WHAT DOES A GENERAL COUNSEL DO?

Published: Apr 04, 2025 - The General Counsel provides technical support for real estate transactions, focusing on title and survey reviews, tracking transaction progress, and preparing closing documents. This position ensures compliance with corporate, legal, and regulatory requirements while maintaining corporate records and managing interactions with HOA management partners and outside counsel. This role coordinates with internal departments to develop policies that mitigate risks in home marketing and sales, under the guidance of legal counsel.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for General Counsel

1. General Counsel Duties

  • Legal Advisory Support: Assist and support the SGH LGA and line managers in providing advice, guidance, direction, support and managing legal risks for assigned business lines or projects.
  • Legal Risk Management: Implement and coordinate strategic policies, procedures, controls, and operational objectives of the Group Legal Function to effectively manage legal risk.
  • Legal Strategy and Philosophy: Set the overall philosophy and strategy regarding legal matters and ensure consistency with Weee’s values and culture.
  • Expert Legal Services: Provide expert legal counsel on labor, commercial contracts, consumer privacy, intellectual property, food safety, and various other legal matters.
  • Legal Counseling and Compliance: Provide strategic legal counseling, contract negotiations, and manage the Corporate Compliance Program.
  • Contract Management: Prepare, draft, review, negotiate, and modify corporate and commercial contracts and documents with legal significance.
  • Policy Implementation: Identify the need for and direct the implementation of legal policies.
  • Outside Counsel Management: Manage the selection, work direction, and expenditures of outside counsel, and the Company’s legal budget.
  • Legal Updates: Keep abreast of legal decisions and changes in laws and regulations to ensure advice and contract provisions are compliant.
  • Corporate Legal Guidance: Guide on corporate matters including legal entity management, equity matters, and Corporate Secretary functions.
  • Board Support: Work effectively with the Company’s Board, providing advice, reporting, and communicating on key issues.
  • Corporate Documentation Management: Manage drafting of corporate resolutions, minutes, contracts, and other Board-related documentation.
  • Strategic Legal Advice: Provide strategic advice on critical and time-sensitive issues to senior executives and leadership.
  • Staff Mentorship: Mentor and manage staff with a commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
  • Financial Oversight: Oversee departmental financial processes.

2. General Counsel Details

  • Real Estate Support: Performs technical and analytical real estate transactional support work, primarily focusing on title and survey review during land acquisitions.
  • Transaction Tracking: Tracks progress of transactions and prepares routine closing documents.
  • Contract Review: Reviews contracts for issues and ensures compliance with company land and finance policies and procedures.
  • Legislative Research: Helps research various legislation, statutes, and regulations related to real estate and the homebuilding industry.
  • Corporate Records Maintenance: Maintains corporate records and ensures compliance with corporate requirements and governmental authorities.
  • HOA Management Liaison: Works closely with HOA Management partners.
  • Agent Qualifications Maintenance: Maintains qualifications and registered/statutory agents.
  • Due Diligence Performance: Performs due diligence for bank transactions.
  • Document Review: Reviews purchase and finance documents used for investors and banks.
  • Legal Files Maintenance: Maintains legal files and updates reference materials.
  • Outside Counsel Coordination: Assists in the coordination of outside counsel activities.
  • Litigation Calendar Maintenance: Maintains litigation calendar for monitoring critical dates.
  • Legal Document Review: Reviews all incoming subpoenas, garnishments, requests for production of documents, and liens, ensuring compliance with deadlines.
  • Regulatory Review: Reviews existing and proposed federal and state statutes, regulations, and guidance under the direction of legal counsel.
  • Regulatory Consultation: Provides consultation on state and federal statutory and regulatory issues under the guidance of legal counsel.
  • Policy Development Coordination: Coordinates with various departments to develop company policies to mitigate risks in marketing and sales of homes.

3. General Counsel Responsibilities

  • Corporate Strategy Design: Share ownership in the design and implementation of corporate strategy as a member of the Executive Team.
  • Legal Services Delivery: Responsible for the delivery of legal outputs and services through the leadership of the internal global team and network of outside counsel.
  • Intellectual Property Protection: Ensures the appropriate asset protection strategy and implementation for all of Fall Creek’s intellectual property.
  • Legal Architecture Oversight: Oversees the design and implementation of the legal architecture for Fall Creek’s commercialization models, expansion initiatives, and business development.
  • Organizational Integrity Management: Responsible for the organizational integrity of all entities in the Fall Creek Group, including the design of corporate structures and the evaluation of new ventures and strategic relationships.
  • Legal Department Management: Oversees the skills, training, and performance management of the Legal Department and its personnel.
  • Leadership and Ethical Practices: Lead by example, demonstrating professional and ethical business approaches and practices.
  • Business Strategy Facilitation: Facilitate the execution of Group business and operational strategies and initiatives.
  • Guidance on Local Projects: Participate and provide guidance to colleagues outside SGH in relation to local and regional projects or transactions.
  • Legal Risk Management: Provide legal advice, guidance, and support to HSBC Securities Services (SSv) to manage legal risk and facilitate the execution of business strategies.
  • Legal Objectives Implementation: Implement and communicate the strategic and operational objectives of the Regional Legal Function and formulate local policies in line with these objectives.
  • Legal Advice: Provide legal advice, guidance, and support to senior management of HSBC Singapore Entities and the Regional Legal function.
  • Legal Department Leadership: Lead and manage the legal department of HBAP SGH, assisting senior management in managing legal and reputational risk.
  • Support for Objectives: Contribute to the achievement of the objectives of HSBC Singapore Entities and the Regional Legal function by providing effective legal advice, guidance, and support.

4. General Counsel Job Summary

  • Legislative Framework: Acquires and maintains expertise in matters related to LABC’s legislative framework, MOU with the Ministry of the Attorney General, and privacy and FOI statutes.
  • Litigation Management: Attends to litigation brought against LABC including retaining counsel, ensuring counsel is appropriately instructed, and providing access to necessary LABC staff and documentation.
  • Legal Opinion Provision: Provides legal opinions, engages other lawyers to prepare opinions, or retains legal counsel as needed.
  • Court Appearance and Documentation: Attends initial court appearances and drafts and files necessary documentation when counsel cannot be retained promptly.
  • Legal Oversight of Trust Account: Provides legal oversight on the LABC Trust account, including audits and reporting to the Law Society.
  • Counsel Rate Management: Ensures rates paid to counsel representing LABC are consistent with LABC interests and that policies and procedures are in place to maximize value and minimize costs for legal services.
  • Board Budget Management: Develops and manages the Board budget and administers its policies.
  • Board Meeting Preparation: Manages and prepares draft agendas and materials for Board Chair consideration, and supports board meetings with necessary documents including draft motions and resolutions.
  • Record Keeping: Organizes and creates a record of all board proceedings, and maintains records of all Board decisions.
  • Board Governance Policy Development: Develops and maintains LABC’s board governance policies and procedures and advises board members on governance matters.
  • Governance Compliance: Ensures LABC compliance with governance best practices, applicable governance legislation, and alignment with government crown agency governance policies.
  • Bylaw Drafting: Drafts bylaw changes to reflect changes in practice, procedure, and legislation.

5. General Counsel Accountabilities

  • Legal Function Management: Manage and build a legal function for the company.
  • Executive Legal Advising: Advise executive members, including providing legal updates to the CEO and Board on new laws, existing laws, and legal obligations impacting business functionality.
  • Support for Product Development: Participate and lead in providing legal support for product development and global business projects, including legal assessments, document preparation, and managing licensing and regulatory approvals.
  • Litigation Strategy Management: Manage legal strategy in response to any litigation.
  • Legal Advising on Business Impact: Advise executive members on new laws, existing laws, and legal rights that impact the functionality of the business.
  • Legal Matters Oversight: Oversee the legal matters of the business, acting as the business’ legal representative.
  • License Acquisition Leadership: Lead the effort, in partnership with Compliance, to obtain relevant licenses in countries throughout Africa & the Middle East.
  • Legal Team Leadership: Lead the existing in-house Africa-based legal team.
  • Outside Counsel Management: Manage relationships with outside counsel in the US & Africa.
  • Corporate Structure Revamp: Lead the effort, in partnership with the CFO, to revamp the corporate entity structure.
  • Legal Documentation Maintenance: Maintain knowledge of the company’s legal documents and operations.
  • Legal Strategy Crafting: Craft and review legal strategy in response to litigation.
  • Legal Record Keeping: Keep a record of all legal documents and proceedings for the company.
  • Intellectual Property Registration: Legally file for copyright of intellectual property.
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