Legal Counsel

Duggan + Della; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Duggan + Della is seeking a Legal Counsel for Financial Markets & Regulatory in Sydney. This role reports to the Senior Legal Counsel, APAC and interacts with trading, technology, finance, treasury, risk and compliance across a global legal function.

You will advise on regulatory matters across APAC, lead negotiations of trading and finance documentation, and coordinate with external counsel. A Commonwealth Law admission is required, with relocation offered for overseas candidates.

Qualifications

• 6–9 years PQE in financial markets or regulatory law.
• Experience leading end-to-end negotiations on trading and financial markets documentation.
• Experience with global deals and cross-border coordination.
• Strong understanding of Australian AML/CTF and APAC sanctions.

Responsibilities

• Advise on financial markets regulation and cross-border regulatory matters across APAC.
• Lead negotiation of trading and financial markets documentation (prime brokerage, give-up agreements, onboarding).
• Partner with compliance and trading desks on licensing and marketing requirements region-wide.
• Review contracts at pace to avoid business delays and ensure speedy execution.
• Coordinate external counsel across APAC and translate multi-jurisdictional advice into actionable steps.
• Monitor emerging regulatory changes across APAC and provide proactive guidance.
• Support governance activities, including board and committee papers for regional entities.

Skills

Financial markets regulation

Negotiation

Contract review

APAC compliance

Governance papers

Education

Common law admission

Job description

Legal Counsel — Financial Markets & Regulatory

Sydney | 6–9 years PQE

We are partnering with a global trading firm on the recruitment of a Financial Markets and Regulatory Lawyer. You'll report directly to the Senior Legal Counsel, APAC, and work alongside trading, technology, finance, treasury, risk and compliance. You'll also sit within a global legal function, coordinating with counterparts in Hong Kong, Mumbai, Amsterdam, Chicago and London.

The mandate:

• Advise on financial services regulation, corporate and technology matters across APAC.
• Lead negotiation of trading and financial markets documentation — prime brokerage, give-up agreements, counterparty onboarding.
• Partner with compliance and the trading desks on licensing and marketing requirements region-wide.
• Review commercial and technology contracts at pace, without becoming the reason the business slows down.
• Coordinate external counsel across APAC and turn multi-jurisdictional advice into something the business can act on.
• Track emerging regulatory change across APAC markets and get ahead of it rather than react to it.
• Take on governance work, including board and committee papers for the firm's corporate and charitable entities in the region.

This opportunity would suit a lawyer who has experience working on global deals, is confident running negotions end to end and is comfortable with autonomy. You understand the operational reality behind trades— how a give-up actually works, why onboarding stalls, what a licence really permits and have a good handle on Australian AML/CTF and APAC sanctions.

You’ll need to be admitted in a Common Law jurisdiction and relocation will be offered for overseas candidates.