Legal Counsel - Compliance & Regulatory

CHANEL is a privately-owned company whose values are grounded in creating the conditions for people to perform at their best, feel fulfilled and confident in their work. We care deeply about our employees and strive to create a safe environment that values people’s humanity and uniqueness so that they are free to bring full selves to work and to their life’s calling.

At CHANEL, being a purposeful and human-driven employer means being intentional, meaningful and caring in inspiring our people; fostering an environment that reflects our strong values; encouraging and enabling inclusion and investing in work and workplace that foster collaboration and well-being. This is critical for the long-term success of our business.

Job Mission

Reporting directly to the Head of Legal, Korea, Compliance and Regulatory Counsel will serve as the primary legal lead for compliance, regulatory investigations, and dispute/incident management.

The role requires a highly responsive legal professional capable of navigating Korea’s stringent regulatory environment—spanning fair trade, labor, workplace safety, data privacy, consumer protection, and emerging enforcement trends relevant to CHANEL Korea’s operations. This position is critical to strengthening CHANEL Korea’s compliance capabilities, enhancing regulatory resilience, and proactively safeguarding the business.

Additionally, the Compliance & Regulatory Counsel will serve as a trusted advisor to the business during high‑stakes situations, including regulatory inquiries, government investigations, litigation, customer disputes, and other sensitive or urgent matters. The role requires sound judgment, mature leadership, and the ability to navigate high risk and fast escalating situations with steadiness, clear communication, and prompt follow‑up.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop, localize, and continually enhance compliance policies and controls to meet Korean legal requirements.
• Increase employee compliance awareness through training and proactive communication on anti-corruption, fair trade, workplace safety, data privacy, and conduct.
• Implement global compliance initiatives consistent with Korean regulations.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory changes and brief stakeholders on significant legal and regulatory developments as needed.
• Provide proactive legal advice to help the business adjust practices and maintain compliance.
• Handle matters involving government and regulators including inquiries, investigations, and information requests.
• Advise on regulatory strategy, risk mitigation, and preparedness for potential enforcement or investigations.
• Handle consumer protection, product complaints, and administrative enforcement actions with timely and compliant responses.
• Manage disputes, claims, and contentious matters involving customers, employees, partners, authorities, and third parties.
• Coordinate litigation strategy with external counsel in line with CHANEL’s priorities.
• Respond to and manage high-risk or urgent incidents, offering balanced legal guidance for business continuity and risk mitigation.
• Manage contracts and general legal tasks.

Academic / Professional Qualifications 

• Qualified lawyer in Korea (fluent in English both written/spoken)

Work Experience

• Minimum 4 years’ PQE with law firm and/or in-house legal experience.
• Ideally possess experience in at least one of the following: compliance, regulatory investigations, enforcement matters, criminal/civil litigation, consumer disputes, or administrative proceedings.
• Familiarity with competition law, labor/employment issues, workplace safety, or consumer protection is strongly advantageous.

Required Competencies

• Strong communications skills. Proficiency in both English and Korean is essential.
• Ability to work under pressure and lead during high risk or crisis situations with composure and professionalism.
• Strong analytical capability to assess complex legal issues and communicate them clearly and persuasively to diverse stakeholders.
• Interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence, collaborate, and build trust across functions, seniority levels, and regional/global offices.
• A proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with the ability to anticipate issues and drive practical, business aligned outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast paced, matrixed environment with a high degree of integrity and discretion.
• Strong teamwork orientation and willingness to support colleagues in a highly collaborative legal function.

Key Interactions

Internal

• Business divisions, corporate divisions and regional and global legal teams

External

• Outside counsel
• Government and regulatory agencies; enforcement agencies