowledge paired with sharp business acumen; capable of providing practical, result-oriented solutions.
Excellent communication, negotiation and cross-cultural collaboration skills (working with local teams, global stakeholders and government authorities).
Mature, proactive and self-driven; able to work independently under pressure with high integrity.