Associate Director – Legal (Employment Law)

GROUP LEGAL

Location - Mumbai

Experience - 12–13 years of relevant post-qualification legal experience

Role type - Individual contributor

Primary focus - Employment law and HR advisory across jurisdictions

Role Overview

Crisil is seeking a senior employment lawyer to join its Group Legal function as Associate Director – Legal (Employment Law). The role will provide specialist, day-to-day and strategic employment law support across Crisil’s businesses and workforce in India and international jurisdictions, spanning UK, US, Europe, Asia-Pac.

The successful candidate will bring deep, hands-on employment multi-jurisdictional law experience and will partner closely with Human Resources across Indian and global jurisdictions, senior business leaders and other stakeholders on complex employee relations, workforce matters, employment disputes, employment law changes, policy frameworks, organisational change and employment-risk management. This role is intended for a seasoned specialist who can independently lead sensitive and high-risk matters and deliver practical, commercially oriented advice.

Key Responsibilities

- Employment Law & HR Advisory
- Provide authoritative legal advice to HR and business stakeholders on employment law matters across India and international jurisdictions.
- Advise across the employee lifecycle, including hiring, employment terms, transfers, promotions, performance management, disciplinary action, exits, terminations and separation arrangements.
- Lead legal support on complex employee relations matters, grievances, workplace investigations, disciplinary proceedings and sensitive senior-employee matters.
- Advise on employment disputes, claims and litigation, including strategy, risk assessment, settlement approach and management of external counsel.




- Review and advise on employment contracts, offer letters, policies, employee handbooks, confidentiality obligations, restrictive covenants and other employment documentation.
- Advise on the employment law implications of reorganisations, restructurings, workforce changes, redundancies, business transfers, outsourcing and other strategic initiatives.
- Support the development, review and implementation of consistent employment policies and HR processes across jurisdictions.
- Interpret local employment law requirements and coordinate jurisdiction-specific advice with external counsel where required.
- Identify emerging employment-law risks and recommend practical, business-aligned mitigation measures.
- Strategic Stakeholder & Matter Management
- Act as a trusted legal adviser to senior HR and business leaders on complex or high-risk employment matters.
- Translate legal requirements into clear, actionable guidance for stakeholders operating across different jurisdictions.
- Manage external employment counsel, including defining scope, reviewing advice and ensuring proportionate and commercially focused support.
- Support senior members of Group Legal on strategic matters, regulatory developments and governance reporting relating to employment risk.
- Legal Governance & Process Improvement
- Develop and maintain employment-law templates, guidance notes, playbooks, standard positions and matter-management protocols.




- Promote consistent approaches to employment-law advice, documentation and risk escalation across the organisation.
- Maintain appropriate records, trackers and documentation for significant employment matters.
- Contribute to training and awareness initiatives for HR and relevant business stakeholders.
- Support legal-process improvements that enhance quality, turnaround time and stakeholder experience.
- Review HR vendor partnerships and contracting.

Skills & Competencies

- 12–13 years of relevant post-qualification legal experience, with deep and substantial experience in employment law.
- LLB (preferably LLM) from a reputed university; additional employment-law specialisation or relevant skilled qualification would be advantageous.
- Demonstrated experience independently handling complex employee relations, investigations, disciplinary action, termination, restructuring, redundancy and employment disputes.
- Strong experience advising on employment matters across multiple jurisdictions, preferably within a global organisation.
- Experience partnering with senior HR and business leaders on sensitive, strategic and high-risk matters.
- Experience within a large IT/ITeS, technology, SaaS, fintech, BFSI or other regulated/global organisation is preferred.
- Strong legal judgement, drafting, negotiation, stakeholder management and communication skills.
- Practical and commercially minded approach, with the ability to balance legal risk, employee considerations and business objectives.
- High degree of ownership, discretion and attention to detail, with the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.
- Comfortable working as an individual contributor with limited supervision.

📌 Associate Director – Legal (Mumbai)
🏢 Crisil
📍 Mumbai