Supervising Associate - FS Regulatory

Simmons & Simmons; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Hybrid working arrangements

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Simmons & Simmons is seeking a mid‑level associate to join its market‑leading Financial Services Regulatory team in London. The role offers direct client interaction, ownership of instructions, and strong exposure to hedge funds, institutional asset managers and other buy‑side clients.

Expect responsibility for high‑calibre regulatory matters and opportunities to collaborate across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of MiFID II / MiFIR, UCITS, and AIFMD.
• Experience advising buy-side clients on UK/EU regulatory matters.
• Excellent drafting, research and analytical skills with attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Advising hedge fund managers and institutional asset managers on UK/EU regulatory requirements.
• Providing guidance on FCA rules including Consumer Duty and distribution obligations.
• Advising on UCITS, AIFMD, and regulatory authorisations and approvals.
• Managing client relationships and instructions independently within a standalone regulatory practice.
• Collaborating with cross-practice colleagues on multidisciplinary mandates.
• Contributing to thought leadership, client briefings and business development.

Skills

MiFID II / MiFIR knowledge

UCITS knowledge

AIFMD knowledge

Client relationships

Education

Qualified solicitor (England & Wales)

Job description

We are a leading international law firm recognised for the depth and quality of our financial services regulatory practice. Our team advises some of the world’s most sophisticated buy‑side institutions – including hedge funds, private equity sponsors, institutional asset managers, and fund management groups – on the full spectrum of UK and EU regulatory matters. We are consistently ranked as a market leader by Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500.

Our regulatory team operates as a standalone practice, generating and managing our own client relationships and instructions directly rather than relying on referrals from transactional practice groups. This enables our lawyers to develop genuine regulatory expertise while building direct, long‑term relationships with clients as trusted advisers. We also work closely with colleagues across the firm’s corporate, funds, finance, and disputes practices where clients require a multidisciplinary approach.

Our global footprint means we regularly act on complex cross‑border mandates, collaborating with colleagues across our international network.

We are also at the forefront of innovation in the legal industry, with a strong focus on artificial intelligence and legal technology. Our lawyers are supported by a full suite of AI‑powered tools, reflecting our belief that technology should enhance – not replace – the expertise and judgement of our people.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an enthusiastic and talented mid‑level associate to join our market‑leading, non‑contentious Financial Services Regulatory team in London.

As part of a standalone regulatory practice with a dedicated client base, you will act as a primary adviser to clients rather than in a supporting role to transactional teams. You will take ownership of client relationships, instructions, and business development from an early stage, offering a clear platform to build a long‑term regulatory career independent of the deal cycle, while also collaborating with colleagues on broader firm mandates where required.

You will work on high‑quality, complex matters for a prestigious client base including hedge fund managers, institutional investment managers, and alternative asset managers. The role offers strong client exposure from the outset, with direct interaction with senior stakeholders and responsibility for sophisticated, varied instructions that support the development of a high‑calibre regulatory lawyer.

Given the international nature of our work, you will have regular opportunities to collaborate with colleagues across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, as well as potential for international secondments.

You will be joining a close‑knit and collaborative team that values flexibility and work‑life balance. We are proud of a culture built on trust, mutual support, and an understanding that our people perform at their best when supported both professionally and personally.

Key Responsibilities

• Advising hedge fund managers, institutional asset managers, and other buy‑side clients on the full range of UK and EU financial services regulatory requirements.
• Providing expert guidance on MiFID2 / MiFIR compliance, including conduct of business rules, best execution, transaction reporting, product governance, inducements, and client categorisation.
• Advising on UCITS regulatory matters, including fund structuring, management company obligations, eligible assets, liquidity risk management, and cross‑border distribution.
• Counselling clients on the AIFMD (Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive), including authorisation, marketing and distribution, delegation arrangements, depositary requirements, leverage, and reporting obligations – as well as the forthcoming UK AIFMD review.
• Advising on the FCA’s Consumer Duty, including its application across distribution chains and to predominantly wholesale firms, and assisting clients in demonstrating good consumer outcomes in respect of products distributed to retail investors.
• Advising on the UK change in control regime under Part XII of FSMA, including preparing and managing notifications to the FCA and PRA in connection with acquisitions and disposals of control over UK‑authorised firms.
• Advising on FCA authorisation and permissions, including applications, variations of permission, and the Senior Managers & Certification Regime (SM&CR).
• Supporting clients with regulatory change projects, including the impact of the UK’s post‑Brexit regulatory framework.
• Advising on the structuring and launch of new fund products and investment strategies, with a focus on regulatory feasibility and compliance.
• Working alongside the firm’s transactional teams – including corporate, funds, and finance – where regulatory advice is a key component of broader mandates, whilst maintaining the team’s own independent client relationships and instructions.
• Providing day‑to‑day regulatory advice on operational and compliance queries from buy‑side clients.
• Contributing to thought leadership, client briefings, and business development initiatives.

What we’re looking for

Essential Requirements

• Qualified solicitor (England & Wales) with approximately 4–6 years’ PQE in financial services regulatory law, gained at a leading City or international law firm.
• Strong technical knowledge of MiFID2 / MiFIR, UCITS, and AIFMD, with demonstrable experience advising buy‑side clients.
• Solid understanding of the FCA’s Consumer Duty and its implications for buy‑side firms, including its application to products distributed to retail investors and across distribution chains.
• Experience advising on the UK change in control regime.
• Sound knowledge of the FCA Handbook, including COBS, SYSC, SUP, and the Senior Managers & Certification Regime.
• Experience advising hedge fund managers, institutional asset managers, or other alternative investment fund managers.
• Excellent drafting, research, and analytical skills with meticulous attention to detail.

Desirable Experience

• Familiarity with the UK’s post‑Brexit regulatory divergence from EU frameworks.
• Exposure to cross‑border fund distribution and third‑country regulatory matters.
• Awareness of the FCA’s current supervisory priorities for the wholesale buy‑side sector.
• Contentious regulatory experience – whilst this is a non‑contentious team, any exposure to FCA investigations, enforcement matters, or regulatory engagement would be viewed as a valuable complement to the core advisory role.

Personal Qualities

• Genuine enthusiasm for financial services regulation and a keen intellectual curiosity – a willingness to learn and develop expertise in new and evolving areas of the regulatory landscape is essential.
• A proactive, can‑do attitude with a strong work ethic and a real appetite for the subject matter.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships with clients and colleagues.
• A collaborative team player who is equally comfortable working independently.
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to provide clear, practical, and business‑focused advice.
• Ambition and a desire to progress within a supportive, high‑performing team.

What We Offer

• A genuinely family‑friendly and flexible culture: Many members of our team have young children, and flexibility is not just a policy – it is a core part of who we are. We operate on the basis of trust and mutual support, and we are committed to ensuring that our people can balance the demands of a first‑rate practice with their lives outside of work. We offer agile and hybrid working arrangements as standard, and we actively support those with caring responsibilities.
• Amazing client exposure: You will work directly with leading institutional managers and alternative managers, engaging with senior client stakeholders and building lasting relationships from the outset.
• Fantastic instructions: Our work is varied, complex, and intellectually rewarding – precisely the calibre of instructions that will accelerate your development as a leading financial services regulatory lawyer.
• Topical, cutting‑edge work: The buy‑side regulatory landscape is evolving rapidly – from the Consumer Duty’s application to wholesale distribution chains, to the forthcoming UK AIFMD review and reforms to transaction reporting. You will be at the forefront of advising clients on these developments.
• Market‑leading AI and technology: We are one of the most innovative law firms in the market. You will have access to a full suite of AI‑powered tools and legal technology, enabling you to work smarter, deliver more efficiently, and stay at the cutting edge of modern legal practice.
• Structured career progression: A clear and well‑supported path to senior associate and, in due course, partnership.
• Market‑leading remuneration: A competitive salary and benefits package commensurate with your experience and the quality of the platform.
• Supportive culture: A genuinely collegiate environment where enthusiasm, initiative, and a willingness to learn are highly valued and rewarded.
• Professional development: Ongoing training, mentoring, and secondment opportunities to deepen your expertise.

Equal opportunities

We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment, offering equal employment opportunities to all applicants irrespective of sex, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, and more. Flexible working arrangements are supported, and we strive to make our roles accessible to all. Our employee networks offer additional support, detailed in our D&I Information booklet provided during the recruitment process.

We value diversity and encourage applications from those who are passionate and willing to grow with us, even if not all requirements are met. Your unique experiences and perspectives are welcomed here.