Senior Legal Counsel (Disputes and Litigation)

CMC Singapore; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

L&D program

Birthday leave

Charity day

In-house trading accounts

Job summary

CMC Markets is seeking a senior solicitor to lead disputes and litigation across our Australia and New Zealand businesses. You will work closely with the Head of Legal to shape strategy, manage external counsel, and provide commercially-focused advice while navigating regulatory matters.

We value a strong track record in commercial litigation, Australian practising status, and the ability to communicate complex issues clearly.

Qualifications

• Australian practising solicitor with 9–10 years’ post-qualification experience.
• Strong experience in commercial litigation, in-house preferred.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with ability to simplify complex legal matters.

Responsibilities

• Manage and advise on disputes and litigation for CFD/Stockbroking businesses.
• Collaborate with Head of Legal to shape strategy and provide commercially focused advice.
• Coordinate with Compliance on regulatory issues and reform responses.
• Oversee external counsel and legal spend, mentoring junior lawyers.
• Translate legal requirements into practical guidance for diverse stakeholders.

Skills

Litigation experience

Regulatory acumen

Contract review

Communication skills

Education

Australian practising solicitor

Job description

If you also believe that everyone should be able to achieve their financial potential, then you’ll love contributing to CMC Markets’ company vision of providing the ultimate trading experience. Seize the opportunity to progress your career in the fintech industry by joining a global leader in CFD trading and share investing. Grow yourself personally and professionally with a company that’s growing with you, by global expansion and product offering. This role is open to both in‑house and private practice candidates looking to take the next step in their disputes career. At CMC Markets, you will manage key litigation for our CFD and Stockbroking businesses across Australia and New Zealand, working closely with the Head of Legal to shape strategy and provide commercially focused advice. You will also partner with Compliance on contentious regulatory matters, help the business respond to regulatory reform, manage external counsel and legal spend, and mentor junior lawyers. It’s an opportunity to broaden your commercial and regulatory expertise while supporting services that help Australians and New Zealanders trade and invest with confidence.

Why You'll like working here

• Continuous learning: Our generous L&D program covers both technical, performance and leadership training, ensuring you're always learning new skills.
• Leave benefits: Enjoy your birthday off to spend time with family and friends, on us! Utilise a free annual charity day to give back to your community.
• Unlimited access to a dedicated benefits & wellbeing hub where you can save money through various retailer discounts, and make use of a variety of resources that will enhance your physical and mental wellbeing
• Collaboration: We believe that great things happen when smart people work together, that’s why we’ve made the decision to work five days in the office.
• $O Trades: Staff & family trading accounts with CMC Markets Invest have access to the best brokerage rates in the market - $0 trades for all domestic and international equity orders!
• Office perks: Help yourself to free breakfast cereals, condiments, and coffee to fuel your workday. Our culture club provides opportunities for everyone whether you’re into fitness, pizza making classes, socialising or bringing out your competitive side in trivia or lawn bowls!

What you’ll be working on

Managing and strategically advising on key disputes and litigation, including running point on such matters. This role ideally requires strong technical experience in commercial litigation, including on aspects of the Corporations Act and ASIC Act. Reporting to and maintaining a close working relationship with the Head of Legal on disputes and litigious matters. Escalating notable legal issues and key risks to the Head of Legal. Communicating effectively both verbally and in written form. The role requires effective communication to a range of audiences, including various stakeholders and senior management. Managing and working with external counsel to respond to disputes and address regulatory issues efficiently. This includes ensuring high quality management of matters and assisting with overseeing associated legal spend. Monitoring legal developments and translating legal requirements into practical guidance. Contributing to the broader strategy and objectives of the legal team. Flexibility to work on a broader range of matters. The work may include providing general strategic legal advice on matters including:

• Supporting detail reviewing marketing material, general commercial contracts, debt collection matters and introduced business arrangements;
• Supporting detailproviding assistance to the Compliance team on regulatory legal issues, contentious regulator notices and assisting the business to understand regulatory reform;
• Supporting detailproviding oversight and advice in relation to project related work, where the involvement of Legal is required.

Supervising, training and mentoring junior lawyers within the team and any direct reports and fostering a high performing team.

What will help you be successful?

• Essential Australian practising solicitor with at least 9‑10 years’ post qualification experience. At least 4 years’ commercial litigation experience, with interest in continuing to work on litigious matters in an in‑house setting, with flexibility to assist on broader corporate/commercial work.
• Current Practising Certificate (or eligible to hold a Practising Certificate).
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with an ability to communicate complex legal or technical information into plain English and effectively collaborate with all functions.
• Excellent organisation, analytical and negotiation skills. Sound judgment. Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team, assuming managerial responsibilities where appropriate.
• Willingness to learn and tackle new challenges.
• Solid understanding of the laws and regulations that cover the financial services industry including but not limited to knowledge of the Corporations Act.
• Desirable Solid private practice experience in commercial litigation. Experience or exposure to dealings with ASIC and AFCA. Experience of the Australian financial services industry. CFD and/or stockbroking product knowledge. Ability to understand complex technical issues.
• Applicants must have full, permanent working rights in Australia.

The things we live by

CMC Markets is powered by our people. We are an equal opportunities employer and are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, where our people feel confident to be themselves, feel valued and are able to do their best work. We don’t just value differences and unique perspectives, we seek them out and we invite them in, because we know it will lead to better outcomes for everyone Click on the link to find out more about the things we live by at CMC Markets CMC Markets - Culture Video

Senior level Mid‑Senior level Industry Financial Services Employment Type CMC Markets is one of the world’s first ever fin‑tech companies and was launched in 1989 to break down the barriers of financial trading and make trading accessible to everyone. Our mission is to use our award‑winning, Next Generation trading platform and unparalleled client service to empower millions of people to have the best trading experience out there. Our clients can trade on thousands of instruments using the best technology, supported by sophisticated charting, competitive pricing and automated execution. We're trusted by investors globally, but also by banks, brokers, funds and trading desks though our top‑tier liquidity institutional offering, enabling these businesses to expand into new markets and increase revenue potential. We were recently listed on the FTSE250, and our business continues to go from strength to strength as we continue to invest in our technology and our people.