Associate Director - Legal - Legal & Compliance

The D. E. Shaw group is a global investment and technology development firm with more than $90 billion in investment capital as of March 1, 2026, and offices in North America, Europe, and Asia. Since our founding in 1988, our firm has earned an international reputation for successful investing based on innovation, careful risk management, and the quality and depth of our staff. We have a significant presence in the world’s capital markets, investing in a wide range of companies and financial instruments in both developed and developing economies.

We are looking for an Associate Director to join our Legal and Compliance team, based out of the firm’s office in Hyderabad, India. The Legal team is responsible for identifying, analyzing, and resolving legal issues and risks for the firm. This position provides an opportunity to lead and grow within a high-performing team within the Legal team. The team’s scope includes reviewing, drafting, and negotiating a wide range of international contracts, with a particular focus on agreements relating to intellectual property and trading, and encompassing agreements, such as NDA(s), event contracts, and other commercial arrangements. The team also handles data privacy matters, conducts compliance analyses, and provides paralegal support.

WHAT YOU’LL DO DAY-TO-DAY: In this role, you will lead, manage, and expand a sub-team within the Legal department, playing a pivotal role in supporting the global legal and compliance function. You will also be required to have hands on involvement in drafting and negotiating IP and trading agreements, in addition to overseeing the broader contract portfolio. Additionally, you will work closely with stakeholders across global offices, with responsibility for strategically building the team’s capabilities and reach, which includes driving talent acquisition, development, and retention efforts, while providing mentorship, career guidance, and meaningful growth opportunities to team members. Furthermore, you will contribute to departmental initiatives and shape strategic priorities that impact the firm globally, along with reporting to the India General Counsel.

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR: The ideal candidate should hold-

Basic qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in law with approximately 12 years of relevant experience, including at least 6 years of leading large legal teams
• Proven leadership and strategic thinking skills, supported by experience in both law firms and multinational organizations
• Exceptional track record in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating diverse contracts, including license agreements, SaaS contracts, trading agreements (e.g., ISDA, GMRA, confirms, and repos), NDAs, and vendor agreements
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, high integrity, and the ability to build good relationships with global and local stakeholders
• Exceptional problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and the capability to manage multiple priorities in a speedy environment
• Experience in talent management, including recruitment, development, and retention of high-performing teams

Preferred qualifications:

• A master’s degree in law
• Exposure to industry best practices and emerging trends in legal and compliance functions
• Demonstrated ability to drive process improvements and deliver results in dynamic business environment
• Familiarity with data privacy-related legal matters

Interested candidates can apply through our website:

https://www.deshawindia.com/recruit/jobs/Ads/Link/ADLegCompJune26

We encourage candidates with relevant experience looking to restart their careers after a break to apply for this position. Learn about Recommence, our gender-neutral return-to-work initiative.

The Firm offers excellent benefits, a casual, collegial working environment, and an attractive compensation package. For further information about our recruitment process, including how applicant data will be processed, please visit https://www.deshawindia.com/careers

Members of the D. E. Shaw group do not discriminate in employment matters on the basis of sex, race, colour, caste, creed, religion, pregnancy, national origin, age, military service eligibility, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other protected class.