EMEA Equity Derivatives Legal Counsel - Vice President in London

We are seeking an experienced derivatives lawyer to join the Markets Legal team as a Vice President, providing legal coverage to the EMEA Equities business. The role will sit within the Exotics legal team, which has responsibility for a broad variety of work focused on JPM proprietary indices and investable rules-based strategies across equities and other asset classes, as well as structured and complex OTC derivatives and bespoke securitised products.

As an EMEA Equity Derivatives Legal Counsel - Vice President in the Markets Legal team, you will have a great opportunity to further develop your skills and knowledge through working on a variety of cutting-edge transactions both within the Exotics legal team and the wider Equities legal team. Whilst the role is primarily transactional, members of the team are expected to have knowledge of UK and European derivatives law and regulation. This is a high-profile and technically challenging role requiring a comprehensive understanding of the legal and commercial aspects of equity and other derivative transactions. You will apply sound judgment to assess and manage legal and regulatory risk, translating complexity into clear, practical guidance that supports well-controlled growth in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

Job responsibilities:

• Advise the business (Trading, Structuring and Sales) on structuring complex derivative transactions, JPM proprietary indices and bespoke structured products. This includes reviewing deal structures and documentation, identifying legal, regulatory and other implementation issues relevant to a transaction, and providing general legal support and advice.
• Work closely with the business from inception to the close of transactions, including drafting and negotiating transaction documentation.
• Proactively identify, assess, and support the management of legal, regulatory, and reputational risks affecting the Equities business, including monitoring relevant legal developments, supporting governance forums, and escalating issues appropriately.
• Collaborate effectively across Legal, business, Compliance and other risk and control functions, and manage external counsel where appropriate to deliver coordinated and efficient outcomes.
• Drive process, documentation and efficiency improvements across the various areas of coverage, with a focus on legal operational excellence and scalable ways of working.

Required qualifications, skills and capabilities:

• Qualified lawyer with 3+ years' post-qualification experience gained in a leading law firm and/or in-house legal team.
• Licensed to practice law in England & Wales or a similar jurisdiction.
• Strong transactional background with experience advising on derivative transactions.
• Excellent negotiation skills and familiarity with UK and European regulations impacting Markets businesses (e.g. MIFID II, EMIR, UK and EU BMR).
• Strong analytical and risk management skills as well as excellent drafting skills and a solution-oriented approach.
• Highly developed organisational, analytical and time management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills and an ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

J.P. Morgan is a global leader in financial services, providing strategic advice and products to the world's most prominent corporations, governments, wealthy individuals and institutional investors. Our first-class business in a first-class way approach to serving clients drives everything we do. We strive to build trusted, long-term partnerships to help our clients achieve their business objectives. We recognise that our people are our strength and the diverse talents they bring to our global workforce are directly linked to our success. We are an equal opportunity employer and place a high value on diversity and inclusion at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute, including race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital or veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law. We also make reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as mental health or physical disability needs.

Our professionals in our Corporate Functions cover a diverse range of areas from finance and risk to human resources and marketing. Our corporate teams are an essential part of our company, ensuring that we're setting our businesses, clients, customers and employees up for success. With large, global operations, the Legal team tackles complex issues and helps shape the regulations that affect the businesses. The group is organized into practice groups that align with the lines of business and corporate staff areas, which encourages collaboration on legal, regulatory and business developments as they arise.