Legal Advisor

A leading financial services firm is seeking a skilled Legal Advisor to join their team in Cape Town. This is a new, exciting opportunity within the group’s legal department, focusing on providing comprehensive legal, regulatory, and governance advice across various business areas, especially asset management and stockbroking.

About the Role

As a Legal Advisor, you will be a crucial point of contact for all legal and risk-related inquiries. You’ll collaborate closely with operations and senior management to ensure that all legal frameworks and regulatory obligations are seamlessly integrated into business processes. This role involves complex transactional work, overseeing contracts, and actively contributing to risk reduction strategies.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide expert legal advice on issues impacting the group’s investment management and stockbroking activities.
• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of agreements, including those for structured finance, derivatives, institutional mandates, and brokerage.
• Support the implementation and maintenance of governance policies and contract management procedures across the group.
• Work with internal audit and risk functions to embed effective risk controls.
• Deliver internal training on legal, compliance, and risk topics to various teams across jurisdictions.
• Monitor changes in legislation and regulation, ensuring internal policies are updated accordingly.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders on complex legal matters, including counterparty negotiations.
• Manage relationships with external legal counsel efficiently and cost-effectively.
• Prepare reports and briefings for senior leadership and board committees on legal and risk developments.

Candidate Profile

You should possess strong legal experience within the financial services sector, specifically in asset management or stockbroking. A deep understanding of South African regulatory frameworks, alongside familiarity with international standards relevant to investment firms, is essential. The ideal candidate will have a pragmatic approach to legal problem-solving, sound judgment, and the ability to work effectively across different departments.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Admitted attorney (South Africa) with 3 – 6 years’ post-qualification experience (PQE).
• Proven experience advising on risk and compliance matters within a regulated financial environment.
• Technical understanding of applicable legislation, including CISCA, FAIS, COFI, Companies Act, POPIA, GDPR, FMA, EMIR, MiFID, and OTC derivatives.
• Working knowledge of JSE rules as they apply to stockbroking operations.
• Strong drafting and negotiation skills, with the ability to clearly explain complex legal issues to non-legal audiences.
• High level of accuracy and exceptional attention to detail.
• Excellent time management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities effectively.
• Demonstrates professional integrity and discretion, especially when handling sensitive or confidential information.
• Awareness of the broader commercial and regulatory context in which financial services operate.

Working Environment

The firm cultivates a professional and inclusive culture that values independent thinking and collaborative teamwork. They offer flexible arrangements to support work-life balance and actively encourage career development. The legal team is integral to strategic and operational decision-making, providing legal advisors with significant opportunities to contribute to the business’s direction.