Senior Legal Counsel - Capital Risk Solutions - London (Capital Risk Solutions – Global Credit)
Job Family: Legal & Compliance Group – Legal.
How does this role contribute to our collective success?
The Capital Risk Solutions (CRS) team provides credit risk transfer solutions to commercial and investment banks, private credit funds, multilateral development banks and export credit agencies. With approximately 15 professionals across underwriting, portfolio management, risk analytics and legal, the global team is located in London, Singapore, Zurich and Bermuda and focuses on project finance, aircraft finance, structured credit and significant risk transfer transactions.
What will you do in this role?
General transactional support
* Provide senior legal support on the structuring, documentation and negotiation of complex insurance‑backed credit risk transactions.
* Draft, review and negotiate insurance policies, reinsurance policies, financial guarantees and related transaction documentation.
* Assess legal, contractual, regulatory and enforcement risks and provide commercially practical advice to business stakeholders.
* Work closely with underwriters and other members of the Capital Risk Solutions team throughout the life of each transaction.
Structured finance and Significant Risk Transfer transactions
* Support funded and unfunded Significant Risk Transfer transactions.
* Work with funding platforms and counterparties to structure insurance policies or financial guarantees so that they operate effectively with Credit Linked Notes and related funding arrangements.
* Review and negotiate purchase, funding and security arrangements to protect AXIS Capital’s position.
* Advise on legal issues relating to risk transfer, security, insolvency, enforcement and transaction mechanics.
Aircraft finance transactions
* Support insurance‑backed aircraft finance transactions, including those executed through the Aircraft Finance Insurance Consortium and Sompo AXIS Aviation Finance Insurance.
* Work with co‑insurers and external counsel to structure, document and negotiate transactions.
* Instruct and manage external law firms from AXIS Capital’s panel of leading international firms.
* Maintain strong working knowledge of the key finance and security documents required to implement aircraft finance transactions.
* Advise on AXIS Capital’s role when it acts as the Insurer Representative, including rights, obligations and enforcement‑related decision making in default scenarios.
Project finance transactions
* Support project finance transactions involving major international banks, multilateral financial institutions and export credit agencies.
* Review the key legal and commercial elements of project financings relevant to AXIS Capital’s risk position.
* Draft and negotiate insurance and reinsurance documentation for project‑related risks and non‑payment exposures.
Claims, restructurings and recoveries
* Play a leading legal role in relation to non‑performing transactions.
* Advise on restructurings, defaults, claims under policies and subsequent recovery strategies.
* Support negotiations and enforcement strategy involving insureds, lenders, obligors, co‑insurers and other stakeholders.
Regulatory, tax and compliance support
* Advise on admitted and non‑admitted insurance issues, insurance tax considerations and sanctions compliance.
* Work closely with AXIS’s tax, compliance and other internal control functions.
* Help ensure that documentation and business practices remain aligned with applicable legal and regulatory requirements across relevant jurisdictions.
About You
Required qualifications and experience
* England and Wales qualified solicitor with at least 10 years’ post‑qualification experience gained in private practice with a leading international law firm.
* Excellent analytical, drafting and negotiation skills under English law.
* Strong experience in one or more of the following areas: banking and finance, structured finance, credit risk insurance or financial guarantee products.
* Experience of complex cross‑border transactions.
* Good understanding of security structures, enforcement, insolvency and creditor protection mechanics.
* Ability to deliver commercially focused advice within a specialist credit team.
Desirable experience
* Experience of Significant Risk Transfer transactions, Credit Linked Notes or similar capital relief and structured finance transactions.
* Experience of insurance‑backed aircraft financing.
* Experience handling distressed transactions, claims, recoveries or restructurings.
* Knowledge of admitted and non‑admitted insurance rules, insurance premium tax and sanctions issues.
Personal attributes
* Strong analytical skills.
* Commercially minded and pragmatic.
* Comfortable operating autonomously in a lean and specialist team.
* Good judgment and attention to detail.
* Collaborative and effective with senior internal and external stakeholders.
* Interested in complex, specialist products at the intersection of insurance and finance.
Role Factors
* Be in the office a minimum of 3 days per week.
* Attend broker and customer meetings as required.
* Some travel as required.
What we offer
You will be eligible for a comprehensive and competitive benefits package which includes medical plans for you and your family, health and wellness programs, retirement plans, tuition reimbursement, paid annual leave and much more. We provide a rewarding, challenging and meaningful environment that shapes the direction of insurance and reinsurance during a critical and exciting time for the industry.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion or creed, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, age, marital status, civil union status, family or parental status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Accommodation is available upon request for candidates taking part in the selection process.
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