Senior Litigation Lawyer

JOB SUMMARY

Responsible in supervising Litigation Lawyers under his/her team and Representing the Bank, its officers and employees in cases filed for and in behalf of and/or against the Bank, with the end in view of achieving target collections, prevent losses and mitigate risks and help sustain bank's profitability by lending support to business units.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Reviews various pleadings prepared by Litigation Lawyers under his/her team and provides his/her inputs/comments on said pleadings and/or prepares such pleadings which are assigned to him/her such as but not limited to complaints, answers, motions, memoranda, briefs, petitions, affidavits, opinions and position paper for submission to Litigation Department Head/Legal Division Head and eventual filing in court/government agencies to ensure that the interest of the Bank/management is upheld while complying with legal requirements.
• Reviews the draft legal opinions drafted and/or prepared by Litigation Lawyers and/or prepares such legal opinions for submission to the Litigation Department Head/Legal Division Head on the Bank's problem/legal queries and provide solution/s based on a legal perspective taking into consideration the applicable statutes and prevailing jurisprudence.
• Makes direct representations and conferences with court and administrative personnel and other government officials by personal appearance/visit to their respective offices to be able to follow-up status of cases.
• Monitors endorsed cases/accounts to collection agencies/external counsels based on retainer agreement/bank policy for coordination and centralization of the information/progress.
• Monitors the status/movements of foreclosure accounts assigned to him/her and/or Litigation Lawyers under his/her team in coordination with the Head of the Shared Services Department of the Legal Division. This would include the initiation, submission, monitoring of the application of extra-judicial foreclosure of real and chattel mortgages and the auction sales of the mortgaged properties as well as the issuances of its corresponding Certificate of Sale by following the bank's and court's protocol/standard operating procedure to ensure compliance and completion of the proceeding.
• Reviews memoranda and/or reports of status or summaries of cases/accounts of Litigation lawyers his/her team and/or prepares the same in case assigned to him/her as may be requested by management to guide internal clients on courses of action.
• Monitors and supervises Litigation Lawyers under his/her team and the Registration and Enforcement Unit (REU) personnel in assisting the Sheriffs and Police authorities in the actual implementation/enforcement of warrants of arrest, writs of attachments, executions, possession, injunctions, TRO, etc. based on court Order/bank policy to effect and implement the favorable decision of the Court.
• Attends for accounts assigned to him/her and if warranted, accompanies and assists Litigation Lawyer under his/her team in attending court hearings, preliminary investigations at the fiscal's office, conferences and hearings at the Department of Labor and Employment, Securities and Exchange Commission and other administrative and quasi-judicial bodies with respect to assigned cases to represent the bank and protect its interest.
• Attends for accounts assigned to him/her and if warranted, accompanies and assists Litigation Lawyer under his/her team in coordination with the referring and/or appropriate unit in conferences/negotiations with internal clients through appointment or walk-in (subject to the availability) to come up with the best strategy to protect the bank's interest, as well as meet with the opposing parties/bank clients/borrowers and their lawyers inclined to restructure/amicably settle their accounts/cases.