At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead legal support for financial services, managing contracts and compliance across EMEA.
- Company: Join SymphonyAI, a leading enterprise AI SaaS company transforming industries.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, dynamic work environment, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced, innovative legal team at the forefront of technology.
- Qualifications: 7+ years PQE, dual qualification, and strong commercial contract negotiation skills required.
- Other info: Collaborate with diverse teams and contribute to strategic legal initiatives.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
We seek an experienced Senior Legal Counsel – Financial Services Lead to join our Legal team, based in London. Our legal team is the backbone of SymphonyAI’s global operations across the Americas, UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific regions. Focusing on enterprise Software as a Service agreements and product-related legal counselling, this role offers a unique opportunity to lead a core commercial and product legal function for one of SymphonyAI’s business divisions. You will collaborate closely with executive leadership, division management, sales, product and engineering organizations, and multiple internal stakeholders to support commercial acceleration, product readiness, partnership execution, and regulatory compliance.
This position will be based at our London office and will report to SymphonyAI’s Vice President and General Counsel International. As a Division Lead, you will serve as the primary legal point of contact for SymphonyAI’s Financial Services division, while contributing to legal strategy, legal tooling, process improvement, and cross-border contracting efficiency across the enterprise.
What You’ll Do:
- Manage and negotiate a wide range of commercial transactions, including sales contracts, customer agreements, vendor agreements, software licensing, professional services, distribution and channel partnerships, across EMEA.
- Conduct legal analysis and risk assessments for commercial relationships, ensuring they align with division and enterprise business objectives.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to provide legal support for business initiatives, product launches, strategic sales pursuits, and operational projects.
- Support efforts to ensure compliance with data privacy and protection laws, including GDPR, DORA, Cyber Resilience Act, and any other applicable regulations across EMEA, including new country laws and EU regulations.
- Assist in the review and negotiation of technology partnership agreements, joint ventures, and collaborations.
- Evaluate and address legal risks associated with product development, data usage, cybersecurity standards, and emerging AI technologies.
- Help develop and improve commercial templates, playbooks, escalation models, and legal tooling to enhance contract velocity, forecasting, renewals management, and overall division commercial execution.
- Stay informed about changes in laws, regulatory guidance, industry trends, best practices, and emerging legal issues affecting the business.
- Conduct internal training and develop educational materials to enhance legal awareness, contracting discipline, and risk management across the organization.
Product, IP and Licensing:
- Provide legal support on product-related matters across the business as needed, including licensing structures, go-to-market considerations, and regulatory implications relevant to SaaS and enterprise AI solutions.
- Advise on intellectual property, data protection, cybersecurity, open-source usage, and technology licensing issues arising in the context of commercial transactions and customer deployments.
- Support go-to-market activities, strategic partnerships, and technology integrations from a commercial and risk-management perspective.
- Draft, review, and negotiate a range of product-related and commercial agreements, including reseller, OEM, alliance, integration, and professional services agreements.
- Work closely with Sales, Product, and Customer Success teams to identify legal risks and provide practical, business-focused guidance that supports revenue generation while maintaining compliance and contractual consistency.
- Ensure that commercial contracts align with internal policies, security requirements, and applicable revenue recognition principles.
- Provide advice on competition law, marketing and contractual claims, and other product-adjacent compliance matters as they arise in commercial contexts.
- Support the management of disputes, escalations, and risk issues related to commercial delivery and customer relationships.
Division Leadership and Internal Collaboration:
- Serve as the primary legal advisor for one SymphonyAI business division, providing strategic legal leadership, prioritization, direction, and decision support to executive stakeholders.
- Provide oversight, thought leadership, and escalation management for high-value deals, mission-critical negotiations, and recurring contracting themes within the division.
- Collaborate with internal departments, share legal expertise, and build strong, trusted stakeholder relationships at executive, leadership, and operational levels.
- Contribute to internal legal frameworks, policies, training programs, knowledge sharing, playbook evolution, and cross-division contracting efficiency.
- Manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment and contribute flexibly beyond core responsibilities when required by workload, deadlines, or enterprise priorities.
What You’ll Bring:
- Dual qualification or law degrees in English and one other jurisdiction.
- 7+ years PQE (or equivalent) at a law firm or in-house environment, ideally in the Fintech sector.
- Significant experience in drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements with a strong command of contract structure, deal dynamics, and commercial risk allocation.
- Experience counselling on product lifecycle matters, software licensing, technology integrations, open source, data privacy and protection, and intellectual property.
- Demonstrated ability to independently lead legal support for a business division, product vertical, or go-to-market function.
- Knowledge of data privacy frameworks and regulatory regimes, especially GDPR and EU data protection, with any additional certifications (e.g., CIPP, CIPM) considered a plus.
- Ability to draft and negotiate in English and any other EU language (French, German, Italian or Spanish would be ideal).
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess risks and propose practical, business-focused solutions.
- Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to simplify complex legal or regulatory concepts for diverse stakeholders.
- Ability to build strong stakeholder relationships at all levels, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and influence legal and commercial standards across the division.
- Ability to work independently, prioritize effectively, and manage multiple concurrent projects in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
SymphonyAI is building the leading enterprise AI SaaS company for digital transformation across the most critical and resilient growth industries, including retail, consumer packaged goods, financial crime prevention, manufacturing, media, and IT service management. Since its founding in 2017, SymphonyAI today serves 1500+ Enterprise customers globally and has grown to 2,500 talented leaders, data scientists, and other professionals across over 30 countries.
Senior Legal Counsel – Financial Services in London employer: Symphony Industrial AI, Inc.
Contact Detail:
Symphony Industrial AI, Inc. Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Legal Counsel – Financial Services in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the legal and financial services sectors. Attend industry events, webinars, or even casual meet-ups. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand SymphonyAI's mission and values, especially in the context of financial services. Tailor your responses to show how your experience aligns with their needs and how you can contribute to their success.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your negotiation skills! As a Senior Legal Counsel, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to manage and negotiate complex agreements. Role-play with a friend or mentor to refine your approach and build confidence before those crucial discussions.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows your enthusiasm for joining SymphonyAI and being part of our innovative team in the financial services space.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Legal Counsel – Financial Services in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Legal Counsel role. Highlight your experience in financial services and any relevant legal qualifications. We want to see how your background aligns with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for SymphonyAI. Share specific examples of your past work that relate to the job description, especially around commercial transactions and compliance.
Showcase Your Communication Skills: As a legal counsel, clear communication is key. In your application, demonstrate your ability to simplify complex legal concepts. We love seeing candidates who can convey their thoughts clearly and effectively!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Symphony Industrial AI, Inc.
✨Know Your Legal Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of commercial transactions, data privacy laws, and regulatory compliance. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with the specific legal challenges faced in the financial services sector.
✨Showcase Your Collaboration Skills
This role involves working closely with various teams, so be prepared to share examples of how you've successfully collaborated with cross-functional teams in the past. Highlight your ability to build strong relationships and influence stakeholders.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills and ability to manage legal risks. Think of specific scenarios where you had to navigate complex legal issues or negotiate high-stakes contracts, and be ready to explain your thought process.
✨Demonstrate Your Leadership Qualities
As a Division Lead, you'll need to show that you can provide strategic legal leadership. Prepare to discuss how you've led legal initiatives in previous roles and how you prioritise tasks in a fast-paced environment.