Senior Legal Counsel - Derivatives & Credit Markets
We are partnering with a leading global financial institution to appoint a senior lawyer to its London legal team, supporting a sophisticated credit and financial markets business.
This is a highly commercial, front-office-facing position advising across derivatives, structured credit and related credit products. Working closely with trading, sales and structuring teams, the successful candidate will provide strategic legal advice on complex transactions, evolving regulatory requirements and broader legal and reputational risk.
The role would suit an experienced financial markets lawyer who is comfortable operating close to the business, exercising independent judgement and developing practical solutions to complex legal issues.
The Role
- Provide day-to-day legal advice to Sales & Trading and other front-office stakeholders across derivatives, structured credit and related products.
- Advise on complex and bespoke transactions, including associated documentation, structuring considerations and legal risk.
- Assess new products, transactions and business initiatives against applicable law, regulation, market practice and internal risk frameworks.
- Partner closely with Compliance, Risk and other control functions on regulatory developments and matters affecting the business.
- Work collaboratively with legal colleagues across multiple jurisdictions on cross-border matters.
- Provide commercially focused guidance to senior stakeholders and determine when complex or higher-risk matters require escalation.
- Contribute to strategic projects and broader developments across the markets business.
The Candidate
We are interested in speaking with qualified lawyers who have:
- Strong experience within derivatives, structured credit, credit products and/or broader financial markets.
- Experience gained either in-house within an investment bank or financial institution, or within a leading financial markets/derivatives practice.
- A strong understanding of complex financial transactions and the legal and regulatory framework surrounding them.
- Experience advising trading, sales, structuring or other front-office stakeholders, or clear evidence of working closely with financial-institution clients on relevant products.
- The ability to assess complex issues independently and deliver pragmatic, commercially viable solutions.
- Strong stakeholder-management and communication skills, with the confidence to advise senior business stakeholders.
- A current legal qualification and practising status.
The Opportunity
This is an opportunity to take on a senior, high-visibility position at the intersection of legal, markets and trading, with significant exposure to sophisticated products and senior stakeholders. The role offers a broad remit, international interaction and the opportunity to become a trusted legal adviser to a major financial markets business.
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