Legal Counsel - Mergers & Acquisitions

Nykaa; Mumbai; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Nykaa seeks an experienced legal counsel to lead strategic M&A transactions, draft and negotiate high-value agreements, and manage cross-functional corporate projects. The role reports to senior leadership and supports growth while strengthening the corporate legal function.

Responsibilities include end-to-end M&A support, deal documentation (term sheets, SHAs, SPAs, SSAs), cross-border contracting, regulatory approvals, and strategic legal advice across finance, tax, strategy, and operations.

Qualifications

• Qualified in India with LL.B or LL.M from a premier law school.
• 8–12 years PQE in a leading law firm, top corporate house, or both.
• Proven leadership in M&A deals, contract negotiation, and multi-stakeholder projects.
• Strong capacity to translate legal risk into business strategy for executives.

Responsibilities

• End-to-end M&A support including due diligence and deal structuring.
• Draft, negotiate and finalize transaction documents (term sheets, SHAs, SPAs, SSAs, asset purchase agreements).
• Lead complex cross-border contracting and licensing initiatives across regions.
• Provide pragmatic legal counsel to internal partners across Finance, Tax, Strategy, IT, and HR.
• Oversee corporate governance, compliance, and external counsel coordination.

Skills

M&A expertise

Contract negotiation

Corporate law

Stakeholder management

Legal strategy

Education

LL.B / LL.M

Tools

CLM platforms

Job description

Legal counsel will be responsible for leading strategic M&A transactions, drafting and negotiating complex, high-value commercial agreements, and managing cross-functional corporate projects. This role serves as a key legal advisor to senior leadership, balancing risk mitigation with business growth, while actively contributing to the overall development and scaling of the corporate legal function.

Key Responsibilities :

1. M&A & Strategic Transactions

• End-to-end legal support for M&A, joint ventures, strategic investments, and restructurings—from NDA execution to post-merger integration.
• Drive transaction execution: conduct and manage legal due diligence, draft and negotiate transaction documents (term sheets, SHAs, SPAs, SSAs, asset purchase agreements), and coordinate regulatory/compliance approvals.
• Partner with Finance, Tax, Strategy, and external legal counsel to structure deals, manage transaction risks, and ensure seamless closing.

2. Complex Contracting & Commercial Transactions

• Draft, vet, and negotiate high-complexity, cross-border, and bespoke commercial agreements (MSAs, Software/IP Licensing, Strategic Alliances, Joint Development, EPC/Infrastructure, Outsourcing, Distribution, and Vendor Agreements).
• Manage standard commercial contracts (Lease/Leave & License, Warehousing, Marketing, Endorsement, Workplace Support, Manpower, SOWs, NDAs) with an emphasis on turnaround time and process efficiency.
• Identify legal deviations from standard positions, assess risk exposure, and present risk-mitigation strategies to business teams.
• Lead complex, high-stakes external contract negotiations with senior counterparties.

3. Corporate Projects & Strategic Advisory

• Lead legal strategy for key corporate initiatives, new business launches, product rollouts, and internal reorganizations.
• Provide pragmatic, actionable legal counsel to internal stakeholders across Business, Admin, Procurement, IT, Finance, Tax, Marketing, and HR.
• Review marketing collaterals, advise on IP/branding strategies, and oversee trademark licensing and enforcement activities across regions.
• Manage real estate portfolio documentation, ensuring appropriate stamping, registration, and local compliance across India.

4. Corporate Legal Function Development & Governance

• Build and standardize the legal ops infrastructure: design contract templates, playbooks, SLA workflows, and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Implement and manage digital legal tech tools (Contract Lifecycle Management / CLM platforms, compliance trackers, repository tools).
• Track regulatory changes and emerging legal risks, translating them into policy updates and internal training for business teams.
• Monitor and optimize legal spending by managing external counsel retainers, law firm engagement, and fee structures.

5. Litigation Strategy & Risk Mitigation

• Formulate pre-litigation strategies, draft legal notices, and manage responses to dispute notices to avoid litigation.
• Oversee disputes, legal notices, and arbitrations arising out of M&A, joint ventures, or strategic commercial contracts alongside external counsel.

Knowledge and Skill / Qualification Requirements :

• Qualification: LL.B / LL.M from a premier law school or university in India.
• Experience: 8–12 years of Post-Qualification Experience (PQE) at a leading law firm, top corporate house, or a blend of both.
• Core Track Record: Proven experience in leading M&A deals, negotiating complex contracts, and advising on multi-stakeholder corporate projects.
• M&A Expertise: Strong technical expertise in corporate law, structural deal execution, deal documentation, and transaction management.
• Complex Negotiation: Ability to stand firm on key commercial and legal positions while keeping deal momentum moving.
• Commercial Acumen: Ability to translate complex legal risks into business context and advise executive leaders on strategic trade-offs.
• Stakeholder Management: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to build trust with C-suite leadership, business partners, and external counsel.
• Execution & Ownership: High self-motivation, sense of urgency, and ability to manage multiple complex mandates simultaneously under tight deadlines.
• Process & Technology Orientated: Track record of driving efficiency, introducing playbooks, or deploying CLM/legal tech tools.