The Corporate Legal Counsel for Government Relations and Dispute Resolution is responsible for the development, maintenance and strengthening of relationships with critical stakeholders including regulators, local government officials and the local community where the business has established its footprint.  He/she also plays a pivotal role in managing the company’s involvement in legal disputes, including but not limited to pre-litigation claims, tenant issues, encroachment and boundary disputes, unlawful detainers, on-going court cases and out-of-court settlements.

Job Requirements

• Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree – Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws.
• With 8 to 9 years of combined relevant experience from a law firm and in a similar in-house counsel position from another real estate development company.
• Eligibility: Member of the Philippine bar in good standing.
• Knowledge of land acquisition and title transfer process.
• Able to report in the office and willing to travel to different project locations from time to time.

Job Responsibilities

Government Relations:

• Serves as the company’s main point of contact for matters concerning the officials of local government units and the communities surrounding the various vertical and horizontal developments of the business.
• Develops and maintains strong, long-term relationships of trust with regulatory agencies, government bodies and external stakeholders by establishing lines of communication.
• Maintains stakeholder mapping of regulatory and ministerial offices to ensure updated identification of all officials relevant to the business.

Dispute Resolution and Remedial Action:

• Develops strategic plans for managing current and anticipated litigation, including risk analysis, resource allocation and mitigation strategies.
• Coordinates with external legal counsels and manage relationships with law firms handling litigation, ensuring cost-effective legal representation.
• Prepares, drafts and reviews demand letters, pleadings and other legal documents, ensuring they meet legal standards and align with business objectives.
• Drafts and issues demand letters to lessees with outstanding accountabilities, ensuring legal enforceability and compliance with contractual obligations.
• Implements appropriate remedial measures in cases of default, including coordination with other internal departments and external legal counsels to explore legal and business strategies for recovery.

Permits and Licenses:

• Assists the Office of the President in ensuring that all permits, licenses and regulatory approvals are secured for land acquisition, development and sale.
• Secures the various local government permits, including but not limited to zoning and locational clearances, barangay clearances, fencing permits, development permits and alteration permits.

Land Acquisition and Title Transfer:

• Conducts pre-acquisition due diligence on the target lot to be acquired to verify that the land is legally available for acquisition, the land title is clear and there are no legal disputes or encumbrances (e.g., mortgages or claims) that will affect the transaction.
• Structures the transaction and prepare the Deed of Sale and/or other implementing documents for the acquisition of the target lot.
• Finalizes the transaction with the transfer of ownership, ensuring that legal title passes from the seller to the company.

Special Projects:

• Performs analogous tasks as may be assigned from time to time.

Interested candidates may forward their comprehensive & updated CV to careers@dpdiph.com and use the subject line: Career Page Application