Counsel – Lead Transaction Lawyer – Singapore or Mumbai recruitment
LeapFrog is a $135m profit-with-purpose fund. We invest in companies that serve the next billion emerging consumers in Asia and Africa with insurance and other essential financial tools. As a leading impact investor, our mission is to achieve robust returns from this vast untapped market, while providing 25 million low-income people with financial springboards and safety nets. LeapFrog’s team of former CEOs, investment leaders and financial inclusion experts has attracted leading global banks, funds and reinsurers as investors. In only three years, via its portfolio companies LeapFrog has reached over 8.6 million people.
www.leapfroginvest.com
The Role
Your main focus will be on supporting the legal aspects of LeapFrog’s investments into companies such as insurance risk carriers, distributors of financial products, and service providers that serve people at the base of the economic pyramid.
In conjunction with in-country counsel, whom you will oversee, you will play a vital role in due diligences, negotiations, and documentation of these transactions.
You will also provide legal counsel for LeapFrog’s interactions with its portfolio companies as we help those businesses move to a new level of growth, profitability and impact.
You will have the opportunity to participate intimately with the deal teams in each office, providing legal insight and guidance acrossthe various aspects of the deal, management, and exit processes.
Importantly, the role of Counsel extends well beyond transactional leadership, and requires a broad interest and capability set. Working with LeapFrog’s General Counsel, you will advise LeapFrog’s leadership on its own operations – in areas such as fund governance, compliance, contracting, and human resources – in the service of its varied investors and diverse stakeholders. In the years ahead, you will also be involved in fund formation processes, managing external counsel.
Location
LeapFrog plans to open Singapore and Mumbai offices in the coming year, and has a preference for either of these as a location for the role. For an initial period, you will be located primarily in a current LeapFrog office in Australia, the UK, or the US.
Experience
You are likely to have:
- At least 5 years of legal experience, likely in a law firm or the legal department of an investment firm.
- Significant transaction experience, ideally in private equity investments, MA or fund formation.
- A strong academic background in law, with any business training highly advantageous.
- An ability to draft and analyse complex agreements and assess local legal issues, with prior experience within common law frameworks.
- Experience with insurance or financial services companies, or the legal systems of emerging economies.
- Admission to a relevant bar or other licensing arrangement. You do not need to be admitted to practice in any specific jurisdiction.
- A high level of comfort with fast-moving entrepreneurial environments across multiple geographies.
- An entrepreneurial, collegial, hands-on and can-do attitude.
- A genuine passion for achieving a significant social impact.
- A willingness to undertake relatively frequent international travel, engaging at pivotal moments in deal negotiations and closings.
Career Path
You will be part of the small and highly qualified senior professional staff of LeapFrog, as one of only two lawyers at LeapFrog. As a young, fast-growing, and dynamic impact investing organization, LeapFrog’s starting salaries are not on par with major law firms; however, LeapFrog is able to offer excellent career prospects and ultimately competitive packages for those committed to the medium and long-term shared journey. The Lead Transaction Lawyer will be eligible for rapid promotion to Deputy General Counsel; this is – for the right person – a partner-track role.
Applying
The application deadline is 8 June 2012; applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Ideal start date is between 1 July and 1 August 2012.
If you seek purpose as much as profit, meaning as much as money, from your work, and you satisfy the above criteria, please submit a cover letter and CV to Joanne Tanchel by clicking on the "Apply now" button.