Legal Associate

60 Degrees; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A high-growth fintech company in Cape Town is seeking a Legal Associate to support legal and regulatory functions across jurisdictions. The role involves drafting contracts, managing regulatory relationships, and ensuring corporate compliance. Candidates should possess an LLB degree, be admitted attorneys, and have a minimum of 3 years' post-qualification experience in financial services or related fields. Strong communication and analytical skills are also essential. This is a full-time position with a focus on legal operations in a dynamic industry.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years post-qualification experience in a law firm or in-house legal department.
• PQE in financial services, banking, payments, and contract commercial.

Responsibilities

• Support new licence applications across jurisdictions, liaising with regulators and external counsel.
• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial, vendor, and technology agreements.
• Support the formation and maintenance of corporate entities.
• Assist in managing ongoing legal relationships with payment service providers.
• Conduct legal research into evolving financial regulations.
• Provide day-to-day support to senior legal functions.

Skills

Legal writing

Contract negotiation

Regulatory compliance

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Oral communication skills

Written communication skills

Education

LLB degree

Admitted attorney

Job description

Lumepay Pty Ltd

Workshop 17 The Watershed 17 Dock Road

Waterfront, Cape Town

Legal Associate Location: Cape Town Department: Legal Reports To: CLCO Job Type: Full-time Level: Intermediate

About Us We are a high-growth fintech company building the next generation of payment infrastructure across Africa. Our mission is to make money movement seamless, inclusive, and scalable across borders. We operate at the intersection of financial innovation and real-world impact, empowering businesses and consumers with tools to thrive in a rapidly digitising economy.

Role Overview

The Legal Associate will support the company’s legal and regulatory functions across multiple jurisdictions, including payments, crypto assets, and financial services. The role involves drafting and negotiating contracts, assisting with new licence applications, managing regulatory and banking relationships, and maintaining corporate governance and entity compliance. This is an intermediate-level position that offers exposure to diverse legal environments and evolving fintech regulation across Africa and internationally.

Key Responsibilities

• Licensing & Regulatory Applications: Support new licence applications across jurisdictions, liaising with regulators and external counsel where necessary. Track and maintain ongoing licence renewals and regulatory obligations.
• Contract Drafting & Negotiation: Draft, review, and negotiate commercial, vendor, and technology agreements critical to business operations. Maintain contract templates and ensure alignment with company standards.
• Corporate & Secretarial Governance: Support the formation and maintenance of corporate entities, including statutory filings, annual returns, and company registers. Prepare board resolutions and other company secretarial documents.
• Banking & Counterparty Relationships: Support onboarding documentation for banking, payment, and trading counterparties. Assist in managing ongoing legal relationships with payment service providers and liquidity partners.
• Regulatory Research & Engagement: Conduct legal research into new or evolving financial, crypto, and payments regulations. Support engagement with regulators and financial partners on compliance and policy matters.
• General Legal Support: Provide day-to-day support to the senior legal function on operational, regulatory, and strategic projects. Assist in preparing legal documents, filings, and correspondence as needed.

Skills & Experience

• LLB degree.
• Admitted attorney.
• Minimum of 3 years post-qualification experience (PQE) gained in a law firm or in-house legal department.
• PQE must be in financial services (FX/ TOC, crypto assets); banking & payments (TPPP/ PSP and cross-border); contract & commercial.
• Ability to work independently in a structured and unstructured environment.
• Meticulous attention to detail and organisational abilities.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Comfortable with performing administrative tasks.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.