Senior Legal Counsel Global Markets Group Funding

First Abu Dhabi Bank; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution in Abu Dhabi is looking for a seasoned legal professional to manage legal risks for Global Markets and Group Funding businesses. This role involves drafting and negotiating complex derivatives and securities documentation, ensuring compliance with regulations, and providing legal guidance to various internal teams. Candidates should hold a law degree and have at least 6 years of PQE, with strong expertise in financial law and excellent English communication skills.

Qualifications

• Minimum 6 years PQE in international banking or law firm with 4 years in a similar role.
• Ability to draft and negotiate complex legal agreements.
• Strong understanding of regulatory requirements in financial services.

Responsibilities

• Manage legal risks related to Global Markets and Group Funding.
• Draft and negotiate derivatives, securities lending, and repo documentation.
• Provide legal guidance to internal teams and support compliance.

Skills

Legal advisory skills

Contract negotiation

Knowledge of derivatives

Compliance awareness

Fluent English

Education

Bachelor's degree in law

Qualified lawyer in England or similar jurisdiction

Job description

This person manages legal risks in relation to Global Markets and Group Funding businesses globally in accordance with FAB Group Legal Department policies and procedures. The role holder should be able to work autonomously but should seek the Head of Legal Global Markets & Group Fundings input on unusual situations complex matters and issues that may pose significant legal financial and/or reputational risk to FAB Group.

The role holder will have in depth knowledge of derivatives and structured products and to a lesser extent debt capital markets and custody. The role holder will provide value‑added legal support primarily to the Global Markets business and also support the Group Funding and Custody businesses. This will include amongst other things:

• Drafting and negotiating derivatives transaction documentation with a particular emphasis on structured derivatives (TRS structured equity financings etc. across all asset classes (credit equity rates commodities and FX)).
• Drafting and negotiating securities lending and repo transaction documentation particularly structured repos.
• Advising how to structure transactions in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements including without limitation EMIR Dodd‑Frank and MiFID2.
• Managing the legal aspects of issuing bonds and structured notes from FABs short and medium‑term debt funding programs and structured notes programs in both conventional and Islamic format.
• Providing legal guidance to FABs in‑house Global Markets Documentation Team (i.e. ISDA Negotiators) when this team of paralegals is drafting and negotiating derivatives master agreements including ISDAs GMRAs TMAs and associated collateralisation and other ancillary documentation (e.g. CSAs MCAs Agreements etc).
• Negotiating custody agreements and advising on structured custody solutions.
• Creating and updating FABs template documentation.

Core Responsibilities

Legal Advisory

• Provides legal advice whilst keeping in mind FABs strategic and business objectives.
• Provides guidance to facilitate FABs compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations.
• Collaborates with the Head of Legal Global Markets & Group Funding to establish disseminate and implement the FAB Group Legal Department policies and procedures.
• Completes tasks and responds to legal queries in a timely manner.
• Supports FAB subsidiaries and international branches by providing general legal oversight of legal risks.

Legal Documentation and Review

• Drafts, reviews and negotiates contracts and other legal documents in a commercially prudent manner to facilitate transaction completion whilst simultaneously minimising legal risks.
• Produces and regularly updates standardised legal agreements, contracts and standard terms and conditions for FAB in compliance with international best practices and applicable legal requirements.
• Assists the business in launching new products and conducts legal and regulatory due diligence on such products including identifying risks and mitigants in all applicable geographies.

Knowledge of External Environment

• Stays abreast of new laws and regulations through continuous legal education attending professional conferences and participating in professional associations such as ISDA and ICMA.
• Provides updates on new legislation and regulatory developments and advises how to comply with such new legislation and regulations.

Knowledge Sharing

• Works closely and develops a positive professional relationship with the other members of the legal function and shares knowledge and best practices with colleagues including by providing training.

Learning and Development

• Functions as a subject matter expert and provides input on learning and development initiatives including training content to ensure value addition and relevance.

Specific Accountability

• Drafts and negotiates structured products and structured note documentation.
• Drafts and negotiates derivatives repo and custody documentation and agreements.
• Maintains FABs short and medium‑term note programs and structured notes programs from a legal perspective and supports issuances from such programs.
• Assists the business with rolling out new products and services.
• Recommends improvements to policies and processes to streamline working practices.
• Provides legal advice on ad hoc legal queries raised by businesses and other enablement functions.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification

• Bachelors degree in law from an internationally recognised university
• Qualified as a lawyer in England (or another common law or European jurisdiction)
• Excellent English language skills

Minimum Experience

• At least 6 years PQE in a reputed international bank or law firm with at least 4 years in a similar role

Remote Work

No

Employment Type

Fulltime