Pre-legal Collections Counsel needed at Maersk Line

Key Responsibilities:

• Act as the internal legal advisor for the Accounts Receivables (AR) department, overseeing collections across several countries and Maersk subsidiaries.
• Negotiate payment plans, waivers, and settlements with customers, employing ADR techniques to avoid litigation wherever possible.
• Issue demand letters to customers, outlining outstanding debts, and ensure effective follow-up to secure payments.
• Coordinate with in-country and GSC collections teams to gather supporting documentation and status updates on collection actions.
• Collaborate with finance, legal, and AR teams to ensure that all payments are correctly applied and reported.
• Manage customer checks through private investigators, debt collection agencies, or other means to trace non-responsive clients and identify attachable assets.
• Recommend cases for litigation, instruct external legal partners, and provide them with the necessary documentation for court proceedings.
• Oversee the progress of litigation, maintain a diary of court dates, and ensure timely updates from external lawyers.
• Vet and process invoices from external legal partners and collection agencies, ensuring they align with agreed fee structures.
• Communicate regularly with private investigators and collection agencies to ensure effective tracing and debt recovery efforts.
• Develop and implement AR Collection Processes, ensuring compliance across teams and regions.
• Conduct periodic reviews of AR legal cases, making recommendations for improvements and process enhancements.
• Provide regular reports on collections progress to key stakeholders, including finance, legal, and AR departments.
• Review cases recommended for write-off, particularly those involving bankrupt or untraceable clients, and make recommendations for final action.
• Visit customer premises when necessary to follow up on overdue invoices and encourage payment.
• Coordinate with country and regional teams to gather alternative contacts or arrange visits to customers who are unresponsive.
• Ensure all legal processes and documentation are in line with Maersk’s policy on pre-legal collections.
• Prepare, review, and update internal policies relating to pre-legal collections to improve efficiency and compliance.
• Monitor the performance of external vendors (private investigators, collection agencies) and ensure they meet contractual obligations.
• Work cross-functionally with other departments to drive continuous improvement in the pre-legal collections process.

Requirements:

• Law degree from a recognized institution, preferably with litigation experience.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in a similar role or in a law firm.
• Proven experience in debt collection processes.
• Strong negotiation skills with the ability to resolve disputes professionally and efficiently.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work in a multicultural, international environment across different time zones and legal systems.
• Ability to manage high-pressure situations, ensuring consistent delivery of results.
• Experience working with financial systems and legal documentation related to AR processes.