Assistant Group Counsel

Persistent; Pune District; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and benefits

Talent development culture

Cutting-edge technologies

Employee engagement initiatives

Annual health check-ups

Group term life and health coverage

Job summary

Persistent is seeking an experienced Assistant Group Counsel to support a wide range of commercial contracting and legal advisory activities across global business operations. The ideal candidate will draft, review, negotiate, and close MSAs, SOWs, software licensing, and related agreements while balancing legal risk with business objectives.

Based in Pune, you will partner with sales, delivery, procurement, finance, HR, and leadership to enable deals across India, the US, Europe, and beyond,

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of experience in commercial contracting and corporate legal affairs.
• Experience with MSAs, SOWs, software licensing, reseller and employment agreements.
• Proven drafting, vetting, negotiating, and closing complex commercial agreements.
• Experience supporting India and US contracts.
• Understanding of contract law, risk management, and compliance.
• Ability to manage negotiations independently and drive to closure.
• Experience with cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders.
• Familiarity with litigation management and external counsel.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage MSAs, SOWs, and related agreements.
• Structure contracts to align with business goals while minimizing risk.
• Support negotiations with customers, vendors, partners across jurisdictions.
• Ensure terms comply with internal policies and standards.
• Manage end-to-end contract lifecycle: drafting, approvals, execution, archiving.
• Coordinate contract execution and maintain documentation in systems.
• Provide legal guidance to business, sales, delivery, procurement, finance, HR.
• Review risks and prepare recommendations for leadership.
• Monitor regulatory developments relevant to commercial contracting.
• Assist in contract templates, negotiation playbooks, and process improvements.
• Conduct legal awareness sessions for employees.

Skills

Contract negotiations

Legal drafting

Cross-border contracting

Risk assessment

Stakeholder management

Litigation support

Regulatory compliance

Contract governance

Analytical skills

Multitasking under pressure

Education

LLB or equivalent

Bar Council enrollment preferred

Job description

About Position:

We are seeking an experienced Assistant Group Counsel to support and manage a wide range of commercial contracting and legal advisory activities across global business operations. The ideal candidate will have strong expertise in drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and closing commercial agreements, particularly within the technology and professional services industry. This role requires a business-oriented legal professional who can balance legal risk with commercial objectives while supporting stakeholders across multiple geographies and functions.

• Role: Assistant Group Counsel Commercial Contracts
• Location: Pune
• Experience: 8 to 12 Years
• Job Type: Full-Time Employment

What You'll Do:

• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a variety of commercial agreements including Master Services Agreements (MSAs), Statements of Work (SOWs), Consulting Agreements, Independent Contractor Agreements, Employment Agreements, Software License Agreements, Software Reseller Agreements.
• Structure and negotiate contracts to ensure alignment with business objectives while minimizing legal and commercial risks.
• Support contract negotiations with customers, vendors, partners, and third parties across multiple jurisdictions.
• Ensure contractual terms comply with internal legal policies, governance frameworks, and company standards.
• Manage the end-to-end contract lifecycle, including drafting, revisions, approvals, execution, and archiving.
• Coordinate contract execution and ensure all agreements are properly documented and maintained within contract management systems.
• Provide legal guidance and commercial support to business, sales, delivery, procurement, finance, HR, administration, and other internal functions.
• Review contractual risks and prepare recommendations for internal stakeholders and leadership teams.
• Assess commercial disputes, claims, and contractual issues, and provide legal summaries and risk assessments to decision-makers.
• Support litigation management activities and coordinate with external counsel, insurance carriers, and other legal advisors where required.
• Provide legal support for employment-related matters and internal policy implementation.
• Assist in developing contract templates, negotiation playbooks, and legal process improvements.
• Conduct legal awareness sessions and training programs for employees and business stakeholders.
• Monitor legal and regulatory developments relevant to commercial contracting and business operations.
• Handle special projects and legal matters as assigned by leadership.

Expertise You'll Bring:

• 8-12 years of experience in commercial contracting, corporate legal affairs, or technology-focused legal functions.
• Strong expertise in commercial services contracting including MSAs, SOWs, software licensing, reseller agreements, consulting contracts, and employment agreements.
• Proven experience drafting, vetting, negotiating, and closing complex commercial agreements.
• Hands-on experience supporting contracts involving India and US jurisdictions.
• Exposure to contracts across Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific regions will be an advantage.
• Strong understanding of contract law, commercial risk management, and legal compliance requirements.
• Experience assessing contractual disputes, claims, liabilities, and legal risks.
• Ability to independently manage contract negotiations and drive agreements to closure.
• Experience working with cross-functional business teams and senior stakeholders.
• Familiarity with litigation management processes and interactions with external legal counsel.
• Strong knowledge of legal documentation, contract governance, and records management practices.
• Excellent legal drafting, communication, negotiation, and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated ability to handle multiple priorities and work effectively under pressure.
• Strong commercial acumen and business-oriented approach to legal problem-solving.
• Bachelor's Degree in Law (LLB) or equivalent legal qualification.
• Enrollment with the relevant Bar Council and legal practice credentials preferred.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Culture focused on talent development with quarterly growth opportunities and company-sponsored higher education and certifications
• Opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies
• Employee engagement initiatives such as project parties, flexible work hours, and Long Service awards
• Annual health check-ups
• Insurance coverage: group term life, personal accident, and Mediclaim hospitalization for self, spouse, two children, and parents

Values-Driven, People-Centric & Inclusive Work Environment:

Persistent is dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We invite applications from all qualified individuals, including those with disabilities, and regardless of gender or gender preference. We welcome diverse candidates from all backgrounds.

• We support hybrid work and flexible hours to fit diverse lifestyles.
• Our office is accessibility-friendly, with ergonomic setups and assistive technologies to support employees with physical disabilities.
• If you are a person with disabilities and have specific requirements, please inform us during the application process or at any time during your employment

"Persistent is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind."