Deputy General Counsel EMEA - Public Markets

JR United Kingdom; London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Deputy General Counsel to lead its public markets practice. This pivotal role offers a unique opportunity to combine in-house legal work with the scale of a high-growth platform. You will take ownership of complex legal matters, mentor junior talent, and engage directly with clients across various regulated fund structures. If you are a commercially minded legal professional looking to make a significant impact, this is your chance to thrive in a dynamic, collaborative environment that values initiative and strategic thinking. Join a team of talented individuals committed to building the legal function of the future.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in public markets and investment management.
• Strong knowledge of UCITS, AIFs, and regulatory frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert legal counsel on public markets and fund structuring.
• Oversee legal aspects of public market transactions and compliance.

Skills

UCITS Directive

AIFMD

MiFID II

Fund Structuring

Regulatory Compliance

Legal Advisory

Drafting and Negotiation

Client Relationship Management

Education

Qualified Solicitor or Attorney

Job description

Deputy General Counsel EMEA - Public Markets, london

Client:

Cleveland & Co

Location:

london, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

-

EU work permit required:

Yes

Job Views:

3

Posted:

08.05.2025

Expiry Date:

22.06.2025

Job Description:

Position: Deputy General Counsel, Public Markets

Company: Cleveland & Co

Location: London Bridge

Reports To: General Counsel (Rowena Hill), with regular interaction with the CEO and senior leadership team.

About Cleveland & Co

Cleveland & Co is a dynamic outsourced in-house legal team, providing innovative, practical, and commercially focused legal solutions to the investment management industry. We advise across a range of asset classes, including equities, fixed income, derivatives, and structured products, as well as fund structures such as UCITS and ETFs. With a strong commitment to excellence and client service, we operate in a fast-paced, collaborative, and intellectually stimulating environment.

The Deputy General Counsel (DGC) role is designed for a senior in-house lawyer with the experience and ambition to become a General Counsel. They’re likely at a pivotal moment, accomplished but under-stimulated, with limited room to grow in their current role and uninspired by the prospect of another lateral move. What drives them isn’t hierarchy, but impact. They want strategic input, variety, and visibility. They thrive in-house because they’re commercially minded and relationship-driven, but they’ve outgrown static environments and the grind of working in a single silo.

They are dynamic, intellectually curious, and motivated by challenge. Repetition drains them. Their worst-case scenario is doing the same work for the same internal client every day. They need momentum, variety, and continual learning to stay sharp and engaged.

At Cleveland & Co, we offer the environment they’ve been looking for. Our unique outsourced in-house model amplifies the best parts of in-house legal work (direct commercial engagement, trusted advisor status, and fast-moving, high-impact legal issues) while expanding their scope across multiple clients, industries, and teams. As a DGC, they will step into multiple high-impact in-house roles, build lasting client relationships, and develop the kind of breadth and depth that would take years to accumulate in a single organisation.

This is a career-defining opportunity. For the right candidate, this is the moment to level up, joining a high-growth, high-impact business with ambition, energy, and vision. If they don’t take the leap now, they might never do it. But if they do, they’ll find themselves surrounded by like-minded legal professionals who are building something extraordinary.

Role Summary

We are looking for a commercially minded and technically excellent Deputy General Counsel to lead our public markets practice. This is a senior leadership role ideal for an experienced in-house lawyer ready to operate at the highest level; advising across UCITS, ETFs, SMAs, and other regulated public fund structures.

You’ll take ownership of complex legal, regulatory, and commercial matters, act as a key advisor to clients, and help drive the growth of our public markets offering. You’ll also mentor junior talent, contribute to internal legal operations, and work closely with Cleveland & Co’s leadership team on strategic firm-wide initiatives.

This role offers the rare opportunity to combine the depth of in-house work with the scale and variety of a high-growth platform, all while positioning yourself as a future General Counsel.

The ideal candidate will have at least 10+ years’ experience and an excellent working knowledge of all vertical specialisms across public markets including:

• Public funds, including UCITS, AIFs, ETFs and other regulated fund structures;
• Separately managed accounts;
• Distribution of public funds;
• Custody/Depository services;
• Public fund administration; and
• Investment Management Regulation.

Key Responsibilities

• Legal Advisory: Provide expert legal counsel on matters relating to public markets, including fund structuring, trading, investments, and compliance.
• UCITS and Fund Structures: Advise clients on the establishment, operation, and ongoing management of UCITS funds, AIFs, ETFs, and other public fund vehicles in the UK, Luxembourg and Ireland.
• Transaction Support: Oversee legal aspects of public market transactions, including equity and debt securities, derivatives, structured products, fund distribution agreements, negotiating investment management agreements and advising on model portfolio services.
• Regulatory Compliance:
• Advise on global regulatory frameworks such as UCITS Directive, MiFID II, PRIIPs, FCA regulations, and other applicable requirements.
• Provide guidance on marketing and cross-border distribution of public funds, including regulatory filings and compliance with jurisdictional rules.
• Risk Management: Proactively identify and manage legal risks, offering innovative solutions to mitigate exposure and protect client interests.
• Documentation: Draft, review, and negotiate key documentation, including fund prospectuses, investment management agreements, distribution agreements, and offering documents.
• Client Relationships: Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, acting as a trusted advisor on legal and strategic issues related to public markets and regulated funds.
• Leadership:
• Mentor and develop junior team members, creating a strong pipeline of future legal leaders.
• Foster a high-performance, low-ego culture where curiosity, accountability, and continuous growth are expected.
• Market Insights: Monitor legal and regulatory developments affecting public markets and provide actionable insights to clients and the firm’s leadership.
• Business Development: Support the growth of the firm’s public markets practice by identifying opportunities, participating in client pitches, and contributing to strategic initiatives.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with internal teams and external stakeholders to ensure seamless delivery of legal services and strategic alignment.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE IN 12 MONTHS

• You’ve built deep relationships with 5+ key clients
• You’re leading all workstreams for public markets
• You’ve mentored 2 junior team members into more senior client-facing roles

Key Qualifications

• Education: Qualified solicitor or attorney with a excellent academic background (dual or tri qualified preferred)
• Experience:
• 10+ years of post-qualification experience, with deep technical experience in public markets, with significant exposure to UCITS, ETFs, and other regulated fund structures.
• Experience working in a top-tier law firm and in-house legal team within the investment management industry.
• Experience working across both UK and EU frameworks is highly desirable.
• Skills:
• Strong knowledge of UCITS Directive, AIFMD, MiFID II, and other relevant regulations.
• Proven ability to advise on fund structuring, governance, and compliance matters.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, and analytical skills.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work autonomously in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
• Attributes:
• Strategic thinker with a commercial mindset.
• Proactive, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Collaborative team player with strong leadership and mentoring capabilities.
• Thrives in a non-hierarchical, entrepreneurial environment where responsibility is earned early and outcomes matter more than titles.

Why Join Cleveland & Co?

• A Platform for Strategic Growth: Step into a leadership role where you’re empowered to shape client strategy, mentor future legal talent, and help build the legal function of the future.
• High-Impact Work Across Leading Clients: Work directly with ambitious clients across the public markets sector, from UCITS and ETFs to institutional SMA structures, where your advice directly influences outcomes and value creation.
• Accelerated Career Trajectory: Break out of the traditional GC-track bottleneck. Gain the breadth, depth, and leadership exposure that would take years to build in a single in-house role.
• Entrepreneurial, High-Performance Culture: Join a team that’s scaling fast, values initiative, and thrives on challenge. You’ll be surrounded by brilliant people who love what they do, and push each other to be exceptional.
• Work That Doesn’t Stand Still: No two days are the same. If you’re tired of repetition, hierarchy, or stale environments, this is your chance to lead at pace, with purpose.
• Team: Our team includes former GCs, top-tier law firm alumni, and rising legal stars, united by a shared mission to build the legal function of the future.

Location

This is a full-time, in-office role based at our London Bridge office (Monday–Thursday in-office, Friday remote).

Please note: Cleveland & Co is not a legal placement agency. We are a fully integrated, outsourced in-house legal team. You will be working as part of our core team, alongside colleagues, not deployed onsite at client offices. We operate as a collaborative, high-performing legal function, serving multiple clients from within our own firm.

Application Process

To apply, please send your CV and a short cover letter to [e-mail], outlining your relevant experience and what excites you about this opportunity.

We’re reviewing applications on a rolling basis and encourage early submissions. If you’re a strategic legal leader ready to take the next bold step in your career, we’d love to hear from you.

Cleveland & Co is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Please note that if you are NOT a passport holder of the country for the vacancy you might need a work permit. Check our Blog for more information.

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Created on 08/05/2025 by JR United Kingdom