APAC Legal Counsel

American President Lines; Singapore; On-site; SGD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading shipping company, located in Singapore, is seeking an experienced APAC Legal Counsel for a 6-month maternity leave cover. This role focuses on procurement, commercial contracts, and business development within the APAC region. Candidates should have a law degree and at least 6 years of experience, with strong drafting and negotiation skills. Proficiency in Microsoft 365 and contract management systems is essential. This position is local employment only and is not open to third-party recruitment agencies.

Qualifications

• At least 6 to 11 years of post-qualification experience (PQE) in practice or in-house.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Strong team player with effective stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Support business development by assessing legal feasibility and preparing contracts.
• Review, draft, and negotiate contracts with third parties.
• Manage external counsel for efficiency and oversee legal documentation.

Skills

Strong drafting skills

Negotiation skills

Contract management skills

Interpersonal skills

Analytical abilities

Education

Law degree from a recognized university

Tools

Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Contract/document management systems

Job description

APAC Legal Counsel (6 months contract)

Location: Singapore, SG

Led by Rodolphe Saadé, the CMA CGM Group, a global leader in shipping and logistics, serves more than 420 ports around the world on five continents. With its subsidiary CEVA Logistics, a world leader in logistics, and its air freight division CMA CGM AIR CARGO, the CMA CGM Group is continually innovating to offer its customers a complete and increasingly efficient range of new shipping, land, air and logistics solutions.

Committed to the energy transition in shipping, and a pioneer in the use of alternative fuels, the CMA CGM Group has set a target to become Net Zero Carbon by 2050. Through the CMA CGM Foundation, the Group acts in humanitarian crises that require an emergency response by mobilizing the Group’s shipping and logistics expertise to bring humanitarian supplies around the world.

Present in 160 countries through its network of more than 400 offices and 750 warehouses, the Group employs more than 155,000 people worldwide, including 4,000 in Marseilles where its head office is located.

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced legal counsel to cover a 6‑month maternity leave for the APAC legal team, with principal focus on procurement, commercial contracts, real estate, and business development across APAC.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development & Projects: Support CMA CGM Group’s organic and external growth in APAC by assessing legal feasibility, preparing and negotiating pre‑contracts (such as NDAs, MOUs, and term sheets), reviewing, drafting, and executing definitive agreements (shareholders’ agreements, SPAs, ancillary agreements), and providing legal support for the launch and development of business activities.

Commercial & Contracts: Review, draft, and negotiate a wide range of contracts with third parties, including those related to real estate, IT, infrastructures (port terminals), procurement, corporate communication.

Others: Managing external counsel to ensure maximum efficiency and manageable expenses; overseeing legal documentation classification, filing and retention; any other projects and legal assignments as directed from time to time.

Qualifications

• Law degree from a recognized university; Singapore qualification preferred.
• At least 6 to 11 years of post‑qualification experience (PQE) in practice and/or in‑house roles.
• Maritime law background is advantageous but not mandatory.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, and contract management skills.
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to apply legal principles and requirements to a wide variety of matters.
• Proficient with Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and contract/document management systems.
• Strong team player with effective stakeholder management skills.
• Highly motivated, results‑oriented, and organized; able to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving abilities.

Additional Information

This role is open for local employment only.

Kindly note that only short‑listed applicants will be contacted.

By applying for this role, you hereby consent to the CMA CGM Group collecting, processing and using any personal information you submit, for the following purposes:
(i) To process the application for the role being applied for;
(ii) To process the application for other open positions within the CMA CGM Group which may be suitable to you;
(iii) To conduct necessary reference checks; and
(iv) Any other purpose related to one or more of the above.

You further consent to the CMA CGM Group retaining such personal information for a period of two years following your submission thereof, so that we may consider you for other open positions within the CMA CGM Group which may be suitable to you in the event that you are not selected for this role.

NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES: Please note that CMA CGM Group does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Recruitment Fee Agreement, CMA CGM Group will not consider or agree to payment of any referral compensation or recruiter fee. In the event a recruiter or agency submits a resume or candidate without a previously signed agreement, CMA CGM Group explicitly reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers, are deemed to be the property of CMA CGM Group.