Short Term Legal Consultant

About the Program
The Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA) LIM Program is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by the International Executive Service Corps (IESC). The Lebanon Investment in Microfinance (LIM) partnered with eight of the leading Microfinance Institutions (MFI) to maximize access of finance to micro enterprises and small businesses operating in the Agribusiness, Tourism and Information and Communication (ICT) value chains. The provision of loans to small and medium enterprises is accompanied by tailored technical assistance provided by financial and technical experts to Microfinance Institutions disbursing loans across the rural and peri urban areas in Lebanese. Through increased access to finance, the LIM Program enhances sustainability and helps expand services of businesses in rural and peri-urban communities. Microfinance institutions need to continually build and expand their unique capabilities especially their team of managers and loan officers, in order to stay competitive and realize higher levels of performance. Investing in and developing the MFI talent is a key need that needs to be squarely addressed in order to achieve high performance and efficient operations, which creates sustainable value and measurable impact. LIM program is supporting its partner Microfinance Institutes (MFIs) through provision of technical assistance, training and capacity building.
 LIM has an opening for a short term Legal consultant expert in Regulatory Framework and Establishment of Association
 Objective
This  activity  is  to  assess  the  impacts  of  the  regulatory  framework  on  the development of the microfinance sector.  A regulatory Framework will assist formalize the microfinance sector and enable for stabilizing guidelines of work between MFIs while minimizing cross lending between MFIs and good credit information sharing. Regulatory framework will greatly enhance the sector’s overall stability and assist MFIs in building better lending portfolios and analyzing borrowers’ applications. The assessment will recommend guidelines for an effective regulatory framework.   
          In that context, the LIM program is planning to perform an assessment/awareness on Regulatory Framework and Establishment of Association and to offer an interactive workshop to all program partners, where the consultant will expose the importance of regulations for the microfinance sector.
 
Technical Assistance Project Description:
                 Assessment Details

Length of the assessment: up to 30 days
Collaborators: Lebanese Microfinance Organizations, Law advisors and LIM Program
Timing of the assessment: It will be scheduled during the months of November 2012 - January 2013.

 Assignment Topics

The Microfinance Sector Regulations Framework

Steps of Transformations and Benefits / Challenges of transformation to Financial Institution
Assessment of Establishment of Association
Legal and regulatory matters related to the association’s activities including sharing of credit information

Collaborate with Lebanon Investment in Microfinance program on needs of the Microfinance sector

Expert/Trainer Qualifications

Direct work experience 5+ years in the Microfinance Sector
Experience in Regulations and Establishment of Association
Experienced and Dynamic Trainer
Experience in providing Training for microfinance professionals in workshop setting

Prepare a detailed project repot (assessment and training reports) to submit to the LIM program, include assessment, analysis, findings, and recommendations.