Legal Counsel

First Circle is the leading and fastest growing, technology-led financial service business for SMEs in the Philippines. We've already transformed access to credit for thousands of businesses, and now we're building a full service digital-first small business bank offering multi-currency bank accounts, payments, FX, corporate credit cards, and payroll. As we enter this next phase of growth, we're hiring exceptional talent with a track record of excellence to join us in shaping the next chapter.

The Legal Counsel supports the General Counsel and handles the day-to-day legal operations of the business. This role is well suited to a mid-level lawyer who wants hands-on exposure across a broad range of legal matters, with direct mentorship from the GC. The role covers three core areas of support: general legal advice for daily operations, assistant corporate secretary/housekeeping support, and general support to the GC as needed.

Key Responsibilities:

1. General Legal Advice
Performance Objective: Legal is never the reason a transaction or project slips. Positions taken are commercial but defensible. Escalation is timely: material issues are escalated to the CEO/CIO.

• Provide general legal advice and support for all FCGFC daily operations
• Review, draft, and negotiate contracts and other legal documents in the ordinary course of business
• Provide legal support across departments on day-to-day operational questions and requests
• Escalate matters to the GC where legal or business risk requires senior input

2. Assistant Corporate Secretary & Housekeeping Support
Performance Objective: Zero late or deficient statutory filings. Full corporate record set maintained. Any corporate record producible same day as requested.

• Act as assistant to the GC in the Corporate Secretary function
• Support the preparation and safe-keeping of board and stockholders' meeting minutes and corporate records
• Assist in the preparation and filing of SEC certificates, GIS, and other corporate housekeeping submissions
• Help ensure ongoing SEC compliance, including tracking statutory deadlines

3. General Support to the GC

• Provide general support to the GC on strategic, transactional, compliance, and other workstreams as needed
• Assist on ad hoc/special projects assigned to Legal
• Help maintain corporate records, filings, and documentation in good order

A successful candidate is:

• Able to balance commercial mindedness with legal best practice.
• Able to drive progress across multiple workstreams in a fast paced environment.
• Comfortable voicing their opinions to strong-minded stakeholders.
• Able to balance urgency with thoroughness.
• Comfortable working in an expat-led organization.

Team construct

The Legal counsel is supported by a team of five: General Counsel, a paralegal, Head of Compliance, a Compliance Assistance and a general administrative assistant.

Requirements

• 3–5 years of relevant legal experience.
• Experience in a startup or fintech environment.
• Admitted to the Philippine bar and in good standing.
• Experience supporting business operations legal needs (contracts, day-to-day legal questions).
• Exposure to corporate secretarial/housekeeping work (minutes, SEC filings) is an advantage.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while knowing when to escalate to the GC.

Benefits

• Hybrid work set-up: 2 days per week in our BGC office; remote the rest of the time.
• Additional perks & benefits: HMO coverage from week one, free catered lunches, monthly fitness allowance, transportation & accommodation allowance, and more.
• Join a team with a deeply collaborative culture! Learn more here: https://www.firstcircle.ph/careers