Legal Counsel - Abt Associates

As the Legal Counsel based in either Ghana, Senegal, or Tanzania you will support and advise Abt on its business and project operations in Africa across a wide range of local legal issues (eg, employment and safety law, disputes, corporate law and entity management, privacy and data protection law, immigration law, tax law and compliance with client contract and local law requirements). You will develop relationships with key Abt leaders.

You will work independently with minimal supervision in practice areas in which you already have expertise and with closer supervision on areas that we ask you to learn. You will have the opportunity to facilitate groundbreaking work in public health, climate and energy, global development and other areas in which Abt works. You will report to the Associate General Counsel and work closely with the General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel and other Associate General Counsel.

Core Responsibilities

Operations, Employment, Disputes (80%)

Working closely with the Associate General Counsel responsible for the Operations, Employment and Disputes practice areas, provide practical, accurate and timely legal advice, training and other support to the key stakeholders relevant to Abt’s business and project operations in Africa across a wide range of operations, employment law and disputes-related local legal issues, including the management of internal projects, legal disputes and regulatory investigations as needed.

Privacy (10%)

Working closely with the Associate General Counsel responsible for the Privacy practice area, provide practical, accurate and timely legal advice, training and other support to the key stakeholders relevant to Abt’s business and project operations in Africa across a wide range of privacy, intellectual property and data protection-related local legal issues, including the management of internal projects, legal disputes and regulatory investigations as needed.

General (10%)

Support the Associate General Counsel and the Deputy General Counsel responsible for Abt’s Global Development Group business partner relationships in the development, implementation and continual improvement of a pragmatic framework for Abt’s legal affairs in Africa, including legal risk management, legal operations and the management of external counsel relationships and fees.

Maintain and share current awareness of new and material changes to local laws relevant to Abt’s business and project operations in Africa.

Other Reasonable Duties As Required.

What We Value

• Degree in law and current ability to practice law in one or more of the job locations or another jurisdiction relevant to Abt’s business (eg, US, UK, Australia)
• Minimum 8 years prior relevant work experience
• High level written and verbal communication skills
• Good cultural awareness and ability to build strong stakeholder relationships
• High-level problem-solving, organization and attention to detail skills
• Ability to work both autonomously and in a team environment
• Ability to work concurrently on multiple complex tasks and to respond to changing priorities
• Ability to travel internationally within Africa and to the United States
• Experience in relevant areas of law in an in-house context
• Experience in the international development sector
• English language skills are required and French language skills preferred