Senior Legal Counsel – Commercial

We are seeking an experienced and commercially minded Senior Legal Counsel to join our Commercial Legal team on a permanent, full‑time basis. The team provides legal support to the European, Middle Eastern and APAC businesses of BGC, GFI, Aurel and Cantor Fitzgerald, as well as the global FENICS technology businesses. This is a senior, high‑profile position offering genuine global exposure, substantial responsibility, and regular interaction with senior management and business leaders. The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting and advising the firm’s agency brokerage businesses (primarily FX and cleared interest rate swaps) and prime brokerage desk (focusing on equity swaps and cash lending), as well as a range of other commercial workstreams across the group. The role requires a confident and adaptable lawyer who thrives in a fast‑paced environment, is able to manage competing priorities, and can deliver pragmatic, business‑focused advice under pressure.

Key Responsibilities

• Draft, review and negotiate a wide range of commercial and financial documentation, including:
• ISDA Master Agreements and related documentation for equity and FX swaps.
• Prime brokerage agreements for cash lending and collateralised products.
• Global Master Securities Lending Agreements (GMSLA) and Global Master Repurchase Agreements (GMRA).
• Cleared execution derivatives agreements, give-up agreements for FX, and account control or security documentation.
• Confidentiality agreements, intra‑group guarantees and other commercial contracts.
• Provide strategic legal and regulatory advice to senior stakeholders across multiple business lines.
• Partner closely with front and back office teams to ensure transactions are structured and executed in line with commercial and regulatory objectives.
• Lead negotiations with external counsel, counterparties and vendors where appropriate.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of legal processes and documentation templates.
• Mentor and support junior team members where required.

Skills & Experience

• Qualified lawyer (England & Wales or Commonwealth jurisdiction).
• Minimum 5+ years’ PQE, with significant experience in derivatives, prime brokerage and/or structured financial products.
• Strong background in financial services, ideally gained in‑house within a major institution or from a leading private practice.
• Excellent understanding of ISDA documentation, collateral arrangements, and related regulatory frameworks (e.g., EMIR, MiFID II).
• Proven ability to manage complex negotiations and multiple stakeholders across regions.

Personal Attributes

• A confident, pragmatic self‑starter who can work independently and exercise sound judgement.
• Highly organised, responsive and capable of managing competing demands effectively.
• Strong interpersonal skills, able to build trust and credibility with business and control function stakeholders.
• Commercially astute with a solutions‑focused approach.
• Demonstrates leadership qualities and the ability to guide or mentor junior colleagues.

Client Focus & Communication

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex legal concepts into clear, practical guidance.
• Builds strong relationships across business, compliance, risk, and operations teams.
• Demonstrates an understanding of client objectives and delivers tailored, commercially relevant advice.
• Collaborative and supportive within the wider legal function, sharing expertise and best practice.