Legal Officer

JOB SUMMARY

The Legal & Compliance Officer safeguards the legal, contractual, and regulatory interests of Exclusive Cars International Holdings Inc. across all service lines — standard Car Rental, Chauffeur-Driven (CD), and Long-Term (LT) Leasing. The role owns end-to-end contract review and drafting, leads collections-related legal action including demand letters, manages the company's legal services team and external counsel relationships, and ensures the organization remains compliant with all applicable regulatory requirements. The role reports directly to the General Manager and serves as the primary legal advisor to all departments.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Contract Review & Drafting

• Review, draft, and vet all company contracts and agreements — corporate leasing, CD service

agreements, vendor/supplier contracts, consultancy agreements, and employment contracts, prior to execution.

• Maintain and continuously improve standard contract templates and clause libraries across all service lines.

• Advise Sales & Commercial, Operations, Fleet, and Finance on contractual risk, obligations, and negotiation positions.

• Ensure all contracts comply with Philippine law and company policy before routing for General Manager approval and signature.

Demand Letters & Collections Support

• Prepare and issue demand letters for unpaid rentals, damage claims, and other breaches of contract, in coordination with Finance and Operations.

• Track response and resolution timelines for all issued demand letters, escalating unresolved accounts to small claims, mediation, or external counsel as needed.

• Maintain an up-to-date collections and legal case tracker for management visibility.

Legal Services Team & External Counsel Management

• Supervise and manage the performance of the legal services team and paralegal support staff.

• Select, engage, and manage relationships with external or retained legal counsel, ensuring quality and cost-effective legal support.

• Allocate caseloads and monitor turnaround time and quality of legal work product across the team.

Regulatory & Corporate Compliance

• Monitor and ensure compliance with LTFRB, LTO, and other transport regulatory requirements applicable to Rental, CD, and LT Leasing operations.

• Ensure timely SEC corporate filings, business permits, and other statutory and regulatory compliance requirements.

• Ensure company compliance with the Data Privacy Act and other applicable regulations.

• Monitor changes in relevant laws and regulations and advise management on business impact and required action.

Dispute Resolution & Litigation Management

• Manage disputes, claims, and litigation matters, coordinating with external counsel on strategy, filings, and case progress.

• Represent or support company representation in mediation, arbitration, or small claim proceedings as required.

• Negotiate settlements within approved authority limits, escalating to the General Manager as needed.

Policy Development & Risk Management

• Develop, update, and maintain internal legal policies, SOPs, and guidelines, including the contract approval matrix and collections escalation process.

• Conduct periodic legal risk assessments across service lines and recommend mitigating actions.

• Provide legal opinions and advice to the General Manager and department heads on business decisions with legal implications.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Law (LL.B or Juris Doctor); active member of the Philippine Bar required.

• At least 3–5 years of relevant experience in corporate/commercial legal practice, contract management, or collections law, preferably in automotive, rental, leasing, or financial services industries.

• Strong working knowledge of Philippine contract and civil law, corporate law, and transport regulatory frameworks (LTO, LTFRB).

• Prior experience managing legal staff, paralegals, or external counsel relationships.

• Excellent contract drafting, negotiation, and legal writing skills.

• High level of integrity, confidentiality, and sound business judgment.

• Proficient in MS Office applications and document management systems.