We are partnered with an established, founder-led services company headquartered in Singapore. The business operates across multiple jurisdictions, has been in market for several years, and works with a roster of well-known international clients.
The founder is currently building out the company's legal operating capacity in Singapore. To date, most legal work has been handled by a top-tier Singapore law firm on a per-matter basis. With volume increasing, the company is bringing day-to-day legal work in-house on a contract basis.
This is a real working role, not a placeholder. You'll be the only dedicated legal resource and will report directly to the founder. The retained law firm relationship continues in parallel for matters requiring firm-level oversight.
The Work
This engagement covers the full range of commercial-corporate-employment work for a multi-entity, multi-jurisdictional operating business:
- Commercial contract review and negotiation — MSAs, SOWs, NDAs, data processing agreements, sub-processor consents, renewals, and amendments with enterprise counterparties
- Cross-border independent contractor agreements — drafting, updating, and standardising IC frameworks for a global workforce, including IP assignment, non-solicit, commission structures, and jurisdiction-specific compliance
- Cross-jurisdiction employment agreements — review and drafting of employment contracts and EOR arrangements (currently most active in Hong Kong, with future engagements expected across Asia-Pacific and elsewhere), including non-compete and IP review
- Intra-group service agreements — drafting and reviewing service agreements between affiliated operating entities, including arm's-length terms and supporting documentation
- Singapore corporate housekeeping — directors resolutions, post-incorporation matters, ACRA filings (co-ordinated with corporate secretarial), share allotment paperwork
- Coordination with external advisers — working alongside the company's external tax counsel on anything with structural sensitivity, and managing the relationship with retained Singapore corporate counsel
- Compliance triage — first reviewer for data protection (PDPA, GDPR), independent contractor compliance, and other emerging regulatory questions
Who we're looking for
This role is calibrated to substitute for the day-to-day work that would otherwise be billed at partner rates by a top-tier Singapore firm. The expectation is that you can operate at the level of a partner at a top-tier Singapore firm without supervision.
- Singapore Bar admission required, with 5–10 years PQE
- Top-tier Singapore firm training — Big 4 Singapore (Allen & Gledhill, WongPartnership, Rajah & Tann, Drew & Napier) or equivalent (Magic Circle SG, top international firm SG office)
- Commercial, corporate, or technology transactions as your primary practice area
- Demonstrated experience with cross-border work — preferably involving Hong Kong, Australia, the Philippines, India, or comparable Asia-Pacific jurisdictions
- Real attention to detail. You are the kind of lawyer who has read other lawyers work and found the things they missed. This is not a stated value; it is the entire job
- Commercial judgment. You can take a complex legal position and translate it into a two-sentence recommendation a founder can act on. You understand when to push back and when to move
- Comfortable with intensity. Quiet weeks and very busy weeks alternate. There is no army of associates to delegate to
- Available now. Notice period under 2 months strongly preferred
How this is structured
- Contract engagement, 1–3 months initially, with progress reviewed monthly
- No guarantee of conversion to in-house employment. However, depending on workload, mutual fit, and business need, there may be opportunity for an ongoing in-house arrangement following the initial contract period
- Hybrid / flexible working — Singapore-based preferred
- Engagement contracted via the company's Singapore entity
To apply
Please complete the application form. CV-only applications via LinkedIn message will not be reviewed. The form takes 12–15 minutes. Strong applicants will hear back within 2 business days.
