Legal Counsel - Funds

Who we're looking for
An in-house advisory lawyer for our Client Group and Product Team within Legal which focuses on the firm's EMEA-serviced regulated funds, bespoke mandates and solutions structures.  A focus of the role will be UCITS and AIF vehicles in the firm's UK or Luxembourg ranges offering liquid. semi-liquid alternatives or public/private strategies.   

The investment management services may be provided by Schroders or they may be delegated to third party managers.   Intermediary fund distribution advice is also relevant to the role, as is being generally available for UK or Luxembourg regulated funds (or other) advice (using law firms where appropriate but usually not for UK funds).   You will assist Lead Product Counsel, UK and the Product Legal Team (six lawyers) generally.   You will be internal client facing and actively advise and service the Product Development team in the London office and the fund management companies in both London and Luxembourg.   You may also be called upon to assist the Solutions and Client Group teams in UK, Europe and to contribute to the external client or funds work of the legal teams in the Americas and APAC. Any experience of client mandates, solutions structures, corporate / outsourcing transactions, OTC and exchange-traded derivatives will be useful but not essential. 

About Schroders
We're a global investment manager. We help institutions, intermediaries and individuals around the world invest money to meet their goals, fulfil their ambitions, and prepare for the future.

We have around 6,000 people on six continents. And we've been around for over 200 years, but keep adapting as society and technology changes. What doesn't change is our commitment to helping our clients, and society, prosper.

The base
We moved into our new HQ in the City of London in 2018. We're close to our clients, in the heart of the UK's financial centre. And we have everything we need to work flexibly.

The team
The Schroders Legal Team in London constitutes the majority of the global Group Legal team which totals 70 lawyers. It services the Group's range of asset and wealth management businesses in EMEA and globally across each of the Divisions of the firm: Investment, Product, Client Group, Private Assets, Wealth Management and Infrastructure.  

What you'll do

• Regulatory advice regarding  UCITS and AIF (including LTAF and ELTIF) vehicles in the firm's UK or Luxembourg ranges:
  o    Focus: liquid or semi-liquid alternatives or public/private strategies   
  o    Schroders managed strategies or delegated to third party managers.   
• Intermediary fund distribution advice:
  o    UK and Luxembourg funds
      Public or public/private (UCITS,AIF, ELTIF, LTAF)
• General advice regarding UK or Luxembourg regulated funds
• Assist Lead Product Counsel, UK and the Product Legal Team (six lawyers) generally.   
• Specific advisory services to:  Product Development, London and fund management companies: London and Luxembourg.   

• From time to time assist the Solutions and Client Group teams in UK, Europe and to contribute to the external client work of the legal teams in the Americas and APAC. 
  Advisory or transaction work may cover, or be linked to
  o    client mandates
  o    solutions structures, 
  o    corporate / outsourcing transactions, 
  o    OTC and exchange-traded derivatives 
• Drafting all legal documentation associated with and ancillary to fund launches of the forms indicated above, document types including: prospectuses, KIIDs, pre-contractual disclosures (SDR and SFDR), constitutional documents, side letters, rebates letters, investment management / advisory agreements and other related agreements such as delegation agreements, indemnities, subscription agreements, NDAs, letters of intent etc;
• Drafting assistance and regulatory advice on  cross-border fund marketing and the adoption of appropriate intra-business processes to ensure compliance with local regulations and/or obligations to investors;
•  Advising on the application of Legal and Schroders Group policies and standards;
• Advising on regulatory projects, interpretation and implementation of new regulations and directives across the relevant areas of the firm.  Recent and current examples include SDR, Consumer Duty, DORA, SFDR, Taxonomy, PRIIPs, MiFID II, AIFMD, UCITS, Solvency II, FATCA, CRS, EMIR and GDPR;
• Potential for advice on correspondence with regulators on issues arising from the management, administration and distribution of Schroders funds both locally and globally (in the UK, Luxembourg and Asia) and 
• Instructing external counsel (usually either non-UK or specialist) where appropriate.

The knowledge, experience and qualifications you need

• Demonstrable post-qualification experience – 5 years PQE (or near to);
• Excellent contract law knowledge, drafting skills and experience in client / service provider contract negotiation;
• Excellent written and verbal communication;
• Excellent attention to detail and procedure;
• In-depth knowledge/experience of the investment management industry;
• Good understanding of the legal and regulatory risks and Compliance processes associated with the financial services industry and FCA regulation;
• Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise with staff at all levels including senior management and board level;
• Genuinely pro-active and keen to take responsibility and 
  Strong organisational/prioritisation skills.

The knowledge, experience and qualifications that will help

• Strong private practice experience or in-house experience of an equivalent quality and 
• Fluency in additional languages.

What you'll be like

• Must be a good team player and a driven self-starter, as well as having very high-quality legal skills and an ability to deal confidently with internal and external clients.

We recognise potential, whoever you are
Our purpose is to provide excellent investment performance to clients through active management. Diversity of thought, facilitated by an inclusive culture, will allow us to make better decisions and better achieve our purpose. This is why inclusion and diversity are a strategic priority for us and why we are an equal opportunities employer. You are welcome here, regardless of your age, disability, gender identity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, or any other protected characteristic.