At a Glance
- Tasks: Provide legal advice, draft agreements, and engage with stakeholders in a dynamic environment.
- Company: Leading global financial markets infrastructure organisation with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Competitive day rate and exposure to significant financial markets.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth in a fast-paced, operationally dynamic environment.
- Why this job: Join a high-performing legal team and make a real impact in the financial sector.
- Qualifications: Qualified lawyer with experience in clearing, OTC derivatives, and financial services regulation.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
A leading global financial markets infrastructure organisation is seeking an experienced Interim Legal Counsel to join its collaborative and fast-paced legal team on an initial 6-month contract, with potential for extension. Operating at the heart of international financial markets, the organisation plays a critical role in supporting trading, clearing and risk management activities. This is an excellent opportunity to join a high-performing legal function within a complex, regulated and operationally dynamic environment.
You will join a well-established legal team supporting both clearing and wider business functions, providing day-to-day legal advice across a broad range of BAU activities. This is a varied and hands-on role requiring close engagement with business stakeholders and involvement in multiple concurrent workstreams.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Reviewing, drafting and negotiating a range of agreements including clearing-related documentation, OTC derivatives, investment management and commercial contracts
- Supporting the business on legal, contractual and regulatory queries, delivering clear and pragmatic advice
- Monitoring legal and regulatory developments and translating these into actionable guidance
- Working closely with stakeholders across legal, compliance, operations and front-office teams to understand and respond to business requirements
- Investigating and supporting BAU operational requests and initiatives, often requiring an inquisitive and solution-focused approach
This role offers broad exposure to clearing and trading environments, with a strong emphasis on stakeholder engagement and operational delivery.
You will be a qualified lawyer (England & Wales or equivalent) with experience gained ideally within a clearing house or bank, investment firm dealing with clearing and prime brokerage. You will demonstrate:
- Experience working with OTC derivatives, clearing and/or prime brokerage-related matters
- Strong background in drafting and negotiating commercial and financial services agreements
- A solid understanding of financial services regulation, particularly within an FCA-regulated environment
- Experience supporting BAU legal workflows and responding to business-driven queries
- Confidence in engaging directly with stakeholders and operating within a commercial, fast-paced environment
- A proactive, curious and hands-on approach, with the ability to use initiative
Experience working with legal opinions would be advantageous but is not essential.
What you'll get in return:
- Competitive day rate, dependent on experience
- Opportunity to work within a globally significant financial markets environment
- Broad and varied legal exposure across clearing, trading and regulatory matters
- A collaborative, high-performing legal team
- The chance to contribute meaningfully within a hands-on, business-facing interim role
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now. If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.
Contact Details:
Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Interim Legal Counsel in Clerkenwell
✨Get Involved in Legal Networking Events
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If you're near a law school, hit up their career services. They often have leads on temporary positions and can help connect you with alumni working at firms. Plus, they might host workshops or job fairs specific to the legal sector—great for scoring that temp position!
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We think you need these skills to ace Interim Legal Counsel in Clerkenwell
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Legal Know-How:In the legal services world, it's all about demonstrating your understanding of relevant laws and regulations. Make sure your CV highlights your legal training, internships, or any relevant projects you've worked on. If you've done any mooting or legal research, include those too - they can really set you apart!
Tailor Your Application for the Temp Role:Since this is a temporary position, your application should stress your adaptability and readiness to jump in right away. Highlight any previous temp roles where you quickly got up to speed, or any diverse experiences that show you can handle a variety of cases or tasks with ease.
Keep it Specific with Your Documents:Make sure your application includes essential legal documents, such as any relevant certifications or memberships in legal bodies. These can add credibility to your CV and show that you're serious about the profession – especially useful in a competitive field like law!
Express Your Enthusiasm in the Cover Letter:Your cover letter is a golden opportunity to express your enthusiasm for the role and the organisation. Let them know why you’re excited about this temporary position with Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited and how you're motivated to contribute to their success during your limited time with them!
How to prepare for a job interview at Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited
✨Show Off Your Legal Know-How
Prepare to discuss your understanding of legal terminology and concepts that might come up during the interview for the Interim Legal Counsel role at Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited. Brush up on relevant laws or recent cases that could be pertinent to the temporary position, as they'll likely appreciate candidates who can think on their feet and adapt to the fast-paced legal environment.
✨Talk About Your Flexibility
Since this is a temporary role, employers want to know you can hit the ground running. Be ready to highlight past experiences where you've had to quickly adapt to new tasks or work cultures. Flexibility is key in a short-term position like this, so share specific examples that demonstrate your ability to manage changing priorities efficiently.
✨Prepare for the Casework Challenge
You might face hypothetical scenarios where you'd have to advise on a legal issue or case. Practice articulating your thought process clearly, as interviewers in the legal sector often expect candidates to walk them through their reasoning step-by-step. This will not only showcase your legal acumen but also demonstrate your communication skills, which are crucial in law.
✨Pitch Your Legal Portfolio
If you have any relevant work samples, such as briefs, contracts, or legal research, this is your chance to shine! Be ready to discuss what you did, what challenges you faced, and the outcomes. This speaks volumes more than just listing your skills; it shows you're proactive and results-oriented, which is essential for a temporary role at Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited.
