Dylan Withanage
Head of Legal
What I do at Au Vodka
Role
Head of Legal | General Counsel for the UK’s top flavoured spirit and vodka brand.
Key responsibilities
• Identifying and mitigating legal risks.
• Providing legal counsel to the Managing Directors, Department Heads and the business.
• Drafting, vetting and negotiating contracts and legal documents, including agreements for services; supply of goods; consignment sale or return with festival bar operators; collaborations with nightclubs, bars and restaurants; non-disclosure and confidentiality; independent sales reps; import and distribution with cross-border distributor partners; endorsements deals with celebrity artists and their agents in the rap music scene, as well as with UFC fighters, girl groups, influencers and other types of celebs in countries such as the UK, USA, Germany, Netherlands, Italy etc.
• Assisting the Marketing and Creative teams with reviewing content, monitoring all social media channels, assisting with compliance of relevant advertising codes & standards, drafting terms & conditions for prize draws etc.
• Assisting the E-Commerce team with the monitoring of sponsored ads, drafting of privacy policies & terms of use for our E-com platforms in various countries, including Au Vodka USA.
• Liaising with external legal counsel and specialist alcohol regulatory counsel across various jurisdictions.
•Managing the company’s relationships with licensing officers at local authorities, such as Swansea Council, and ensuring its licensing, including premises licence and Temporary Event Notices when carrying out licensable activities on unlicensed premises, as well as relevant staff training for the retail sale of alcohol, is in order.
• Managing the company's insurance.
• Managing the company’s portfolio of global trade mark registrations.
• Arranging and conducting legal training for staff in various teams.
• Advising on legal implications of company policies and procedures.
• Ensuring contracts, legal documents and templates are up-to-date and compliant with relevant laws.
• Reporting on legal activities, risks and litigation.
Head of Legal | General Counsel for the UK’s top flavoured spirit and vodka brand.
Key responsibilities
• Identifying and mitigating legal risks.
• Providing legal counsel to the Managing Directors, Department Heads and the business.
• Drafting, vetting and negotiating contracts and legal documents, including agreements for services; supply of goods; consignment sale or return with festival bar operators; collaborations with nightclubs, bars and restaurants; non-disclosure and confidentiality; independent sales reps; import and distribution with cross-border distributor partners; endorsements deals with celebrity artists and their agents in the rap music scene, as well as with UFC fighters, girl groups, influencers and other types of celebs in countries such as the UK, USA, Germany, Netherlands, Italy etc.
• Assisting the Marketing and Creative teams with reviewing content, monitoring all social media channels, assisting with compliance of relevant advertising codes & standards, drafting terms & conditions for prize draws etc.
• Assisting the E-Commerce team with the monitoring of sponsored ads, drafting of privacy policies & terms of use for our E-com platforms in various countries, including Au Vodka USA.
• Liaising with external legal counsel and specialist alcohol regulatory counsel across various jurisdictions.
•Managing the company’s relationships with licensing officers at local authorities, such as Swansea Council, and ensuring its licensing, including premises licence and Temporary Event Notices when carrying out licensable activities on unlicensed premises, as well as relevant staff training for the retail sale of alcohol, is in order.
• Managing the company's insurance.
• Managing the company’s portfolio of global trade mark registrations.
• Arranging and conducting legal training for staff in various teams.
• Advising on legal implications of company policies and procedures.
• Ensuring contracts, legal documents and templates are up-to-date and compliant with relevant laws.
• Reporting on legal activities, risks and litigation.
Who am I?
Please see the 'Experience' section of my LinkedIn profile (i.e., https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-withanage/)
Advice for prospective candidates
Research our Business: Take the time to thoroughly research our business. Understand our mission, values, products, and culture. This should help you with your application, interview etc, and ultimately help demonstrates a genuine interest in our business.
Prepare for Interview: Practice common interview questions and scenarios related to the role. Be ready to discuss your experiences and how they relate to the role you're applying for. Additionally, prepare questions to ask us too, showing your engagement and curiosity about the role and our business.
Be Authentic: Be honest and authentic during the hiring process. Authenticity help to build trust and rapport with us if you're successful. Show your true self and explain why you’re passionate about the role and our business.
Prepare for Interview: Practice common interview questions and scenarios related to the role. Be ready to discuss your experiences and how they relate to the role you're applying for. Additionally, prepare questions to ask us too, showing your engagement and curiosity about the role and our business.
Be Authentic: Be honest and authentic during the hiring process. Authenticity help to build trust and rapport with us if you're successful. Show your true self and explain why you’re passionate about the role and our business.