Senior Legal Counsel, Disputes & LitigationDepartment: Legal & Compliance
Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time
Location: Miami
Reporting To: Head of Corporate Legal
THE POSITIONThese are your key tasks:- Responsible for the conduct of all external disputes and contentious matters involving FIFA, including civil and criminal matters and arbitration cases (note: this does not include the conduct of any sports-related matters in the CAS);
- Providing legal advice and guidance across all functional areas at FIFA related to contentious matters, including advising on litigation risks and outcomes;
- Conduct of settlement negotiations in the context of disputes;
- Managing multiple cases in Switzerland and internationally;
- Engagement and instruction of external counsel, and responsibility for budgets for external legal spend; and
- Attending court hearings, reviewing, drafting and commenting on documents.
YOUR PROFILEFor all roles, we seek talented people with an entrepreneurial spirit and a global mindset.
The specific competencies we require for this position are:
- Fully qualified to practise law (admitted to the Florida bar or eligible to register as Florida Authorized House Counsel) having completed academic and practical training
- 8+ years of legal practice PQE
- Substantial professional experience of working with and drafting legal documents in English
- Excellent negotiation, drafting, problem solving and analytical skills
- Enhanced expertise: 8 years expertise "on the job" in a recognised firm or in a similar role in an in-house legal department
- Demonstrable interest in or experience of sports, media, sponsorship and regulatory matters, including and interest in the interplay between sports and competition law
- First class written and spoken English language skills, consistent with drafting and negotiating complex, high value and nuanced English language agreements
- Comfortable providing advice and recommendations to senior leadership
- Ability to provide and communicate effectively practical and solutions-based legal advice
- Excellent negotiation, drafting, problem solving and analytical skills
- Structured, reliable, highly organised with a strong eye for detail
- Ability to work as part of a high-performing team, fostering collaboration, driving results, and ensuring the successful achievement of organizational goals.
- Proactive, with a strong sense of personal responsibility with an ability to work autonomously on a wide variety of projects
- Resilient, with an ability to competently handle a large workload amid rapidly shifting priorities
- Open-minded team player with an affinity for working within a variety of cultures and excellent communication skills
- High degree of professionalism and confident demeanour
- Ability to be a good ambassador for FIFA in all manner of external facing situations, including during court hearings, mediations and negotiations, external workshops and during FIFA competition-related assignments
- Ability to create, develop and maintain strong and reliable relationships with FIFA senior management as well as external legal and commercial counterparts
- Willingness to operate outside of comfort zone
- Takes initiative to reflect on how to improve and develop working styles and methods to assist the organisation and internal clients
- Native level English (or equivalent), consistent with requirement to draft and negotiate complex and nuanced English language agreements and advice.
- Proficiency in any other FIFA language (French/Spanish/German) is an asset but not necessary
- Proficient in Word / PowerPoint / Excel
- Willingness to travel
PERKS & BENEFITSThe biggest benefit of a career at FIFA is the privilege to work for the beautiful game and create something that matters.Alongside that privilege, we also offer some extra perks and benefits:
Health insurance: We offer generous medical, vision, and dental insurance coverage.
Continuous learning: We care about your development and encourage internal mobility, offering a variety of training and education to help achieve it.
Retirement: We offer generous 401(k) employer contributions.
Vacation: Maintain a healthy work/life balance with a generous vacation allowance.
