InHouse Legal Counsel

Position: In-House Legal Counsel
Location: Pune, MaharashtraIndustry: Real Estate / Infrastructur

Role Overview
The In-House Legal Counsel will be responsible for owning and managing the complete legal, compliance, and governance framework of SLP Group across all entities, SPVs, projects, and promoter-level matters. This is a one-person legal department role requiring both strategic acumen and hands-on execution across all levels of courts, government offices, and authorities. The role covers transactions, litigation, contracts, risk management, and promoter-related legal issues with the highest levels of confidentiality and professional ethics.The Counsel will oversee all legal, compliance, and regulatory matters across the Groups real estate and infrastructure operations, including property documentation, contracts, RERA, and government liaisoning. They will also manage the promoters personal and politically sensitive legal matters, ensuring that all actions align with the organizations integrity, reputation, and long-term interests.A. Legal Drafting, Contracting & Transactions

• Draft, review, and negotiate MoUs, JDAs/JVs, sale deeds, conveyances, POAs, EPC/PMC contracts, vendor agreements, leases, NDAs, and settlement deeds.
• Standardize contract templates and clause libraries (indemnities, warranties, termination, dispute resolution, confidentiality).
• Structure and close land, development, and finance-related transactions in coordination with the finance and tax teams.
• Ensure stamping, notarization, registration, and indexing of all executed documents into the DMS.

B. Property, Title & Regulatory Diligence

• Conduct or supervise title due diligence for Maharashtra lands (7/12s, PR cards, IGR searches, NA orders, layout approvals, CCs, and OC documentation).
• Map regulatory frameworks under UDCPR, MRTP, and RERA, ensuring complete compliance.
• Handle matters related to reservations, blue-line/flood zones, amenity spaces, and TDR transactions.
• Maintain a Land Dossier for each parcel, tracking risks, gaps, and next actions.

C. Litigation, Arbitration & Dispute Resolution (Revised)

• Manage the litigation calendar: e-Courts updates, board dates, limitation tracking, and counsel coordination.
• Prepare pleadings, affidavits, evidence, and argument briefs; ensure timely filings.
• Personally appear before all levels of courts, tribunals, quasi-judicial authorities, and government offices when required; represent the company and promoters with due authorization.
• Liaise directly with advocates, government officers, and departments for hearings, submissions, and compliance actions.
• Oversee civil, criminal, and regulatory disputes, including encroachment, title, specific performance, consumer, labour, and money recovery cases.
• Evaluate ADR and settlement options and formalize consent terms or enforceable settlements.
• Ensure proper follow-up on orders, judgments, and compliance actions post-hearing.

D. Compliance, Governance & Corporate Matters

• Maintain a statutory compliance calendar covering RERA, municipal, environmental, labour, and other applicable laws.
• Coordinate with CS and CA firms for ROC, tax, and regulatory filings.
• Advise on inter-company structuring, SPV management, charges, and corporate governance documentation.
• Implement document retention, legal hold, and approval matrix protocols.

E. Government Liaison & Regulatory Coordination

• Independently visit and coordinate with sub-registrar/IGR offices, town-planning, revenue, and municipal authorities lawfully and transparently.
• Manage stamping/e-stamping, adjudication, and certified copies of legal documents.
• Track and circulate key policy updates (UDCPR, RERA, GRs, circulars) within the organization.

F. Promoter, Personal & Political Matters (Strict Confidentiality)

• Handle promoter-level legal matters: property, inheritance, defamation, cyber, contractual disputes, and settlements.
• Manage political or reputation-linked legal responses, ensuring adherence to all public-order and election-related laws.
• Maintain strict conflict-of-interest, confidentiality, and privilege protocols for all personal and political matters.

G. Risk Management & Policy Frameworks

• Maintain a legal risk register with heat-maps and early-warning indicators.
• Create SOPs for notices, filings, litigation workflows, and external counsel engagement.
• Conduct quarterly legal training and awareness sessions for internal teams.

H. Documentation, Digitization & Knowledge Management

• Manage both digital and physical legal records: DMS indexing, version control, and audit trails.
• Ensure certification and traceability of original documents (titles, POAs, seals).
• Leverage e-Courts, Manupatra/SCC, IGR e-Search, and MIS dashboards for efficiency.

I. Stakeholder & External Counsel Management

• Serve as single point of contact for all external counsel.
• Define engagement scopes, monitor budgets, review invoices, and evaluate outcomes.
• Collaborate with project, finance, HR, and admin teams to pre-empt disputes and ensure compliance.

J. General Legal Advisory & Strategic Support

• Provide continuous legal advice and risk assessments on business operations, contracts, and transactions.
• Advise management and promoters on strategic decisions involving property, partnerships, regulatory matters, and dispute exposure.
• Draft internal legal advisories and opinion notes; maintain a record of all legal recommendations and decisions.
• Liaise with external counsel for second opinions on complex matters.
• Ensure all business decisions are legally sound, compliant, and aligned with the organizations ethical and reputational standards.

Qualifications & Experience
- Education: LL.B. mandatory; LL.M. preferred. Active Bar Council enrollment desirable.- Experience: 815 years in real estate/infrastructure legal roles (law firm or in-house). Must possess expertise in Maharashtra land laws, RERA, UDCPR, and litigation.- Skills: Drafting, negotiation, and due diligence proficiency; fluency in English, Hindi, and Marathi; strong command of legal research and digital tools (e-Courts, MIS, DMS).Behavioral Competencies- Integrity, discretion, and high ethical standards.- Strong judgment and ability to balance promoter, business, and regulatory priorities.- Effective written and verbal communication with the ability to brief senior counsel concisely.- Systems-driven mindset: establishes repeatable processes and structured documentation.Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)- 100% matter inventory and document indexing within 60 days.- Zero limitation or filing lapses.- Standardized contracts and compliance calendar in place by Month 3.- Reduction in open litigations or demonstrable progress in settlement/closure.- Timely handling of promoter/personal matters with zero confidentiality breaches.Working Conditions & Logistics- Base: Pune, with travel to Nanded, Mumbai, and other project locations.- Tools: Laptop with legal research access (SCC/Manupatra), DMS access, and e-Court/IGR integration.- Hours: Flexible, subject to hearing schedules, filings, and urgent matters.Ethics, Conflicts & ConfidentialityStrict adherence to professional ethics, integrity, and confidentiality.All external engagements require prior written approval.Information barriers must be maintained between personal/political and group business matters.Confidentiality, privilege, and data protection to be upheld at all times. First 30 Days: Legal Download & Stabilization- Create a master inventory of all ongoing legal matters (civil, criminal, revenue, RERA, arbitration, consumer, labour, tax, regulatory), contracts, notices, title documents, and approvals across all entities and SPVs.- Conduct structured downloads of each matter: compile complete paper-books and soft copies, prepare one-page case sheets (parties, forum, reliefs, stage, counsel, risk rating, exposure, next actions).- Review and amend ongoing matters: identify gaps in pleadings or documentation, propose corrections or settlement strategies, and coordinate with external counsel.- Prepare a Title & Approvals Gap Report for each major land parcel/project covering 7/12s, mutations, PR/ULC/NA orders, layout sanctions, UDCPR compliance, amenity handovers, reservations, and RERA triggers.- Establish a Legal MIS: matter tracker, contract register, statutory compliance calendar, template bank, and indexed digital document repository.- Submit a 30-Day Stabilization Note summarizing quick wins, critical risks, and a prioritized 6-month action plan.