Senior Associate / Managing Associate - Data Licensing (TMT)

Pinsent Masons; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Career progression

Exposure to leading banks and data‑dri

Exposure to leading banks and data‑dri

Job summary

Pinsent Masons is seeking a Senior Associate or Managing Senior Associate to join our market‑leading Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) team, specialising in financial data licensing, data commercialisation and strategic technology transactions.

This role is based in London, Manchester, Edinburgh or Glasgow, and you will advise leading banks and financial institutions on data licensing, AI-enabled projects and large‑scale datasets. A dynamic, growing practice awaits.

Qualifications

• 5–10 years PQE in technology, commercial contracts or data‑focused practice.
• Experience licensing financial market data and data standards.
• Strong drafting and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Advise, draft and negotiate financial market data licensing agreements for major financial organisations.
• Analyse data licensing agreements to advise on permitted uses, including AI.
• Assist with audits and remediation projects relating to data agreements.
• Draft and negotiate complex technology and commercial agreements.
• Support AI and machine-learning data initiatives.
• Coordinate multi‑stakeholder negotiations with banks, exchanges and vendors.
• Collaborate with IP, regulatory and corporate teams to deliver integrated advice.
• Support business development to grow Pinsent Masons' data licensing practice.

Skills

Technology contracts

Data licensing

Commercial contracts

Contract drafting

Client relationship management

Project management

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Job description

Senior Associate / Managing Senior Associate – Data Licensing (TMT)

London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow

5-10 PQE

Exceptional by design. Help shape the future of data-driven business.

Pinsent Masons is looking to appoint a Senior Associate or Managing Senior Associate to join our market‑leading Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) team, specialising in financial data licensing, data commercialisation and strategic technology transactions.

This is a unique opportunity to work alongside Paul Hinton, Angus McFadyen and Edwin Baker among others, three of the UK's leading advisers on financial data licensing, trading platforms and technology transactions within the financial services sector.

The role sits at the heart of one of the fastest‑growing areas of the technology sector, advising clients on the acquisition, use, commercialisation and licensing of market data. You will work with some of the world's leading banks, asset managers and other financial institutions on strategically important transactions involving large‑scale datasets, data products, trading platforms, emerging AI‑enabled solutions and technology.

The Opportunity

Data has become one of the most valuable commercial assets in the modern economy. As organisations increasingly seek to monetise, share, analyse and deploy data across their businesses, demand for specialist legal advice continues to grow.

As part of our specialist TMT practice, you will advise clients on the full lifecycle of data‑related transactions, from the licensing of third‑party datasets through to the development and commercialisation of proprietary data products.

You will work closely with a well‑geared, supportive team of talented colleagues across our financial services, data privacy, intellectual property and regulatory teams to deliver commercially focused advice on high‑value, business‑critical matters.

Depending on your level, you will also play an important role in supervising junior lawyers, leading client relationships and contributing to the strategic growth of this expanding practice.

What You’ll Do

• Advising, drafting and negotiating a wide variety of financial market data licensing agreements for high‑profile financial organisations.
• Analysing financial market data licensing agreements to provide legal advice notes on what uses are permitted in particular with regard to use of AI.
• Advising financial organisations on dealing with audits and contractual remediation projects.
• Drafting and negotiating a range of complex technology and commercial agreements.
• Supporting clients on technology‑enabled data initiatives, including AI and machine learning projects.
• Managing multi‑stakeholder negotiations involving global financial institutions, exchanges, technology providers and data suppliers.
• Working closely with intellectual property, regulatory and corporate specialists to deliver integrated advice.
• Supporting business development initiatives and helping strengthen Pinsent Masons’ market‑leading data licensing practice.

About The Team

Our TMT practice is recognised as one of the leading technology practices in the market, advising clients across technology, financial services, telecommunications and digital infrastructure.

The team works on some of the most complex technology and data transactions in the market, with a particular strength in advising financial institutions on:

• Financial market data licensing
• Trading platforms and connectivity arrangements
• Data commercialisation strategies
• Large‑scale technology procurements
• Technology outsourcing and managed services
• Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies
• Intellectual property and data-driven products
• Strategic sourcing transactions

This role offers the opportunity to become part of a highly specialised practice with a reputation for technical excellence and commercial pragmatism.

What We’re Looking For

We are interested in speaking with candidates at Senior Associate or Managing Senior Associate level (typically 5-10 PQE) who have strong technology, commercial contracts or data‑focused experience.

You will ideally demonstrate:

• Deep experience in advising on contracts for the licensing of financial market data and good working knowledge of the financial data market standards and data types
• Experience advising on technology, commercial, data licensing or intellectual property matters.
• Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills.
• Experience working on complex commercial transactions involving technology or data assets.
• The ability to deliver pragmatic, commercially focused advice.
• Strong client relationship and stakeholder management skills.
• An interest in financial services, fintech, market infrastructure or data-driven business models.
• Strong project management and organisational capabilities.
• A collaborative approach and enthusiasm for working across multidisciplinary teams.

Experience advising banks, exchanges, financial institutions, market infrastructure providers or data vendors would be particularly beneficial, however we welcome applications from candidates with broader technology or commercial backgrounds who are interested in specialising in this area.

Why Pinsent Masons

At Pinsent Masons, we create careers that are exceptional by design.

We offer:

• A genuinely specialist market‑leading data licensing practice.
• Exposure to some of the largest financial institutions and data-driven businesses globally.
• High‑profile, complex and intellectually stimulating work.
• Direct access to recognised leaders in the technology and financial services sectors.
• A collaborative and inclusive culture.
• Flexible and agile working arrangements.
• Transparent career progression opportunities.
• The chance to help shape a rapidly expanding practice at the forefront of technology, data and AI-driven innovation.

Our Commitment

We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels able to achieve their full potential. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates and will make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process where required.