Financial Services Regulatory Associate 0 to 3 years\' PQE

We are recruiting a Financial Services Regulatory Associate up to three years’ PQE to join our Financial Services Regulation practice.

What this means for you:

• Joining Macfarlanes means being part of a collaborative, Partner-led team where you’ll develop and learn from experienced lawyers and business professionals.
• Our size means you’ll be given genuine responsibility early on and often be involved at the heart of client matters, gaining insight into how our high-quality legal advice is developed and delivered to help clients overcome their most pressing issues.
• You’ll work closely with senior colleagues who are approachable and who want you to succeed.
• You’ll be encouraged to get involved in client and business development activities, and you’ll be recognised for your contribution.
• The majority of our work has a cross-border focus, so you’ll often collaborate with global clients and specialist advisers in overseas jurisdictions.
• You’ll build connections with international law firms, broaden your experience, and be part of a multidisciplinary team that comes together to achieve the best results.
• We also place real importance on your development. Our training and mentoring programmes are second to none, and designed to help you strengthen your legal and commercial skills.
• Above all, you’ll be part of a firm where we all work together as part of a cohesive and supportive team, where you’ll be recognised and appreciated, and encouraged to succeed.

Practice overview:

Our Financial Services Regulation practice consists of two Partners, one Senior Knowledge Lawyer, four Senior Associates and three Associates. The team covers a broad range of work including advising on all aspects of FCA/PRA applications and notifications, the regulatory aspects of corporate and banking transactions and restructurings, outsourcings, new product launches, trading and market conduct, and other contentious and non-contentious regulatory matters. We also work closely with our disputes team on contentious regulatory matters. Besides the group’s own following of clients, we also enjoy wide and varied referrals from across the firm, working closely with our private client, investment management, derivatives and trading, tax and reward, finance, corporate and employment practices.

Our client base is broad and includes asset managers of all kinds, banks and investment firms, corporate finance houses, sovereign wealth funds, private equity firms, hedge fund managers, benchmark administrators, e-money issuers and payment services providers, technology providers, inter-dealer brokers, family offices, corporates, wealth managers and individuals. This is an exciting time to join a growing, dynamic and highly regarded team in a key area of strategic importance for the firm. All members of the team are expected to take a role developing the practice and client base, as they progress in their career.

What our clients say about us:

• ‘The regulatory team are extremely knowledgeable and pragmatic about business matters. They use simple language for their clients to help understand complex issues or solutions.’
• ‘The financial services and products regulatory team is exceptional. Their knowledge of the FCA is second to none and I would not go anywhere else for regulatory advice. They can explain some quite tricky regulatory issues in a way that is logical and straightforward, always identifying risks and guiding us through their resolution. They are a pleasure to work with.’
• ‘It’s a very good team. We appreciated the professionalism and quality of the advice we received throughout our discussions.’
• ‘The firm’s regulatory team has been extremely helpful in helping us to negotiate the introduction of additional regulatory obligations and developments over the last three years.’
• ‘They have provided clear advice along every step of the way – whether this be in relation to larger reviews undertaken or smaller, more time sensitive queries. Every response has been provided efficiently with follow up calls offered.’

The role:

The successful candidate will have experience in most of the following key areas, as appropriate to their PQE:

• buy-side experience, with some sell-side experience an advantage;
• knowledge of MiFID II, AIFMD and MAR (CRR and EMIR would be an advantage);
• experience of working with institutional asset managers, private equity and credit fund managers, and hedge fund managers;
• experience of regulatory due diligence processes in support of corporate and banking teams, preparing drafts of due diligence reports and commenting on SPAs, BSAs, etc.;
• experience in advising on perimeter issues relating to e.g., authorisations, client money issues, interaction between MiFID II and RAO, etc.;
• experience in assisting with regulatory applications, e.g., authorisations, variations of permission, change in control, waiver applications, etc.;
• experience in relation to the governance, systems and controls of financial institutions, operation in practice of the SM&CR.

In addition to the above, contentious regulatory experience (e.g. s166, enforcement, internal investigations/reviews) and experience advising on retail financial services including Consumer Duty would be advantageous but is not essential.

This job description encompasses the main duties of the role and is by no means exhaustive. It is anticipated that duties may vary from time to time according to the needs of the practice area.

The candidate:

The successful candidate will have up to three years PQE from a highly regarded regulatory practice, which may include experience gained in the legal function of a financial services firm. They will have excellent academic credentials from degree upwards. The successful candidate will have good presentation skills both written and oral, and will be able to juggle multiple matters. Demonstrable enthusiasm for the practice area is essential, along with a can-do attitude, independence and initiative. We expect all our associates to forge close working relationships with clients, assume real responsibility at an early stage and develop their experience on a variety of regulatory matters.

Application screening:

Any offer of employment with us is subject to our pre‑employment checks which are conducted by a third‑party screening provider. These may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, any criminal records and employment references. These checks will be initiated with your consent and your offer will be subject to the successful completion of these checks.

About Macfarlanes:

Macfarlanes is a pre‑eminent law firm that serves a global client base in private capital, private wealth, M&A and disputes. Personal connection, an entrepreneurial spirit and a commitment to excellence are at the heart of our firm. These values drive our ability to deliver exceptional outcomes for our clients. We are big enough to undertake the most complex and demanding mandates yet small enough to know each other well and to be agile, adapting to the needs of our clients. We seek to strengthen the firm by recruiting talented people from all backgrounds who want to build long‑lasting and impactful careers with us. Our culture is challenging and supportive, creating an environment where individuals can thrive.

Our commitment to inclusion:

Inclusion is one of our key priorities and it is a goal we are actively working towards. We believe that an inclusive, forward‑thinking culture is intrinsically important and enables us to provide innovative solutions to our clients. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, bringing different perspectives and experiences, making Macfarlanes an exciting and stimulating place to work. We seek to recruit the best candidates, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, social or economic background, religion, disability, sexual orientation or any other characteristic.

As part of this commitment, we will ask you certain diversity data questions. We would really appreciate you and/or your recruiter completing these questions when submitting an application to Macfarlanes as this data enables us to measure our progress and identify any actions needed to continue to support an inclusive culture. This data is anonymised to maintain the privacy of applicants. If you have any questions relating to how this data is used, please contact a member of the recruitment team.

Should you require any adjustments during the application and/or interview process, please do not hesitate to inform your recruiter or a member of the recruitment team. Please note, the job description is available in other accessible formats (for example, large print). We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who best meet the essential criteria for the role. If you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme, please email the recruitment team at recruitment@macfarlanes.com.