Legal Counsel

Ninety One; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Ninety One is seeking a qualified lawyer to join its London Legal team. You will help implement product development and regulatory changes across global fund ranges, draft and negotiate client and service-provider agreements, and advise on distribution matters in collaboration with UK, US, Europe and Asia teams.

The role requires post-qualification experience, strong knowledge of UK financial services regulation (FCA, UCITS, AIFMD, MiFID II) and familiarity with sustainability disclosures.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of post-qualification experience gained either within private practice or an investment manager.
• Good working knowledge of the UK FCA regime and regulation affecting financial services such as UCITS, AIFMD and/or MiFID II is preferable.
• Experience with investment management, distribution, platform and/or commercial agreements is preferable.
• Experience of the process for fund range product changes is preferable.
• Working knowledge of sustainability-related financial services regulation (e.g. SFDR and/or the UK SDR) is preferable.
• A good grasp of AI-assisted legal tools (e.g. Claude or equivalent) an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Assist on the legal implementation of product development and regulatory changes across Ninety One’s global fund ranges (including those in the UK, Luxembourg and Guernsey), including review and update of fund documentation, related legal and regulatory documents and drafting shareholder notices
• Draft and negotiate institutional client agreements (including investment management agreements, fee amendments, fee and reporting agreements and investment guideline amendments)
• Review and negotiate third party fund service provider agreements relating to Ninety One’s fund ranges
• Support the implementation of sustainability-related disclosure requirements (including SFDR and UK sustainability disclosure requirements) across Ninety One's UK and Luxembourg fund ranges
• Advise on and negotiate local and global distribution agreements, working with the UK, US, European and Asia Client Groups
• Develop an appropriate level of knowledge of the relevant legal and regulatory requirements affecting Ninety One’s activities and how they impact its global business
• Actively use approved AI tools to support drafting, review and research workflows, and contribute to the team's ongoing AI adoption
• Respond to ad hoc legal queries from internal business departments
• Attend internal cross departmental project meetings
• Attend external law firm briefings and industry meetings
• Instruct local counsel in different jurisdictions

Skills

Post-qualification experience

UK FCA regime knowledge

Investment management experience

Sustainability regulation knowledge

AI-assisted tools familiarity

Tools

Claude AI tools

Job description

About us

Ninety One is an independent, active global asset manager with £184 billion of assets under management.

Established in South Africa in 1991, as Investec Asset Management, the firm started offering domestic investments in an emerging market. In 2020, almost three decades of organic growth later, the firm demerged from Investec Group and became Ninety One.

Our distinctive capabilities sit within differentiated fixed income and credit as well as specialist equities, and we have a unique perspective and approach to investment opportunities presented by emerging markets and the energy transition.

*as at 30 June 2026

At Ninety One we are committed to providing equal employment opportunities. We have a strong belief in giving individuals the freedom to be themselves and ensuring all diverse perspectives are heard. Our culture provides all of our people, no matter what their background, with the opportunity to build a rewarding career.

About the team

The Ninety One Legal team is a global team within Ninety One (“Ninety One”), with qualified lawyers in the UK, South Africa and the USA. The London Legal team has a diverse and broad remit, covering legal work generated out of the UK, mainland Europe, Canada, the Middle East, Asia, South America and Australia. The team also works closely with colleagues in Cape Town and New York on different matters. All the lawyers play key roles as valued business advisers in managing regulatory and legal risk while facilitating Ninety One’s global commercial activities.

In this role you will:

• Assist on the legal implementation of product development and regulatory changes across Ninety One’s global fund ranges (including those in the UK, Luxembourg and Guernsey), including review and update of fund documentation, related legal and regulatory documents and drafting shareholder notices


• Draft and negotiate institutional client agreements (including investment management agreements, fee amendments, fee and reporting agreements and investment guideline amendments)


• Review and negotiate third party fund service provider agreements relating to Ninety One’s fund ranges


• Support the implementation of sustainability-related disclosure requirements (including SFDR and UK sustainability disclosure requirements) across Ninety One's UK and Luxembourg fund ranges


• Advise on and negotiate local and global distribution agreements, working with the UK, US, European and Asia Client Groups


• Develop an appropriate level of knowledge of the relevant legal and regulatory requirements affecting Ninety One’s activities and how they impact its global business


• Actively use approved AI tools to support drafting, review and research workflows, and contribute to the team's ongoing AI adoption


• Respond to ad hoc legal queries from internal business departments


• Attend internal cross departmental project meetings


• Attend external law firm briefings and industry meetings


• Instruct local counsel in different jurisdictions

You should consider applying if you have:

• 2+ years of post-qualification experience gained either within private practice or an investment manager


• Good working knowledge of the UK FCA regime and regulation effecting financial services such as UCITS, AIFMD and/or MiFID II is preferable


• Experience with investment management, distribution, platform and/or commercial agreements is preferable


• Experience of the process for fund range product changes is preferable


• Working knowledge of sustainability-related financial services regulation (e.g. SFDR and/or the UK SDR) is preferable


• A good grasp of AI-assisted legal tools (e.g. Claude or equivalent) an advantage

Some of the attributes we look for in a person are:

• Self-directed, with the judgement to work autonomously and know when to elevate


• Self-motivated, analytical, pro-active and solution-focused


• High attention to detail with a business centric approach


• Confident and articulate presenting and challenging views in meetings


• Structured and disciplined in managing competing priorities and resilient under deadline pressure


• Curiosity and enthusiasm to build fluency in new unfamiliar areas, tools and ways of working, including AI-assisted legal workflows

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