Lead Counsel

GMR Group; Jammu and Kashmir; On-site; INR 3,000,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Job summary

GMR Group invites a Lead Counsel - Strategic Litigations to lead high-stakes litigation across airports, including arbitrations, tariff disputes, and environmental matters. You will shape strategy, coordinate with external counsel, and monitor regulatory developments impacting operations.

The role requires 10–12 years in litigation and regulatory work, with strong experience in infrastructure or aviation sectors and LL.B with LL.M preferred.

Qualifications

• 10-12 years post-qualification experience in litigation and regulatory work.
• Experience managing high-stake cases in infrastructure, aviation, or regulated sectors.
• LL.B with LL.M preferred and admissions to relevant bar.

Responsibilities

• Strategic & high-stakes litigation management across airports and regulatory forums.
• Handle regulatory and contractual disputes, arbitration, notices, and remedies.
• Prepare representations to government/regulatory authorities and liaise with external counsel.
• Conduct detailed legal research, track developments, and maintain precedent databases.
• Coordinate with law firms and internal stakeholders for strategy and hearings.
• Track deadlines, MIS dashboards, reporting, and risk management.

Skills

Strategic litigation management

Regulatory compliance

Legal research & analysis

Stakeholder coordination

Litigation budgeting

Education

LL.B

LL.M preferred

Job description

Job Description:

JOB PURPOSE

The Lead Counsel - Strategic Litigations is responsible to lead and manage high-stakes, strategic, and regulatory litigations impacting the airport business, including arbitrations, tariff disputes, environmental matters, and constitutional or statutory challenges. The role involves end-to-end litigation strategy, coordination with external legal counsel, and active monitoring of legal developments. It also includes assessing the impact of legal and regulatory changes on airport operations and advising senior management on risk mitigation, advocacy, and compliance measures.

ORGANISATION CHART

Sr. Lead Counsel - Litigation --> Lead Counsel Strategic Litigation --> Reportees --> Reporting to --> Position Title

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Strategic & High-Stakes Litigation Management
  • Manage all high-value, precedent-setting, and regulatory litigations across airports, including arbitrations, writ petitions, tariff-related disputes, SLPs, and environmental matters before forums such as NGT, High Courts, and the Supreme Court.
  • Develop litigation strategy, including legal positioning, key arguments, and long-term implications for the airport business.
  • Lead case briefing, documentation review, and argument development in coordination with senior counsels and law firms.
  • % of favorable outcomes in strategic cases
  • Average turnaround time for strategy and filing preparation
  • Litigation cost vs. budget deviation
• Regulatory & Contractual Dispute Resolution
  • Address disputes arising from concession agreements, airport service contracts, and regulatory directions.
  • Support legal teams and business units in interpreting contracts and resolving disputes through arbitration or legal notices.
  • Draft responses, counterclaims, or legal notices as required in coordination with internal and external counsel.
  • Resolution time for contractual disputes
  • No. of contract disputes mitigated at pre-litigation stage
• Legal Representation & Advocacy
  • Prepare representations or responses to government/regulatory authorities in response to amendments in policies or draft laws affecting airport operations.
  • Participate in consultations, policy review forums, and industry/legal association meetings where representation of airport legal interests is needed.
  • No. of policy/legal representation inputs submitted
• Legal Research, Monitoring & MIS
  • Conduct detailed legal research for ongoing and upcoming cases, identify judicial trends and maintain internal legal precedent databases.
  • Track and report ongoing litigation matters, deadlines, hearing outcomes, and legal risks through structured MIS and dashboards.
  • Review legal judgments and new legislation or regulations relevant to the aviation and airport sector, highlighting implications to key stakeholders.
  • Timeliness and accuracy of MIS submission
• External Counsel & Stakeholder Coordination
  • Coordinate with law firms, senior counsels, and subject-matter experts for litigation strategy, documentation, and hearings.
  • Represent legal team in internal review meetings with cross-functional stakeholders including finance, operations, compliance, and regulatory affairs.
  • Liaise with relevant government and quasi-judicial authorities as part of litigation or representation processes.
  • No. of legal escalations resolved proactively

EXTERNAL INTERACTIONS

• Law firms and lawyers
• Senior Advocates
• Government Authorities

INTERNAL INTERACTIONS

• The Group General Counsel and the CLO
• Airport Legal Heads
• Business teams and Departmental heads

FINANCIAL DIMENSIONS

• NA

OTHER DIMENSIONS

• NA

EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS

• LL.B
• LL.M preferred

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

• 10-12 years of post-qualification experience in litigation and regulatory legal work, with at least 5 years in managing high-stake cases preferably in infrastructure, aviation, or regulated sectors

COMPETENCIES

• Intellectual Property (IP) Management (Proficient)
• Knowledge of Rules and Regulations of Aviation Sector Legal Frameworks (Proficient)
• Real-Estate Management (Proficient)
• Warehousing Legal Management (Proficient)
• Regulatory Compliance and Governance (Proficient)
• Employment and Labour Law (Proficient)
• Legal Research and Analysis (Proficient)
• Litigation and Dispute Management (Proficient)
• Networking
• Personal Effectiveness
• Teamwork & Interpersonal influence
• Stakeholder Focus
• Entrepreneurship
• Capability Building
• Social Awareness
• Planning & Decision Making
• Execution & Results
• Strategic Orientation
• Problem Solving & Analytical Thinking

Requirements: