Legal Assistant

Department: Legal and Compliance

Reports To: Legal Adviser / Executive Leadership

Location: Abuja, Nigeria (Remote/Hybrid)

Engagement Type: Volunteer / Part-Time

Time Commitment: 10–15 hours per week

Duration: One year, renewable subject to performance and organisational needs

1. About TEDxMaitama

TEDxMaitama is an independently organised TEDx platform committed to sharing ideas worth spreading by bringing together innovators, entrepreneurs, professionals, creatives, researchers, and thought leaders to explore ideas that inspire meaningful change across Africa and beyond.

Through conferences, salons, workshops, and community initiatives, TEDxMaitama promotes knowledge exchange, collaboration, and the amplification of ideas with the potential to create positive social and economic impact.

2. Role Summary

The Legal Assistant will support TEDxMaitama's legal, contractual, regulatory, and compliance activities. The role involves legal research, contract drafting and review, documentation, intellectual property protection, data protection, and monitoring compliance with applicable Nigerian laws and TEDx licensing requirements.

The successful candidate will work closely with the Legal Adviser, executive leadership, and departmental teams to identify legal risks, maintain accurate records, and ensure that the organisation's events, partnerships, and operations are supported by appropriate legal documentation.

3. Key Responsibilities

A. Legal Research and Documentation

• Conduct legal research on Nigerian laws and regulations relevant to the organisation's operations.
• Prepare legal briefs, research notes, compliance summaries, and preliminary recommendations.
• Draft and review internal policies, notices, disclaimers, consent forms, and other legal documents.
• Maintain an organised digital repository of legal records and correspondence.

B. Contracts and Partnerships

• Assist in drafting and reviewing sponsorship agreements, partnership agreements, memoranda of understanding, vendor contracts, volunteer agreements, speaker releases, and service agreements.
• Review contractual terms and flag unclear provisions, potential liabilities, and outstanding obligations.
• Maintain a contract register and track execution, renewal dates, and deliverables.
• Support the Partnerships and Sponsorship teams in documenting stakeholder relationships and commercial arrangements.

C. Regulatory and TEDx Compliance

• Monitor compliance with applicable Nigerian laws and regulations.
• Support adherence to TEDx event licensing conditions, brand guidelines, speaker requirements, and content policies.
• Prepare compliance checklists for conferences, salons, workshops, and other programmes.
• Assist in reviewing organisational procedures and identifying areas requiring improved governance or risk management.

D. Intellectual Property and Media Rights

• Assist in protecting TEDxMaitama's name, logo, brand assets, and original content.
• Help obtain and organise speaker permissions, photography and video consents, copyright permissions, and third-party content licences.
• Identify potential intellectual property concerns involving presentations, music, images, recordings, publications, and promotional materials.
• Support appropriate documentation of content ownership and usage rights.

E. Data Protection and Confidentiality

• Support compliance with applicable data protection laws, including the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
• Assist with privacy notices, consent forms, registration records, and personal-data handling procedures.
• Promote appropriate access, storage, retention, and sharing of confidential information.
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding contracts, negotiations, internal communications, and stakeholder records.

F. Event Legal Support

• Assist with legal documentation for TEDxMaitama conferences, TEDxWomen events, salons, workshops, and related activities.
• Help identify legal considerations relating to venues, vendors, sponsorship activations, participant safety, recordings, and event operations.
• Support the preparation of event-specific agreements, waivers, permissions, and disclaimers where appropriate.
• Coordinate with event organisers to ensure required legal documentation is completed before events.

G. Risk Management and Reporting

• Maintain a register of identified legal risks, compliance issues, and contractual obligations.
• Document complaints, incidents, and potential disputes for review by the appropriate supervisor.
• Escalate significant legal concerns, potential breaches, and regulatory issues promptly.
• Prepare periodic reports on assigned tasks, outstanding documents, compliance deadlines, and identified risks.

4. Qualifications and Requirements

• A Bachelor of Laws degree (LL.B.) from a recognised institution.
• A current law student, recent law graduate, or qualified legal practitioner with relevant experience.
• Knowledge of contract law, intellectual property, data protection, and regulatory compliance.
• Strong legal research, drafting, proofreading, and analytical skills.
• Excellent written communication and organisational abilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and digital collaboration tools.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments and meet deadlines in a remote or hybrid environment.
• High standards of integrity, discretion, professionalism, and attention to detail.

5. Preferred Experience

• Experience in a law firm, corporate legal department, nonprofit organisation, startup, or event-management environment.
• Familiarity with sponsorship, partnership, vendor, and volunteer agreements.
• Understanding of media rights, copyright, licensing, and data privacy.
• Familiarity with TEDx events, brand guidelines, or event licensing requirements.
• Experience maintaining contract registers, drafting policies, or conducting compliance reviews.
• Nigerian Bar membership where applicable to the candidate's professional status.

6. Core Competencies

The ideal candidate should demonstrate:

• Legal analysis and sound judgment.
• Precision in drafting and reviewing documents.
• Confidentiality and professional ethics.
• Risk identification and attention to detail.
• Effective written and verbal communication.
• Strong organisation and time management.
• Collaboration across multidisciplinary teams.
• Initiative and a practical, solution-oriented approach.

7. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Performance will be evaluated based on:

1. Timely and accurate completion of assigned legal research and drafting tasks.
2. Quality and consistency of contracts and other legal documentation.
3. Effective maintenance of legal records and the contract register.
4. Timely identification and escalation of legal and compliance risks.
5. Completion of assigned event-related legal documentation before deadlines.
6. Support for compliance with applicable laws and TEDx licensing requirements.
7. Responsiveness to internal requests and collaboration with relevant teams.
8. Consistent observance of confidentiality and organisational policies.

8. Reporting and Authority

The Legal Assistant will report to the Legal Adviser or designated member of the executive leadership team and collaborate with the Partnerships, Sponsorship, Events, Marketing, and other relevant departments.

The role is primarily supportive. The Legal Assistant may not independently bind TEDxMaitama contractually, approve legal commitments, or represent the organisation in legal proceedings without appropriate authorisation and legal entitlement. Significant legal matters must be escalated to the designated supervisor.

9. Terms of Engagement

• Remuneration: Volunteer-based and unpaid, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
• Development opportunities: Practical exposure to legal operations, contract management, event governance, intellectual property, regulatory compliance, and partnership management.
• Conduct: Compliance with TEDxMaitama's internal policies, confidentiality requirements, applicable legal and professional standards, and relevant TEDx guidelines.