Description
Job Title
Associate, Structured Products
Location
London
Associate, Structured Products
Ashurst's Global Structured Products Group
About Ashurst:
Ashurst is a leading progressive global law firm with a rich history spanning more than 200 years. We are proud of our history and are future-focused, having expanded into new technologies through our NewLaw division, Ashurst Advance, and our consulting arm. Our in-depth understanding of our clients and commitment to providing excellent standards of service have seen us become a trusted adviser to local and global corporates, financial institutions and governments in all areas of commercial law. To find out more please visit www.ashurst.com .
Employment screening:
Kindly note that in order to comply with regulatory and client requirements, Ashurst will undertake appropriate vetting of staff. When applicants accept a job offer, Ashurst, alongside a specialist provider, will undertake professional verification and background checks. These checks are only undertaken with consent, and in accordance with our legal and regulatory obligations.
Group overview:
Our Global Structured Products Group (SPG) is a market leading practice. Our clients are many of the top tier investment banks. The practice is global, in the sense that we handle projects and offerings in EMEA, Asia and the US. There will be regular opportunities for secondments to leading investment banks (see below).
SPG is part of the broader Global Markets group - which includes Derivatives, Debt Capital Markets, Securitisation, Corporate Trustee, and other practices - there are opportunities to work in these areas as well. Global Markets, in turn, sits within the broader Finance division within Ashurst, which includes the Financial Regulatory, Global Loans, Restructurings and Funds groups.
Job overview:
We are looking for a qualified lawyer, ideally (but not necessarily) with some structured products experience.
You would typically act on all elements of a structured products offering or platform from instruction, through to closing and post-closing. Depending on your level of experience, your specific areas of responsibility will initially be to produce initial drafts of agreements, draft and negotiate structured product documents and ensure a smooth process to transaction close or advisory matter completion.
You would also be expected to manage projects that have been assigned to you and liaise closely with colleagues, clients, counterparties and other advisers. You would be expected to work with minimal supervision (depending on your level of experience and subject always to having an open environment to engage with partners and other associate with the team to discuss queries) and of course and be confident to take the lead with client related matters. You would be working as part of a committed and inspired friendly team that enjoys its work and considers itself a leader in its field of practice. All members of the team have frequent client contact.
Main tasks:
- Drafting of legal documents and agreements;
- Review of legal documents and agreements;
- Advising clients on the particular matter and answering client queries;
- Matter completion and post-closing work;
- Provide structured supervision and on-the-job training to more our sizable team of trainees, analysts and paralegals; and
- Contributing to department know-how and client presentations
Essential skills and experience:
- Post qualification experience in international finance transactions of the types referred to above, preferably structured products (debt capital markets and/or derivatives experience is desirable but not essential), with a reputable international law firm.
- Good organisational skills and experience in transaction management.
- Excellent academic track record.
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Enthusiasm for intellectually challenging work.
- Excellent client relationship skills and experience of business development.
Area of expertise:
Structured products is to a large extent a combination of the disciplines of debt capital markets and derivatives.
The particular legislation which the group most often encounters is as follows (Nb: we offer extensive training on it all):
- Prospectus Regulation and related (e.g. Transparency Directive) (UK / EU)
- ISDA derivatives definitions
- Retail regulation (e.g. PRIIPs KID, Unfair Contract terms and FCA rules) (EU and UK)
- Benchmark Regulation (EU and UK)
- Increasingly, ESG rules and guidelines
We expect associates to periodically assist in giving internal and external presentations. Eg most recently, we have presented to clients (and also internally) on:
- Prospectus Regulation reforms
- ESG regulations and guidelines (eg sustainable bonds and ESG benchmarks)
- Benchmarks Regulation
Career advancement:
An established Associate Career Path Framework is in place clearly defining expectations and outlining opportunities for promotion.
Secondment opportunities:
Opportunities often arise for associates to spend time on secondment in house with a key client of the firm. From time to time, secondment opportunities also come up within other Ashurst offices in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.
Salary and benefits : Competitive
