Assistant Manager Legal

About the role

Emerald Clothing (Private) Limited, a premier Sri Lankan apparel manufacturer with a 70-year heritage, is looking for a corporate lawyer to lead its legal function, work closely with other departments and build a sound legal department. The role requires in-depth expertise in labour and commercial contracts and a sound working knowledge of other areas of corporate law.

Key responsibilities

• Set up the legal department: policies, contract approval routes, a contract and case register and standard templates.
• Act as the first point of contact for HR, Finance, Merchandising, Sourcing, Compliance and the factories, giving practical legal advice.
• Advise management and HR on labour law, ensure factory compliance with employment, wages, EPF/ETF, gratuity and termination legislation, and draft employment contracts, HR policies, the disciplinary code and domestic inquiry procedures.
• Manage Labour Tribunal cases, Commissioner of Labour inquiries and industrial disputes, and advise on trade union relations, collective agreements and worker councils.
• Draft, review and negotiate customer supply agreements, supplier and subcontracting contracts, licensing agreements, leases, NDAs, service agreements and finance documents; protect intellectual property and brand licences.
• Ensure compliance with BOI agreements, company law, customs, environmental and data protection requirements, and support board and shareholder matters and statutory filings.
• Oversee litigation and manage external counsel for M&A, restructuring and cross-border transactions.

Required profile

• Attorney-at-Law and member of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, with at least 4 years of post-qualified experience.
• In-house experience at a manufacturing company, ideally apparel or another large-workforce industry, preferred.
• Hands-on labour law experience, including Labour Tribunal and Commissioner of Labour matters.
• Track record in drafting and negotiating commercial contracts.
• Excellent spoken and written English and Sinhala; Tamil is an added advantage.
• Ability to work independently, build relationships across the business and manage multiple work streams.

Required skills

• Labour law and commercial contract drafting and negotiation
• Working knowledge of company law and BOI regulations; company secretarial experience is an added advantage
• Clear communication of legal risks to the business