Legal Counsel

Job Title: Counsel, US

Reports to: Senior Counsel, Market Transitions

Location: New York, NY

Base Salary: $150,000-$170,000

Job purpose

Exceptional role for a Counsel to join a high profile legal function. Reporting to the Senior Counsel, Market Transitions, Counsel will work closely with other senior and junior lawyers within ISDA performing tasks and responsibilities that support participants in the derivatives industry locally and globally. The Counsel will also be involved in ISDA’s emerging markets and law reform work related to the legal and regulatory development of derivatives markets in new jurisdictions and focus on Latin America. Counsel will also work with other members of the legal team to review and negotiate general commercial contracts such as online services terms and NDAs, and support ISDA’s product-specific documentation. The candidate should be capable of managing and reviewing a large number of documents efficiently, keeping abreast of developments in multiple jurisdictions and working in a fast-paced, autonomous environment. They will be expected to develop the role into one which enjoys a high profile in the derivatives market.

Duties and responsibilities

• Reviewing netting, collateral, clearing and other legal opinions
• Helping to organize and manage committees and working groups which focus on product specific, regulatory or legal issues in the derivatives industry.
• Working with ISDA members and other members of the Legal Department globally to develop documentation to support the derivatives industry, particularly in relation to products and on-going regulatory developments.
• Supporting market infrastructure created and administered by ISDA.
• Helping to represent ISDA, its membership and constituencies at meetings with government legal and regulatory agencies.
• Helping to procure and review critical legal opinions for the derivatives industry.
• Speaking at ISDA hosted conferences and events domestically and internationally.
• Reviewing corporate contracts with vendors, contractors or other entities which provide service to ISDA.
• Working with non-legal colleagues to deliver key industry objectives.
• Liaising with external opinions counsel in many jurisdictions
• Staying abreast of relevant legal, regulatory and market developments
• Liaising with members and dealing with member queries
• Assisting colleagues in legal and policy with emerging markets work and initiatives, including papers and consultations
• Negotiating ISDA’s terms and conditions and other onboarding documentation for its online services, non-disclosure agreements and intellectual property licenses
• Providing general support to colleagues in the legal department
• Collaborating with other ISDA staff

Qualifications & Experience

Qualified Lawyer, 1 – 4 years PQE

Could be from a law firm, financial institution, or other market participant

Relevant Skills / Abilities

• Experience with derivatives documentation (in particular the ISDA Master Agreement, credit support documentation, clearing documentation and product definitions) and related legal issues (netting, collateral, enforceability, insolvency etc.) desired
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail is required
• Ability to review potentially complex documentation and pull out salient features
• Experience with drafting and/or reviewing legal opinions is preferred
• Experience with other forms of financial market agreements or regulation would be an advantage
• Experience with other areas of finance, especially capital markets, would be useful
• Strong communication, presentation, and public speaking skills

About ISDA

Since 1985, ISDA has worked to make the global derivatives markets safer and more efficient. Today, ISDA has more than 980 member institutions from 78 countries. These members comprise a broad range of derivatives market participants, including corporations, investment managers, government and supranational entities, insurance companies, energy and commodities firms, and international and regional banks. In addition to market participants, members also include key components of the derivatives market infrastructure, such as exchanges, intermediaries, clearing houses and repositories, as well as law firms, accounting firms and other service providers. Information about ISDA and its activities is available on the Association’s website: https://www.isda.org/ . Follow us on Twitter @ISDA.

Benefits

• Retirement – with employer match
• Life, disability, and accident insurance
• Medical, dental and vision coverage offered at little to no cost to employees and dependents
• Generous paid time off
• Maternity and paternity leave
• Pre and post-tax commuter spending accounts
• Education – ISDA offers a yearly training calendar across all offices
• Flexible working policy
• Company and office social events