Legal Counsel - APAC

Taylor Root; Hong Kong; On-site; HKD 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Taylor Root is seeking a practical, business‑oriented Legal Counsel to support the Asia Pacific region. The role centers on commercial contracts, day‑to‑day legal advisory, and privacy & data protection.

You will partner with business and functional teams to manage legal risk, maintain templates and knowledge resources, and escalate complex matters to senior leadership. The position involves collaboration across jurisdictions and training on compliance.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of post-qualification legal experience in a law firm or in-house role.
• Experience drafting/reviewing APAC contracts, and handling privacy matters.
• Qualified in Hong Kong or another major common-law jurisdiction; in-house candidates may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Review and negotiate a wide range of commercial contracts (NDAs, service agreements, SOWs).
• Provide practical legal advice on day-to-day business matters including commercial & procurement.
• Identify risks, deliver commercially pragmatic recommendations, escalate high-risk issues.
• Support privacy and data protection reviews and monitor APAC privacy regulations.
• Conduct legal research and build resources; use AI tools to improve efficiency.
• Collaborate cross-functionally and train internal teams on legal processes and compliance.
• Provide secondary support on corporate governance and entity management as needed.

Skills

Contract drafting

Negotiation

Legal research

Commercial judgment

Interpersonal skills

Bilingual English/Chinese

Education

Qualified lawyer (HK) or common-law jurisdiction

Tools

AI tools

Job description

We are looking for a practical, business-oriented Legal Counsel to provide timely legal support across the Asia Pacific region. The role centres on commercial contracts, day-to-day legal advisory, and privacy & data protection. You will partner with business and functional stakeholders to manage legal risk, support commercial goals, maintain templates and knowledge resources, and elevate complex matters to senior legal leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Independently review and negotiate a wide range of commercial contracts (NDAs, service agreements, SOWs, collaboration agreements, etc.), advise on terms, and maintain regional contract templates.
• Provide practical legal advice on day-to-day business matters including commercial transactions, procurement, marketing, retail/e-commerce, consumer issues, leasing and routine employment queries.
• Identify legal and compliance risks, deliver commercially pragmatic recommendations, and elevate high-risk issues appropriately.
• Support privacy and data protection work, including policy/contract reviews and monitoring of key APAC privacy regulations.
• Conduct legal research, build knowledge resources, and leverage tools (including AI) to improve efficiency.
• Collaborate cross-functionally and provide training/guidance to internal teams on legal processes and compliance.
• Provide secondary support on corporate governance and entity management matters as needed.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of relevant post-qualification (or equivalent) legal experience in a law firm or in-house role.
• Experience in APAC contract drafting/review, corporate work and privacy law.
• Qualified in Hong Kong or another major common-law jurisdiction preferred; strong in-house candidates without a practising certificate may also be considered.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, research and commercial judgment skills.
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to manage multiple matters across jurisdictions with minimal supervision.
• Fluent spoken English with strong written English and Chinese.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in a matrixed regional environment.