Legal Manager (Arbitration Specialist)

Location: Santacruz (West), MumbaiDepartment: LegalEmployment Type: Full-TimeJob SummaryWe are seeking a highly skilled and detail-oriented Legal Manager with strong expertise in Franchise Agreements, Arbitration, and Commercial Law. The role involves managing the complete legal lifecycle of franchise operations, ensuring regulatory compliance, and handling arbitration and dispute resolution matters. The ideal candidate must demonstrate strong drafting abilities, strategic legal thinking, and the ability to safeguard the company’s legal and commercial interests.Key Responsibilities Franchise Agreement ManagementDraft, review, vet, and negotiate franchise agreements, licensing agreements, MOUs, NDAs, and other commercial contracts. Ensure all franchise-related documents comply with current legal standards, statutory requirements, and company policies. Provide legal inputs to franchise development, operations, sales, and business expansion teams for deal structuring. Oversee the end-to-end contract lifecycle, including renewals, amendments, extensions, and termination procedures. Maintain a comprehensive repository of all franchise agreements for easy tracking and audit readiness. Conduct periodic reviews of agreement templates to align with updated regulations and business requirements. Arbitration & Dispute ResolutionLead, manage, and represent the company in arbitration proceedings, including document preparation, evidence submission, and case strategy formulation. Prepare legal pleadings, statements of claim, counter-statements, rejoinders, settlement agreements, and other arbitration documents. Coordinate with external legal counsel, arbitrators, mediators, and regulatory bodies for cases that require advanced legal intervention. Develop and implement robust dispute resolution frameworks to minimize legal risks and ensure smooth resolution. Assist in handling any litigation, recovery matters, or enforcement of arbitral awards as needed. Track ongoing disputes, prepare case summaries, and update management on the status of each matter. Compliance & Risk ManagementIdentify, evaluate, and mitigate legal and commercial risks related to franchise operations and business transactions. Ensure compliance with Franchise Laws, Arbitration Acts, Contract Act, Consumer Protection Act, and other relevant legal frameworks. Advise internal teams on adherence to statutory requirements, governance norms, and regulatory expectations. Conduct periodic compliance audits and assist in the implementation of internal legal policies and SOPs. Keep the company updated on law amendments, policy changes, landmark judgments, and regulatory notifications affecting franchise business. Legal Advisory & Cross-Functional CollaborationProvide legal guidance to senior leadership on contractual obligations, business risks, dispute strategies, and compliance mechanisms. Offer day-to-day support to internal teams on legal documentation, interpretation of clauses, and risk-aligned decision-making. Prepare and present legal reports, MIS dashboards, compliance status updates, and case progress reports for management review. Conduct internal training or knowledge sessions for teams on legal awareness, contract handling, and compliance best practices. Qualifications & SkillsBachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) from a recognized institution; specialization or certification in Franchise Law or Arbitration is preferred. Relevant years of hands-on experience in franchise agreement drafting, commercial contract negotiation, arbitration, and dispute resolution. Strong command over commercial laws, franchise regulations, arbitration procedures, and contract management principles. Excellent legal drafting, analytical thinking, communication, research, and negotiation skills. Ability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously under tight deadlines with high attention to detail. Strong professional integrity, confidentiality, and ability to work effectively with senior leadership. Skills: franchise,franchise agreements,dispute resolution,operations,compliance,management,teams,arbitration