Job Description
Role Overview
As our Legal & Risk Manager, you will be the company's dedicated legal personnel, owning the entire legal and risk function end-to-end. You will work directly with the Finance, operations leadership, and external stakeholders to ensure DriveX is legally sound, contractually protected, and regulatorily compliant as we scale across India. This is a high-ownership role for a sharp, startup-savvy legal professional who thrives in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.
Key Responsibilities
Contracts & Agreements
- Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of agreements dealer/franchise agreements, vendor contracts, technology agreements, NDAs, employment contracts, and partnership MOUs.
- Build and maintain a centralized contract management system with clear renewal/expiry tracking.
- Standardize contract templates across business functions to reduce turnaround time and legal risk.
Regulatory & Compliance
- Ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations including Motor Vehicles Act, Consumer Protection Act, FEMA, and applicable RBI guidelines for fintech/NBFC partnerships.
- Monitor evolving regulatory landscape for the used-vehicle and fintech sectors and proactively advise leadership.
- Oversee RC transfer processes, vehicle documentation compliance, and state-level registration requirements.
Risk Management
- Identify, assess, and mitigate legal and business risks across operations, partnerships, and customer transactions.
- Develop and implement risk management frameworks, policies, and escalation protocols.
- Conduct periodic legal audits across the franchise and COCO network.
Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Manage consumer disputes, escalations, and legal notices in coordination with external counsel.
- Liaise with police, RTO, and other government authorities as required.
- Maintain a comprehensive litigation tracker and report status to leadership regularly.
Corporate & Governance
- Manage corporate secretarial matters board resolutions, ROC filings, and statutory registers.
- Support due diligence, and investor documentation alongside the finance and management team.
- Advise on IP protection including trademarks, domain disputes, and platform IP.
Requirements
Qualifications & Requirements
Educational Background
- LL.B. / B.A. LL.B. / B.B.A. LL.B. from a recognized National Law School or a top-tier law college (NLU, NALSAR, Symbiosis, Christ, SLS Pune, or equivalent).
- LL.M. or equivalent postgraduate qualification is a plus but not mandatory.
Experience
- 45 years of post-qualification legal experience, with at least 23 years in a startup, new-age tech company, or high-growth Indian company.
- Hands-on exposure to commercial contracts, compliance, and regulatory affairs not just advisory.
- Prior experience in the automotive, marketplace, fintech, or mobility sector is strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to own legal matters independently without constant escalation to senior counsel.
Skills & Attributes
- Strong drafting and negotiation skills across diverse agreement types.
- Comfort working with ambiguity, limited resources, and fast-changing business requirements.
- Exceptional communication skills able to distil complex legal concepts for non-lawyers.
- Familiarity with MCA/ROC filings, and startup-specific legal needs (term sheets, cap table governance).
- Proactive, solution-oriented mindset you don't just flag problems, you bring options.
