Solicitor - Investments & Trading

To support the Group's ambitious growth and business plans, we require an Investments & Trading Solicitor with finance experience to work closely with the Investment and Trading/Treasury teams.

This is a new role to support the substantial growth required in both illiquid assets and traditional fixed income assets at a Group level, as a result of increased volumes in the Group's defined benefit business, and to meet shareholder illiquid investment returns. You will help develop the Group's in-house liquid and illiquid origination and execution business model, and be involved in all aspects of the investment process life cycle for all assets within the Group's £26 billion investment portfolio.

Reporting into the Assistant General Counsel (Investments & Trading, ESG & Risk), you will provide the Investment and Treasury teams (within the Capital Management and Finance functions) with legal advice and support, collaborating with key senior leaders and managers across the businesses and group functions, as well as solicitors across the wider Legal team.

You will support legal work streams to advise on the full range of the Group's investment asset classes, capital markets, derivatives, collateral management and banking & clearing activities.
Over time it is expected that the provision of ESG advisory work will be required to support the transition of the Group's investment portfolio to meet key environmental and social targets., Prior experience in structured finance and/or real estate finance is highly desirable, with a focus on lending and security arrangements across capital markets, commercial real estate, infrastructure debt and corporate/sovereign private placements. It isn't essential you have experience of all of the responsibilities detailed below, but you will have key experience in some of these, combined with an enthusiasm to further develop you career in these areas.

• Advising on deal structuring and negotiations in relation to illiquid asset transactions and structured finance investments that cover commercial real estate, infrastructure debt and corporate/sovereign private placement markets, as well as other assets classes such as fund financing


• Advising on a range of property law matters in relation to commercial real estate investments (with support from external counsel where necessary)


• Management and oversight of existing segregated investment management agreements and activities with the Group's panel of investment managers, as well as the negotiation of new investment managers mandates


• Advising, negotiating and drafting derivatives, initial/variation margin, lending and repo and trading/ clearing documentation, including ISDA Master Agreements, collateral agreements and securities lending/repurchase agreements


• Assisting with regulatory changes and developments in relation to financial market trading activities, including derivatives, foreign exchange, repo execution and securities lending activities, as well as key insurance/asset management matters such as Solvency II and PRA/FCA outsourcing requirements


• Supporting the execution and monitoring of trades occurring outside of external asset management mandates (i.e. financial derivative, bond, FX and other trades), including the Group's internal management processes


• Business partnering in relation to the management of investment management, trading initiatives and operations, including relationship management with trading counterparties, asset managers and counterparty banks in the private placement space


• Provision of support to the Responsible Investment Team, including assistance with future legislative changes and portfolio management


• Appointment and management of external counsel, either as an extension of the in-house team's capabilities or to provide strategic and technical expertise, as well as supporting budgeting and oversight of external counsel appointments


• Input into committee and board papers in relation to the ratification of investment and trading transactions, to assist with risk control and executive & senior stakeholder approvals


• Provision of key contributions into ad hoc change projects and Investment and Treasury initiatives, to support the growing complexity of the Group's business activities


• Active participation in wider legal functional matters where expertise is required to advise on other matters necessary to support the Group's activities, including legal and industry changes and best practice updates
  
  Qualified Solicitor or Barrister either a Law Graduate or Post-Graduate


• A number of years PQE


• Experience in Structured/Leveraged/Real Estate Finance or Asset Management and willingness to further develop career and skillset in relation to support of the Trading/Treasury function


• Private practice or in-house applicants


• Availability to travel Central London offices and occasionally Reigate office
  
  A Competitive Salary, Pension Scheme and Life Assurance


• Along with 25 Days Annual Leave plus an Additional Day on us for your birthday


• Private Medical Cover and Income Protection, just in case


• A generous and highly achievable bonus scheme - paid annually based on individual and company performance against targets


• Opportunity to progress within your career both in-role and within the company


• Free access to the Headspace App, a 24/7 Employee Assistance Helpline and Trained Physical & Mental Health First Aiders (On-Site)


• A variety of Employee Funded Benefits available to you via our Online Benefits Portal


• Plus, several additional purchase options available for you and your loved ones