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YCP is a Singapore-based advisory and investment firm listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Founded in 2011, the Group has achieved exponential growth and now has 700+ professionals across 20+ offices globally, including China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, USA, and Vietnam. Our advisory arm focuses on consulting engagements related to new business development, business turnaround, financial advisory including M&A due diligence, digital marketing, and global expansion support. Our investment arm operates businesses in personal care, F&B, early education, pet care and other strategic sectors across Asia. Please visit for more details.
About the role
We are looking for a Legal Counsel (Associate level) to join YCP 's Group Legal and Compliance Division. We are a lean team of five to six lawyers, made up of Group-level counsel and regional counsel across our key markets. Reporting to the Group Legal Officer, Director of Legal & Compliance Division, you will work on Group-level legal matters across our global operations, including M&A, governance, compliance and complex commercial work, and partner closely with regional counsel and the business.
This is a broad, hands-on role for a corporate commercial lawyer who wants to grow into a well-rounded in-house counsel. You will get early exposure to strategic matters and work directly with senior management.
Key responsibilities
Working closely with the Group Legal Officer, Director of Legal & Compliance Division, you will take on progressively greater ownership across the following areas. You will lead selected workstreams independently, with guidance and support on more complex matters.
M&A & Corporate Transactions
Support the Group's acquisitions, mergers, investments, divestments, joint ventures, internal restructurings, and winding-up, including post-merger integration and earn-out matters.
Draft, review, and negotiate transaction documents, including share purchase agreements, shareholders' agreements, subscription agreements, and ancillary documents.
Assist with legal due diligence, and prepare issues lists and risk summaries for management.
Manage external counsel engagement, including scoping, fee proposals, and invoice review.
Manage closing checklists, conditions precedent and post-completion obligations.
Group Governance & Policy
Draft, review, update, and roll out Group-level policies, and review proposed local-level policies for consistency with the Group framework.
Support maintenance of the Group's Delegation of Authority.
Support governance and disclosure matters relevant to the Group's status as a Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed company, in coordination with the Group's Investor Relations team.
Keep track of relevant legal and regulatory developments and assess their impact on the Group.
Compliance
Support the design and implementation of the Group's compliance framework, including risk assessments, annual compliance training, new joiner compliance trainings, Compliance Committee meetings, reporting, and monitoring.
Advise on regulatory requirements across key operating jurisdictions, including corporate, employment, data privacy, anti-bribery and corruption, insider dealing, and AML/KYC, in coordination with local teams.
Liaise with local teams on regulatory developments and escalate relevant changes as necessary.
Support internal investigations and compliance reviews as required.
Maintain the compliance incident register and prepare incident reports.
Corporate Secretarial
Support corporate secretarial matters of Group holding entity in Singapore, in coordination with its external company secretary.
Oversee corporate secretarial matters across YCP entities, including resolutions, minutes, and statutory filings in coordination with finance teams and external company secretaries in each jurisdiction.
Maintain an up-to-date register of Group entities, directors and authorised signatories.
Employment
Advise HR on Group-level and cross-border employment matters, including senior hires, terminations, disciplinary matters and employee relations.
Review and maintain the Group's employment contract templates and offer letters, and support standardisation across Group entities.
Coordinate with regional counsel and local external counsel on jurisdiction-specific employment matters, providing Group-level oversight and consistency.
Support workplace policies and employment compliance, including anti-harassment frameworks, in coordination with HR.
Contracting
Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements entered into by the Group holding entity, including vendor engagement letters, NDAs, and data processing agreements.
Review third-party technology and AI tools from a legal, confidentiality and data protection perspective.
Advise local teams on complex or novel contractual matters escalated to Group Legal & Compliance Division, including contractual risk, liability positions, and negotiation strategy.
Develop, maintain and improve Group contract templates and playbooks to enable consistent, efficient contracting across offices.
Legal Operations
Support the development of legal processes, tools, and knowledge management to improve efficiency across the function.
Maintain the Group holding entity's contract repository.
Oversee adherence to the Group's contract repository and matter tracking processes by other Group entities, in coordination with regional counsel.
Disputes
Support pre-litigation matters, claims, and commercial disputes, including demand letters, settlement negotiations, and case documentation.
Support the Group's dispute counsel in instructing and coordinating with external counsel on litigation and arbitration matters, including managing timelines and costs.
Why join us
Flexible working. Work remotely, with access to our office at Oval Damansara anytime.
Help build the function . Our legal function is still taking shape, so you will help set the standards, frameworks and ways of working for the whole Group, rather than inheriting them.
A genuine step up. Work on Group-level M&A, governance and strategic matters, with guidance from the Group Legal Officer.
Breadth you won't get in private practice. Gain exposure across corporate, compliance, employment and disputes in multiple jurisdictions.
Room to innovate. Shape how the function uses legal technology and AI, from contract templates to process automation.
Direct access to leadership. Work closely with senior management on matters that affect the business.
Qualifications & requirements
Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from a reputable university, or an equivalent legal qualification; admitted as an Advocate & Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya (or equivalent qualification in a Commonwealth jurisdiction).
4 – 6 years of post-qualification experience in corporate, M&A or corporate commercial practice, including experience at a reputable law firm. In-house experience is an advantage.
Experience in M&A and corporate transactions, and commercial contracting.
Exposure to compliance, corporate governance, and employment matters is highly advantageous. Exposure to disputes matters is advantageous.
Strong drafting, analytical, and negotiation skills, with the ability to translate legal issues into clear, practical business advice.
Commercially aware, able to balance legal risk with business objectives in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.
Highly organised and able to manage multiple matters and deadlines independently.
Sound judgement and discretion in handling sensitive and confidential matters.
Comfortable working with legal technology and AI tools, and keen to improve how the function works.
Fluent in English (written and spoken); proficiency in Bahasa Malaysia is expected. Mandarin or Japanese is a plus.