Senior Legal Counsel

Morgan McKinley; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Morgan McKinley are partnering with a leading Asian international bank to recruit a Senior Legal Counsel for their Sydney branch. This role sits in Internal Control and Compliance and acts as the trusted advisor delivering commercially focused legal counsel, managing regulatory risk, and supporting business growth across wholesale banking, treasury, trade finance, and private banking.

The position requires an agile legal professional who aligns local regulatory standards with Head Office

Qualifications

• Admitted as a solicitor to practice law in Australia with a current practicing certificate.
• Minimum of 6 years post-qualification experience in a reputable law firm, major financial institution, or international corporate environment.
• Deep knowledge of Australian banking and financial services law, regulatory compliance, commercial contracts, and corporate governance.
• Experience navigating foreign or Asian corporate banking structures, cross-border transactional environments, and Head Office reporting lines.
• Exceptional communication and negotiation skills; ability to simplify complex legal concepts for commercial stakeholders; Mandarin language skills are a bonus.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the branch's primary legal advisor, partnering with executive management across wholesale banking, treasury, trade finance, and corporate functions to enable strategic business initiatives while managing legal and operational risk.
• Oversee the drafting, negotiation, and review of complex financial documentation, customer agreements, treasury arrangements, technology contracts, and outsourcing frameworks.
• Design and maintain the bank's legal risk operating model, policies, and internal control frameworks to ensure full compliance with Australian legal and regulatory standards (including APRA and ASIC).
• Direct external legal counsel, manage litigation and regulatory inquiries, oversee legal expenditure, and ensure cost-effective, high-quality advice from panel law firms.
• Partner closely with Compliance, Risk, Financial Crime, and overseas Head Office stakeholders to coordinate responses to regulatory changes, statutory notices, and cross-border governance requirements.

Skills

Regulatory compliance

Legal advisory

Cross-border transactions

Contract negotiation

Stakeholder communication

Mandarin (bonus)

Job description

Morgan McKinley are partnering with a leading Asian international bank to recruit a Senior Legal Counsel for their Sydney branch. Sitting within the Internal Control and Compliance division, this role serves as a trusted primary advisor responsible for delivering commercially focused legal counsel, managing regulatory risk, and supporting business growth across wholesale banking, treasury, trade finance, and private banking.

Operating within a cross-border foreign banking environment, the position requires an agile legal professional who can effectively align local regulatory standards with Head Office expectations while partnering directly with senior leadership.

Please note, this role requires you to be in the Sydney CBD office 5 days a week.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the branch's primary legal advisor, partnering with executive management across wholesale banking, treasury, trade finance, and corporate functions to enable strategic business initiatives while managing legal and operational risk.
• Oversee the drafting, negotiation, and review of complex financial documentation, customer agreements, treasury arrangements, technology contracts, and outsourcing frameworks.
• Design and maintain the bank's legal risk operating model, policies, and internal control frameworks to ensure full compliance with Australian legal and regulatory standards (including APRA and ASIC).
• Direct external legal counsel, manage litigation and regulatory inquiries, oversee legal expenditure, and ensure cost-effective, high-quality advice from panel law firms.
• Partner closely with Compliance, Risk, Financial Crime, and overseas Head Office stakeholders to coordinate responses to regulatory changes, statutory notices, and cross-border governance requirements.

Requirements:

• Admitted as a solicitor to practice law in Australia with a current practicing certificate.
• A minimum of 6 years Post-Qualification Experience gained within a reputable law firm, major financial institution, or international corporate environment.
• Deep knowledge of Australian banking and financial services law, regulatory compliance, commercial contracts, and corporate governance.
• Prior experience navigating foreign or Asian corporate banking structures, cross-border transactional environments, and Head Office reporting lines.
• Exceptional communication and negotiation skills, with a proven track record of advising senior executives and simplifying complex legal concepts for commercial stakeholders. Mandarin language skills are a bonus.

You must hold full Australian working rights (PR/Citizen).