Group Litigation & Disputes Counsel

NetEase, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTES and HKEX: 9999) is a global powerhouse in the Internet and video game industry, with a market capitalization of $70+ billion and more than 25,000 employees worldwide. The NetEase group encompasses a range of innovative businesses centered around content creation, including:

·       NetEase Games, one of the largest and most renowned game developers worldwide by size, revenue and game offerings. Over the years, NetEase Games has focused on developing high quality content and providing the best experience for gamers around the world;

·       Youdao (NYSE: DAO), a majority-controlled subsidiary of NetEase, Inc. and China’s leading technology-focused intelligent learning company;

·       Cloud Music (HKEX: 9899), a majority-controlled subsidiary of NetEase, Inc. and China’s leading online music content community;

·       Yanxuan, NetEase’s private label consumer lifestyle brand; and

·       Other innovative businesses, including, among others, an online payment platform and to-B technology solutions.

About this Role:

This is your chance to have a critical impact at a dynamic gaming company in the midst of an exciting globalization journey. You'll be joining the Group International Legal Department which oversees legal matters for the NetEase group and coordinates with the legal teams within each division of the group.

We are looking for a talented Group Litigation & Disputes Counsel to manage and help drive the resolution of the NetEase group’s litigation, arbitration and other disputes worldwide, with a focus on U.S. litigation, Hong Kong-seated arbitration and other cross-border disputes involving our businesses in North America, APAC and Europe, while also managing internal investigation matters as they arise. In this role, you will collaborate closely with HR, business departments, Internal Audit, Finance and other legal team members to manage risk.

This position will report to the General Counsel of NetEase, Inc. 

NetEase operates in multiple countries globally, and this role is primarily responsible for:

• Overseeing and managing a broad portfolio of global disputes, including U.S. litigation, Hong Kong-seated arbitration and other cross-border commercial, IP, employment, regulatory and platform-related disputes.
• Developing and executing litigation and arbitration strategy, including early case assessments, claims and defenses, forum and procedural strategy, discovery and evidence strategy, settlement options and business-risk analysis.
• Managing outside counsel to deliver business-oriented outcomes, including selecting and supervising counsel across diverse jurisdictions, setting clear scope, strategy, staffing and budget expectations, managing legal costs against approved budgets and billing guidelines, and ensuring strategies are pragmatic, commercially focused and aligned with the Company’s objectives and risk tolerance.
• Managing dispute resolution and regulatory inquiries before and after outside counsel engagement, including responding to demand letters, threatened claims, subpoenas and regulatory requests, conducting settlement negotiations, and working with regulators and law enforcement as required.
• Overseeing and conducting legally privileged investigations as they arise, which includes defining scope, reviewing documentation, developing investigative plans, notifying appropriate personnel, conducting interviews, compiling investigation status and reports, recommending and implementing proper remedial measures and concluding matters appropriately.

• Providing on-site support globally to different business units on litigation, arbitration, regulatory inquiries and internal investigations.

·       Overseeing legal holds, document preservation, fact development, witness preparation, discovery and privilege issues, and ensuring proper documentation and record-keeping across litigation, arbitration and investigation matters.

·       Proposing solutions and improvements to current processes, including the litigation and case-management processes, whistleblowing processes, anti-bribery and corruption program, and supplier/vendor due diligence processes, with a focus on addressing root causes and supporting compliance with local laws and regulations.

·       Partnering with HR, business managers and legal and compliance teams to drive best practices globally with regards to enforcement of compliance policies, internal investigations and regulatory reporting via the creation, implementation and monitoring and testing of policies, strategies and processes that build a culture of integrity and compliance across geographies in a complex business environment.

·       Creating lessons learned materials and providing post-matter training to business and functional departments based on matters handled.

·       Ensuring the General Counsel and Company’s executive leadership have clear and timely visibility into material disputes and litigation trends in the jurisdictions in which NetEase operates.

Qualifications:

• Admitted and licensed attorney in U.S., Hong Kong, Singapore or another major common-law jurisdiction with 8+ years relevant post-qualification experience working in well-regarded law firms and/or in-house legal teams; in-house experience preferred
• Strong experience working with a variety of international businesses, corporate structures and corporate governance environments

·       Strong experience managing litigation, arbitration and other dispute resolution across jurisdictions (U.S. litigation and/or Hong Kong-seated or international arbitration experience required), with working knowledge of internal investigations and related policies, processes and industry best practices

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the flexibility and cultural sensitivity to connect with colleagues across the globe

·       Demonstrated leadership abilities, including the ability to influence and drive change within the organization

·       Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make informed decisions in complex situations

·       High level of integrity, discretion, and confidentiality in handling sensitive employee and business information

• Experienced in managing outside counsel
• Comfortable working with a geographically dispersed team
• Strong advocacy skills and a proven ability to positively influence decision-makers in contentious, sensitive or challenging situations
• Ability to travel to multiple jurisdictions to manage disputes and conduct internal investigations

·       Proficiency in Mandarin Chinese is a significant plus

·       Preferred Location:  Hong Kong, Singapore or another Asia-Pacific hub; U.S., Canada or other location s considered for exceptional candidates 

Fair Employment Practices

At NetEase, we are committed to fair employment practices. We welcome applications from all individuals, irrespective of age, gender, race, religion, marital status and family responsibilities, or disability.