Legal Counsel, Wealth Management

LEGAL COUNSEL, WEALTH MANAGEMENT  

Who we’re looking for

Experienced and commercially minded finance lawyer who will be part of the London Wealth Management legal team, with primary responsibility for supporting our banking, treasury and lending activities. The successful candidate will combine strong financing and banking law expertise with sound commercial judgement. Experience of private banking or wealth management would be advantageous but is not essential.

About Us

Schroders is a global investment manager which provides active asset management, wealth management and investment solutions. We aim to provide excellent investment performance to clients through active management. We serve a diverse client base that includes pension schemes, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, endowments, foundations, high net worth individuals, family offices, as well as end clients through partnerships with distributors, financial advisers, and online platforms.

Established in 1804, we have around 5,500 people across 36 global locations. Schroders' success can be attributed to its diversified business model, spanning different asset classes, client types and geographies.

The base

We moved into our new HQ in the City of London in 2018. We’re close to our clients, in the heart of the UK’s financial centre and we have everything we need to work flexibly.

What you'll do

You will be a Legal Counsel based in the London office, reporting into the Global Head of Legal, Wealth Management, primarily providing legal support to the Schroders Wealth Management banking, treasury and lending teams. You will work in close collaboration with the global Schroders' Wealth Management legal team based in Switzerland and Singapore, as well as the wider global Schroders’ legal team.

The role requires sound legal judgement and the ability to provide clear, pragmatic advice on complex and sensitive matters. You will manage matters independently, escalate issues appropriately and act as a trusted adviser to senior stakeholders.

Your principal responsibilities will include:

• Advising on bilateral lending transactions, including secured facilities, Lombard lending and other lending to private clients, trusts, family offices and corporate structures.

• Drafting, reviewing and negotiating term sheets, facility agreements, guarantees, security documents, amendments, waivers and related finance documentation.

• Advising on the creation, perfection, priority, enforcement and release of security, including coordinating advice from external counsel where relevant.

• Supporting the full credit lifecycle, including product structuring, credit approvals, documentation, refinancings, restructurings, defaults and recoveries.

• Advising Treasury and other relevant teams on liquidity arrangements, cash management, deposits, intercompany funding, repo, securities lending and other securities financing transactions.

• Advising on OTC derivatives, including total return swaps and other financing and hedging derivatives, together with regulatory initial margin, uncleared margin rules and associated collateral arrangements.

• Advising on triparty collateral arrangements and collateral schedules with major international central securities depositories, including their use across repo, securities lending, derivatives and other secured financing transactions.

• Advising on bond forwards and similar financial markets transactions.

• Structuring and advising on cross-border and structured financing transactions, including intra-group and multi-jurisdictional arrangements.

• Advising on balance sheet, collateral, security and pledge structures used for credit risk mitigation and risk-weighted asset optimisation, including associated security, netting and regulatory considerations.

• Providing cross-border legal support in relation to banking, treasury, lending and financial markets transactions, including matters involving the UK, EU, Switzerland, Singapore and the US, and coordinating local external counsel where appropriate.

• Supporting the development and governance of new lending and treasury products, policies, precedents and processes.

• Advising on relevant banking, prudential, conduct and cross-border regulatory requirements.

• Managing external counsel effectively, particularly in relation to specialist or cross-border matters.

The knowledge, experience and qualifications you need

• UK qualified lawyer or equivalent common-law qualification.

• Strong private practice or in-house experience (or both). An indicative level is at least 8 years’ PQE although candidates with a different level of experience who can demonstrate the required capability will be considered.

• Strong banking and finance experience, including secured lending and the drafting and negotiation of facility, guarantee and security documentation. Experience of Lombard lending would be advantageous. 

• Sound understanding of secured lending, security packages, perfection requirements and enforcement considerations.

• Knowledge of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to banking and lending activities within a regulated financial services business.

• Experience applying a risk‑based approach to legal advice in a regulated financial services environment, balancing regulatory, commercial and client considerations.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the credibility to advise and constructively challenge senior stakeholders. 

• Strong critical thinking skills.

• Excellent attention to detail and procedure.

• Experience advising Treasury or financial markets teams on funding, liquidity, deposits, derivatives or securities financing arrangements would be advantageous.

The knowledge, experience and qualifications that’ll help

• Strong organisational and time management skills.

• A self-starter with an enthusiastic attitude and ability to use initiative.

• Proactive, collaborative and willing to take ownership of matters.

• Comfortable engaging directly with senior business stakeholders including local CEOs, COOs and functional leadership and able to challenge constructively where appropriate.

• Ability to manage a varied workload independently, prioritise competing demands and escalate matters appropriately.

• Private banking or wealth management experience, cross border finance experience and familiarity with ISDA, GMRA or GMSLA documentation.

We Recognise Potential, Whoever You Are

Our purpose is to deliver excellent investment performance to clients through active management. We believe diverse perspectives and an inclusive culture help us make better decisions and achieve better outcomes for our clients. That's why inclusion is a strategic priority for us, and we are an equal opportunities employer. You are welcome here, regardless of your age, disability, gender identity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, or any other protected characteristic.

We will consider flexible working arrangements for all roles and provide reasonable accommodations to support applicants and employees, including those with neurodiversity, disability, or physical and mental health needs. For more information, please visit our FAQs.