Senior Legal Counsel

RISL Russell Investments Systems Limited; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Russell Investments in the United Kingdom seeks a Senior Legal Counsel to support UK & EMEA operations across regulatory and commercial matters. You will advise on UK financial services law, draft and negotiate complex agreements, and manage external counsel.

You will collaborate with Compliance, Risk, Finance and senior leadership to shape policy, supervise legal projects, and provide practical guidance on regulatory changes affecting asset management and distribution.

Qualifications

• Law degree or equivalent with recognised qualification.
• Qualified solicitor or barrister in the UK or equivalent with substantial UK experience.
• Significant post-qualification experience in financial services law, especially regulatory work for asset management.

Responsibilities

• Provide regulatory and legal advice on UK financial services law and EU requirements as applicable.
• Draft, review and negotiate commercial agreements, including investment management and service provider contracts.
• Instruct and manage external counsel, define scope and monitor costs.
• Support governance, regulatory projects and stakeholder engagement across UK/EMEA.
• Monitor regulatory developments and translate into practical business guidance.

Skills

Regulatory law

Contract drafting

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Project management

Education

Law degree

Job description

Job Description: Role Summary

This is a Senior Legal Counsel role, in financial services, covering a broad range of regulatory and commercial matters, supporting Russell Investments' UK and EMEA operations. The successful candidate will work closely with business, compliance, risk, finance, HR and senior management colleagues.

Key elements of the role include:

• Advising on UK and relevant European financial services laws and regulations impacting investment management and regulated firms.
• Drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial agreements, including investment management, distribution, service provider and confidentiality agreements.
• Supporting regulatory authorisations, notifications and interactions with regulators.
• Supporting the development and review of policies, procedures, disclosures and other legal documentation.
• Instructing and managing external counsel, including defining the scope of advice and monitoring costs.
• Supporting group wide projects such as business reorganisations and transactions.
• Keeping up to date with relevant legal and regulatory developments and explaining their impact to the business.
• Contributing to the development of the legal team’s processes, knowledge and documentation.

The responsibilities of the individual in this position include:

Regulatory and legal advice

Providing authoritative advice on UK financial services regulation, including FCA requirements, MiFID II, EMIR, GDPR, UCITS and AIFMD, and assessing how legal and regulatory developments affect the firm. Advising on legal and fiduciary matters, new legislation and regulatory change and coordinating appropriate responses with Compliance, Risk, business leaders and other legal colleagues. Supporting specialist lawyers on UK, Irish and Luxembourg fund ranges and related regulatory questions.

Commercial agreements and negotiation

Review and negotiation of IMAs with clients and third-Party investment managers. Participating in client onboarding as required. Participating in governance process eg obtaining board and investment committee approvals. Negotiation of ISDAs and other trading documents. Keeping precedents up to date with regulatory and business requirements. Reviewing and negotiating commercial contracts, service contracts and intra-group delegation contracts. Performing legal research relevant to meet the company's requirements.

Regulatory change and projects

Conducting legal research into changes in law, regulation and industry practice and translating them into practical guidance, documentation updates and implementation plans. Supporting regulatory projects involving multiple teams.

Stakeholder partnership

Serving as a trusted adviser to business colleagues; explaining legal options, risks and trade-offs clearly and making considered recommendations. Supporting new products, services and business initiatives, balancing legal and fiduciary obligations with business objectives. Contributing to alignment across stakeholders with differing priorities and helping negotiate sound changes across functions.

Governance and external counsel

Supporting governance processes across relevant subsidiaries and fund complexes, working with internal legal and business stakeholders to resolve complex matters. Managing relationships with outside counsel and other in-house legal resources, setting clear instructions and coordinating advice with the needs of the business.

The successful candidate will have extensive demonstrable skills and experiences including the following:

• Law degree, or another degree followed by a recognised legal qualification is essential.
• Qualified solicitor or barrister admitted to practise in the UK, or admitted in another common-law jurisdiction with substantial UK legal and regulatory experience required.
• Significant post-qualification experience in financial services law, including substantial UK regulatory work and experience advising an asset management business.
• Demonstrated experience handling complex commercial agreements, regulatory projects and senior stakeholder matters.
• Strong negotiation, legal drafting and project management skills.
• Private-practice training and in-house asset-management experience are valued.
• Experience mentoring or supervising colleagues is desirable.
• Knowledge of and interest in UK financial services regulation; ability to analyse complex legal issues, draft and negotiate significant agreements, and translate requirements into practical actions.
• Understanding of and interest in asset management, financial services products and fund structures, including how legal and regulatory obligations affect business decisions.
• Strong judgment and integrity.
• Executive-level communication and influence.
• Calm decision-making under pressure.
• Ability to manage competing stakeholder needs.
• Initiative, resilience, collaboration and commitment to developing others.

Company Overview

Russell Investments is a leading global investment solutions partner providing a wide range of investment capabilities to institutional investors, financial intermediaries, and individual investors around the world. Since 1936, Russell Investments has been building a legacy of continuous innovation to deliver exceptional value to clients, working every day to improve people’s financial security.

The firm has $381 billion in assets under management (as of 3/31/2026) for clients in 30 countries. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Russell Investments has offices in 17 cities around the world. Russell Investments' ownership is composed of a majority stake held by funds managed by TA Associates Management, L.P., with a significant minority stake held by funds managed by Reverence Capital Partners, L.P. Certain of Russell Investments' employees and Hamilton Lane Advisors, LLC also hold minority, non-controlling, ownership stakes.