The Global Legal Team is responsible for administering the Company’s legal activities to ensure maximum protection while engaging in global business and ensuring compliance with the Company’s legal obligations.
The Counsel, Development – Asia Pacific will provide legal support to the Company’s managed and franchised hotel development teams as they work to grow and maintain the Company’s hotel portfolio throughout APAC (excluding China, India, and Japan).
What will I be doing?
As the Counsel, Development – Asia Pacific, you will be responsible for performing the following tasks to the highest standards:
Provide substantive legal advice in the areas of management agreements, franchising, contract management, owner relations, real estate and related financing arrangements, negotiating and drafting related legal documentation, and managing outside counsel.
Review, draft, and negotiate a variety of agreements relating to system hotels, including management and franchise agreements with hotel owners and finance-related agreements with lenders of such hotels
Provide legal advice and counsel to business partners on areas of subject matter expertise
Support the Company’s relationships and transactional dealings with owners of system hotels throughout the lifecycle of the contractual relationship, including negotiating contract amendments and resolving issues
Manage outside counsel and implement local law advice from a variety of jurisdictions with different legal systems
Protect Hilton’s commercial interests while developing and implementing legal strategies to address development issues
Formulate and deliver training programs and self-service tools for business partners
Support the APAC Legal Team to partner with colleagues in the Americas and EMEA, in the coordination, deployment and implementation of global initiatives and priorities of Legal Development
Work within the standard systems and procedures of the Company and the Global Legal Team, and contribute to the continuous improvement and updating of these systems
Assist with drafting and maintaining standard form agreements/ documents for the APAC Legal Team
What are we looking for?
Skills
To successfully fill this role, you should maintain the attitude, behaviors, skills, and values that follow
A Counsel, Development – Asia Pacific serving Hilton Brands is always working on behalf of our Guests and working with other Team Members.
Law degree from a reputable university
4 to 7 years post-qualification experience, which should include practicing law at a leading law firm or in-house as a transactional attorney, along with “first chair” experience leading successful commercial agreement negotiations
Called to the bar in a common law jurisdiction or a mature civil law jurisdiction
Experience negotiating contracts and reviewing legal documents
Experience interacting with business partners and developing trust
Detailed understanding of key legal concepts and can seamlessly relay them to business partners
A problem solver who has a real passion for finding new and creative solutions to hard problems.
Self-motivated, with a strong work ethic and desire to consistently perform at the highest level
Strong writing, communication, and leadership skills
The ability to communicate clearly and effectively with people from different backgrounds and cultures
A creative and business-minded individual with strategic methods for problem-solving and performance improvement within the department
An innate desire to support an inclusive and diverse workforce
The drive to provide outstanding customer service, with consistent attention to detail and the initiative to ensure responsive support
The ability to prioritize and undertake multiple projects and critical tasks with contending pressures in a fast-paced environment
Able to travel occasionally travel, up to 20% of the time
The ideal candidate will have experience with the hospitality industry and the franchise business model.
The preferred candidate would demonstrate the following capabilities and distinctions:
In-house counsel experience.
Experience with the hospitality industry, particularly in relation to management and franchised agreements, but also in relation to operations
Experience with franchise business models
Exposure to legal frameworks in multiple jurisdictions
What will it be like to work for Hilton?
Hilton is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For nearly a century, Hilton has offered business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. Hilton is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Our vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality unites us as a team to create remarkable hospitality experiences around the world every day. And, our amazing Team Members are at the heart of it all!