Legal Officer

BPI MS Insurance Corporation; Makati; On-site; PHP 1,000,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

BPI MS Insurance Corporation is seeking a seasoned Legal Officer to provide legal review, opinions, and risk guidance across the organization. You will monitor pending cases, support data privacy initiatives, and ensure regulatory compliance while coordinating with HR, Internal Audit and Compliance teams.

The role requires a JD/LLB, minimum 5 years in law firms or corporate counsel, and strong communication, planning and stakeholder management skills.

Qualifications

• Member in good standing of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).
• Graduate of a Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws program.
• 5 years minimum experience in a law firm and/or as in-house corporate counsel, with a focus on legal compliance, regulatory matters, and corporate legal affairs.
• Demonstrated knowledge of compliance frameworks, regulatory requirements, and statutory reporting obligations.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong planning, organizational, and project management abilities.
• Sound judgment and decision-making capabilities.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) or eGRC systems is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal review, documentation and render legal opinions as needed.
• Monitor pending cases and minimize risk exposure; escalate to top management as required.
• Plan, organize and supervise the organization’s legal risks and requirements.
• Facilitate and monitor DUAs or fraud investigations; draft and file required reports.
• Disseminate and analyze new or revised laws and regulations; guide department operations.
• Develop and oversee control systems to prevent violations of legal guidelines and internal policies.
• Draft regulatory requirements for submission and prepare reports for senior management.
• Prepare reports for regional, head office and other units as required.
• Advise departments on legal risk and manage the legal check framework.
• Render pleadings and memoranda for pending cases when necessary.
• Ensure compliance with Data Privacy laws and conduct PIA reviews and training.
• Oversee outsourcing contracts and ensure proper archiving and policy compliance.
• Annually review and update the applicable PRGs; create training materials.

Skills

Verbal and written communication

Interpersonal skills

Planning and project management

Judgment and decision-making

Microsoft Office

GRC/eGRC systems

Education

Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws

Tools

GRC/eGRC systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Legal Officer will provide legal review, documentation and legal opinion, monitor pending cases against the company, minimize risk exposure and properly escape to top management possible avenues for litigation. Responsible for planning, organizing and supervising and monitoring the legal risks and requirements of the organization.

Key Responsibilities:

Corporate Governance

• Facilitate and monitor suspicion of Dishonest or Unlawful Acts (DUA) or fraud investigations in coordination with BPI/MS HR, BPI Unibank Investigation Unit, Internal Audit or MSIG Compliance, as applicable, and draft and file the necessary reports.
• Disseminate and analyze new or revised laws and regulations, and provide guidance on various department operations.

Regulatory Compliance

• Develop and oversee control systems to prevent or deal with violations of legal guidelines and internal policies.
• Draft the regulatory requirements for submission and prepare reports for senior management.

Reports

• Prepares reports as required by different regional, head office and other BPI Units.

Legal Services

• Advise various departments on legal risk
• Manage the legal check framework and ensure that the overall legal check process shall effectively function.
• Perform documentation and render legal opinions as the need arises.
• Review and/or draft pleadings and memoranda for pending cases when necessary

Data Privacy Office

• Ensure compliance with applicable laws on Data Privacy
• Ensure conduct and regular review of privacy impact assessments data privacy training and updating of the Manual of Operating Procedures vis‑a‑vis current practices.
• Monitor, attend and timely report complaints on breach of privacy and elevate when necessary

G. Outsourcing Processes

• Ensure all external service providers comply with the Outsourcing Policy
• Ensure contracts comply with BPI/MS legally review and originals are properly archived

H. Others

• Ensure all Policies, Regulations and Guidelines (PRGs) for the foregoing are annually reviewed and updated.
• Inform and cultivate awareness of the foregoing through creation of materials for the annual Compliance & Legal Training and analogous items.

I. Customer

• Disseminates new laws, regulations, and applicable jurisprudence, to all concerned employees, units and/or business partners.
• Provides timely feedback on inquiries and requests for review, opinion and documentation received from internal and external partners.
• Works within the approved budget for office supplies, local and domestic travels, subscriptions, etc. through prudent spending of expenses to lower or save on the budget.
• Minimize damage or monetary penalties or liability to be paid by the Company

Qualifications:

• Member in good standing of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).
• Graduate of a Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws program
• 5 years (minimum) experience in a law firm and/or as in-house corporate counsel, with a focus on legal compliance, regulatory matters, and corporate legal affairs.
• Demonstrated knowledge of compliance frameworks, regulatory requirements, and statutory reporting obligations.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong planning, organizational, and project management abilities.
• Sound judgment and decision-making capabilities.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) or eGRC systems is an advantage.