We are recruiting for a Knowledge Lawyer to join our Global Financial Markets team in London.
DEPARTMENT PURPOSE
Our Global Financial Markets (GFM) team covers an exciting and broad area of finance. We work with colleagues across practice groups and jurisdictions on helping the world's most successful companies fund themselves and manage risk. Our work shapes market practice and our lawyers are involved in innovative, cutting‑edge and high‑profile deals. We have advised on many industry “firsts”, including some of the most innovative transactions in sustainable finance and digital bonds. In recent years we have also advised clients on complex funding matters as they navigate difficult economic conditions and often act as a client's first port of call in times of market crisis.
ROLE PURPOSE
The Finance/International Capital Markets Know-How & Training team are looking to recruit a Knowledge Lawyer who can develop and maintain know‑how resources, design and deliver internal and external training sessions, monitor developments in the law and practice relating to international capital markets and their impact on the practice, be involved in industry consultation responses/advocacy efforts and the development of industry standard form language and act as a contact for international capital markets related know‑how enquiries worldwide with a focus on mainstream debt capital markets. By way of an example, the recent focus of our Knowledge Lawyers has been on changes in EU and UK prospectus regimes, and EU and UK regulatory divergence in benchmark regulation and the regulation of PRIIPs/CCIs, ESG‑related developments and digitalisation of the markets. Candidates will ideally be 3+ years qualified with some experience of mainstream debt capital markets transactions.
This position will report to the Head of Central Finance/International Capital Markets Know‑How.
Key relationships
GFM partners and fee‑earners globally, as well as partners and fee earners engaged in debt capital markets work in other practice groups
Finance/International Capital Markets Knowledge Lawyers and others in the Know‑How & Training team
Wider A&O Shearman Knowledge Lawyer and Know‑How community
GFM BD/PR colleagues
GFM Head of Innovation
ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES
The key responsibilities of this role include:
Maintenance and update of existing know‑how resources, including the GFM/International Capital Markets intranet pages and online services available internally and to clients
Preparation of updates in line with legal developments to inform colleagues and clients of implications
Helping to design and plan GFM/International Capital Markets training programmes (including induction programme for new joiners and trainees) and, when appropriate, delivering relevant training sessions and helping with preparing training and presentation materials and providing ad‑hoc training for external clients
Monitoring relevant legal, regulatory and other relevant developments in order to keep updated existing (or prepare new) know‑how resources, including standard form documentation, and to assist fee earners with being able to provide the latest analysis when giving client advice
Responding accurately and in a timely way to specific requests from partners and associates on complex legal matters within own area of expertise
Briefing fee earners going on client secondments on the know‑how resources available to them whilst on secondment, being a first point of contact for them for queries whilst on secondment and obtaining on‑going and post‑secondment feedback from them on client know‑how provision
Working closely with other Finance/International Capital Markets Knowledge Lawyers and the Finance/International Capital Markets Library and Training teams to provide timely responses to relevant queries sent to the ICM Documentation and Know‑How Enquiries e‑mail address/directly to the Knowledge Lawyers
Attending meetings of relevant external trade associations as necessary in order to keep the practice up to date with developments, and to assist with the production of papers for such associations if required
Developing and maintaining links with Knowledge Lawyers in other relevant Practice Groups (e.g. Finance/Loan Finance, Corporate, Restructuring, Tax) within the firm to ensure that areas of common interest to more than one group are appropriately covered
Under general guidance about priorities, producing and maintaining high quality documentation to provide fee earners with cost effective and timely precedents which help progress client business
Preparing effective guidance material such as practice notes to enable colleagues to access material which is fully up to date with precedent and practice
Helping to gather, synthesise and produce good quality, up to date and readable material for inclusion in the firm's thought leadership/opinion pieces
Assisting with, and when necessary, participating in, important practice‑wide projects designed to ensure A&O Shearman's knowledge base and documentation is maintained in line with new legislation, regulation, significant case law etc.
Working with the GFM Head of Innovation to identify, support and influence new opportunities for innovation on knowledge projects/projects with knowledge implications
Maintaining and developing own knowledge.
KEY REQUIREMENTS
Qualified lawyer – minimum 3 years PQE or similar
Will have worked successfully as a transactional associate or Knowledge Lawyer
Technical competence in debt capital markets law and transactional experience, advising on regulation at level of qualification
Confident self‑starter with the desire and ability to continuously acquire, build upon and share knowledge
Strong commercial/business acumen with the ability to deliver creative and pragmatic solutions and advice
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interface at all levels and particularly to win the respect of the partner and fee‑earner community, building and developing strong (internal and external) client relationships
Resilient; able to understand that credibility has to be earned in this environment and may take time
An individual who enjoys both the operational and strategic sides of this role and shows great flexibility
Detail‑focused and self‑motivated approach
Collaborative team player with the ability to develop and work in a fast paced, intellectually rigorous environment
A person of sound judgment, able to establish a high level of credibility in the organisation and act as a sounding board for fee‑earners
Intellectual curiosity and versatility
Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines
Flexibility and a willingness to expand areas of practice for both the team and personally
International outlook.
Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our recruitment team who will work with you to provide any adjustments as required.
We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.
We recognise that our people are our most valuable asset, which is reflected in the wide range of benefits that are available to our employees. Some of these benefits include: our occupational pension scheme, group income protection cover, private medical insurance, mental health resources and free apps, health and wellbeing services encompassing an onsite gym, wellbeing centre and GP service, emergency back‑up care support, parental and special leave, holiday entitlement increasing with length of service, holiday trading, season ticket loans and online discounts and lifestyle management services.
Our approach to hybrid working seeks to combine and maximise the benefits of effective remote working with the benefits of being in the office. Our current hybrid working arrangements require office based working for a minimum of 60% of your time (i.e. three days per week for a full time role) in accordance with our hybrid working policy.
NO AGENCIES PLEASE – A&O Shearman does not accept unsolicited CVs. For further information, please see our UK Recruitment Agency Policy and our commitment to direct sourcing here.
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