Senior Legal Counsel

Responsibilities

We are representing a confidential financial markets organization seeking an experienced Senior Legal Counsel to join their European legal team in London. In this role, you will serve as a trusted legal adviser to trading and business teams, supporting listed derivatives, commodities, and systematic trading operations across European markets.

Your core responsibilities will include:

• Providing legal support for key business initiatives and serving as the primary legal adviser to assigned trading desks
• Advising traders and stakeholders on legal matters arising from market making, exchange trading, listed derivatives, clearing, and market infrastructure
• Challenging stakeholders appropriately and shaping commercial outcomes through clear, pragmatic legal counsel
• Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex trading documentation, including futures and options clearing agreements, prime brokerage agreements, execution and market access agreements, exchange documentation, market data agreements, connectivity and trading technology contracts, and other commercial agreements
• Providing practical advice on market structure, trading regulation, market conduct, and legal risk affecting the European trading business
• Collaborating with compliance and risk teams to develop solutions that balance business objectives with legal risk
• Supporting strategic projects including new market launches, legal entity expansions, and growth initiatives
• Managing external counsel where specialist expertise is required
• Developing scalable legal processes, templates, playbooks, and technology-enabled solutions
• Contributing to the development of the legal function as a proactive, commercially focused business partner

What We're Looking For

Essential qualifications and experience:

• Qualified lawyer in England & Wales
• 8–15 years' post-qualification experience, with most of that experience focused on financial markets, derivatives, or trading
• Experience within the markets legal function of an investment bank or other financial markets participant; alternatively, experience at a leading international law firm with a recognized financial markets, derivatives, or trading practice
• Demonstrable experience advising trading businesses on legal and commercial issues, including close partnership with front-office trading teams
• Strong experience negotiating complex financial markets agreements such as execution agreements, brokerage agreements, exchange documentation, clearing documentation, market access arrangements, and market data agreements
• Strong understanding of financial market infrastructure, including exchanges, central counterparties, clearing brokers, and execution models
• The judgment and confidence to lead negotiations independently, balance legal and commercial risk, and provide pragmatic advice
• Outstanding drafting, analytical, and communication skills with the ability to explain complex legal issues clearly to traders, technologists, and senior management
• Ability to manage multiple high-priority matters simultaneously in a fast-moving environment
• Intellectual curiosity and genuine interest in understanding the products, strategies, and markets underpinning trading operations
• Collaborative, low-ego approach with a track record of building trusted relationships through sound judgment, responsiveness, and high-quality execution

Preferred additional experience:

• Experience at a proprietary trading firm or market maker
• Experience supporting algorithmic or electronic trading businesses
• Familiarity with MiFID II, UK MiFIR, and exchange rulebooks
• Experience implementing scalable legal processes or legal technology
• Experience supporting strategic business projects

How We Work with You

Our talent team at Get A Job.ai partners with exceptional organizations across the financial services sector. When you apply through our platform, a dedicated recruiter will review your application and conduct an initial screening to understand your background and career goals. If there is a strong match, we will submit your profile to our client for consideration. We ask that you work exclusively through Get A Job.ai during this process and do not contact the client directly, as this allows us to best represent your interests and coordinate the interview process effectively.

Pay

Compensation details will be discussed during the screening process and are competitive with the senior legal markets in London.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Get A Job.ai is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic. We celebrate diversity and are dedicated to creating an inclusive environment for all applicants.