In-House Lawyer – Fixed Income (Credit Trading focus) - Jefferies

Jefferies; City Of London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading investment bank in the City of London is seeking an experienced in-house lawyer to support its Fixed Income division. The role involves providing legal advice on fixed income products, including loans and bonds, and requires expertise in debt restructuring and regulatory issues. The perfect candidate is a qualified lawyer with at least 4 years of experience and excellent communication skills. This role offers a dynamic work environment on the trading floor.

Qualifications

• 4+ years PQE in private practice or in-house.
• Familiarity with LMA / LSTA documentation.
• Knowledge of UK / EU financial regulations.

Responsibilities

• Advise on legal and regulatory issues related to fixed income products.
• Draft, review, and negotiate trade documentation.
• Monitor and interpret legal and regulatory developments.

Skills

Qualified lawyer (UK or Commonwealth jurisdiction)

Experience in debt restructuring

Strong negotiation skills

Excellent communication skills

Ability to manage multiple transactions

Job description

Role and Responsibilities

We are seeking an experienced in-house lawyer to join our Legal team supporting the Fixed Income division within the public trading business of the investment bank. The successful candidate will provide legal advice and transactional support across a broad range of fixed income products, with a particular focus on trading and settlement of par and distressed loans, bonds, credit claims, litigation claims, restructured and post re‑org assets.

Person Specification

Relevant experience in the UK practice of a leading international law firm or financial institution will be an advantage; however, the candidate need not have direct experience in all areas listed above but should be a lateral thinker, enthusiastic and keen to learn and step outside their comfort zone. The Legal team sits on the trading floor, a fast‑paced environment that requires confidence and technical knowledge to respond quickly. This is a unique opportunity for a self‑motivated team‑player with excellent communication skills, looking to join a dynamic company and provide significant value‑add to the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Advise on legal and regulatory issues relating to fixed income products, including bonds, loans, claims and structured credit.
• Provide specialist support on market making and trading of distressed debt transactions, loan restructurings, and secondary loan trading, including par and distressed trades.
• Draft, review, and negotiate trade documentation, settlement agreements, and related contracts (e.g., LMA / LSTA standard documentation and bespoke documentation as required).
• Liaise with front‑office teams, operations, compliance, and external counsel to ensure timely and accurate execution of transactions.
• Monitor and interpret relevant legal and regulatory developments impacting the fixed income and loan trading markets.
• Assist in managing legal risk and implementing best practices for documentation and settlement processes.
• Support internal governance, policy development, and training initiatives for the Fixed Income business.

Skills & Experience

• Qualified lawyer (UK or Commonwealth jurisdiction) with 4+ years PQE (private practice or in‑house).
• Strong experience in debt restructuring, distressed debt, and loan trading (including par and distressed).
• Familiarity with LMA / LSTA documentation and settlement mechanics.
• Knowledge of relevant regulatory frameworks (e.g., UK / EU financial regulations, insolvency laws).
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple transactions and stakeholders in a fast‑paced environment.

The candidate should

• Be prepared to be responsible for a wide variety of enquiries and matters and be able to juggle and prioritise a demanding workload;
• Be able to provide advice in a concise and timely manner to senior and junior members of the business teams;
• Have a sound commercial head and an instinctive ability to get to the heart of issues as they present themselves;
• Be comfortable negotiating with external counterparties.
• Ability to work collaboratively across business lines and jurisdictions.

At Jefferies, we believe that diversity fosters creativity, innovation and thought leadership through the infusion of new ideas and perspectives. We have made a commitment to building a culture that provides opportunities for all employees regardless of our differences. As a result, we are able to pool our collective insights and intelligence to provide fresh and innovative thinking for our clients.