Senior Legal Counsel (Commercial, IP & AIFC)

• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage commercial agreements with clients, vendors, and partners, including:
• software development and implementation agreements
• software licensing agreements (SaaS / on-premise)
• master service agreements (MSA), service level agreements (SLA)
• NDAs and confidentiality agreements
• Structure contractual models for development, deployment, and use of brokerage and banking platforms, including licensing, sublicensing, and restrictions on use.
• Advise business stakeholders on contractual risks and risk allocation (liability, warranties, indemnities, limitation of liability, acceptance criteria, change control, termination, remedies).

• Establish and maintain a robust IP chain of title for proprietary software, source code, documentation, and related materials.
• Support IP ownership and licensing structures for IP created by employees, contractors, and subcontractors (assignment vs. license models under AIFC/English law principles, with Kazakhstan mandatory rules where applicable).
• Draft and update IP-related provisions in:
• employment agreements
• services/works agreements
• client-facing license and service agreements
• Provide practical guidance on protection of confidential information and proprietary know-how in product development and delivery processes.

• Draft and manage employment agreements and related documentation under AIFC Employment Regulations.
• Advise on applicability and interaction between AIFC Employment Regulations and mandatory Kazakhstan labor requirements where relevant.
• Assess and manage employee vs. independent contractor classification risks.
• Structure services/works agreements with developers (individuals and sole proprietors), including cross-border arrangements, deliverables, acceptance, IP, confidentiality, and termination.

• Provide day-to-day legal support of an AIFC Participant, including internal legal notes, risk assessments, and stakeholder guidance.
• Maintain corporate governance documentation and support corporate secretarial processes, including:
• preparation/review of board and shareholder resolutions, minutes, approvals, and delegations
• support for corporate actions and internal approval workflows
• maintenance of corporate registers and governance records (as applicable within the role)
• Liaise with AIFC authorities and, where required, Kazakhstan state bodies; coordinate external counsel when needed.
• Monitor legal developments in AIFC and Kazakhstan affecting technology, fintech, employment, IP, and contracting, and provide practical recommendations to the business.

• Law Degree in Kazakh law (not less than muster in Kazakh law).
• LLM from an English-language program (a common-law jurisdiction or common-law-focused curriculum).
• Fluent English and Russian (legal drafting and professional communication).
• 10+ years of relevant legal experience in-house (or within the legal firm (specialties IT(fintech); , including significant hands-on practice in:
• commercial contracts (with strong exposure to IT/software agreements)
• software licensing and IP structuring (including chain of title for code)
• employment and contractor arrangements in cross-border settings
• Solid working knowledge of:
• AIFC / English law principles (commercial contracts, employment, IP)
• Republic of Kazakhstan law, including corporate, labor and IP aspects
• Strong ability to identify, explain, and mitigate legal risks in a dual-law and cross-jurisdictional environment.

• Experience working in AIFC or with AIFC Participants and AIFC authorities.
• Background in fintech/IT/software companies and/or regulated financial products.
• Exposure to brokerage or banking platforms.
• Familiarity with DORA and data protection and confidentiality requirements aligned with GDPR-level standards.

• Excellent drafting and negotiation skills with a pragmatic, business-oriented approach.
• Strong prioritization and stakeholder management in a fast-paced product environment.
• High attention to detail, ownership mindset, and ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Clear communication of legal risks and options to non-legal teams.

• Fully remote work format
• Fixed monthly payment in euros
• 21 working days of paid annual leave
• Paid sick leave
• Public holidays: New Year break (up to Jan 4–6) + May holidays (May 1–2 or 8–9)
• One additional paid day off per month
• Opportunity to attend conferences and pursue learning at the company’s expense
• Engaging, challenging tasks and a collaborative team environment
• A genuinely comfortable and professional work atmosphere

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