Legal Counsel

Job Description

Some career choices have more impact than others.

At HSBC we exist with the purpose of Opening up a World of Opportunity. We use our unique expertise, capabilities, breadth and perspectives to provide opportunities for our customers and colleagues through global connectivity. We bring together the people, ideas and capital that nurture progress and growth, helping to create a better world – for our customers, our people, our investors, our communities and the planet we all share.

As an HSBC employee in Australia, you’ll have access to tailored professional development opportunities, competitive pay, an embedded flexible working culture and a range of employee benefits. These include market-leading subsidised private health cover, enhanced parental pay and support when returning to work, subsidised banking products and services, bonus leave days and wellness programmes including discounted gym memberships.

Offering a diverse range of legal skills and jurisdictional experience across the full range of countries and territories in which our businesses operate, Group Legal plays an important role in the day-to-day and long-term planning activities of all our businesses around the world. Responsible for providing comprehensive legal advice to senior management and all Group functions, the team advises on and takes an active involvement in all business and operational strategies and initiatives, from legislative and regulatory matters to the setting of policies, standards, and procedures for guarding against and reporting on legal risk and reputational management issues.

We currently have a rare part-time opportunity to join our team in Australia, in the role of Senior Legal Counsel. Taking on this role, you would be job-sharing with a Senior Legal Counsel, supporting the Corporate Institutional Banking business, with a focus on providing advice on transactions, regulatory initiatives, and projects.

This role offers an opportunity to join a supportive team with a wealth of technical knowledge in banking and finance law, where you would have exposure to a variety of matters. Involvement in projects as well as transactional work, will also enable you to contribute to the broader organisation as a whole.

This role would suit a senior legal counsel with strong experience in banking and finance either gained with a private practice firm or in-house. You will be someone with a commercial mindset, able to look at the big picture as well as the detail, and who thrives when working closely and collaboratively with others.

This is a part time job-share opportunity with a 50/50 split of 18.75 hours per week. We are happy to discuss and arrange specific days that work best for all parties with the successful applicant.

Your main responsibilities will include:

Providing high quality legal advice and transactional support to the Corporate Institutional Banking business, including in relation to structuring, negotiation and general advisory matters for a broad range of stakeholders across Syndications, Leveraged and Acquisition Finance, Infrastructure Finance, Structured Finance, Corporate Structured Finance, Commercial Real Estate, Middle Market Enterprises and Multinationals / International Subsidiary Banking teams.
Working closely with your Senior Legal Counsel job-share colleague to drive progress and meet deadlines on shared work.
Supporting the General Counsel and Head of Wholesale Legal with, and working collaboratively with other stakeholders on, regulatory and other projects, including in relation to change and transformation initiatives.
Supporting the General Counsel and Head of Wholesale Legal in discharging Legal’s role as risk steward and second line of defence for legal risk in the Corporate Institutional Banking business, including developing and communicating strategic policies, procedures and controls and overseeing any remedial action required.
Providing commercially sensitive, pragmatic, and cost-effective legal support.
Proactively and promptly advising and engaging the business, the General Counsel and Head of Wholesale Legal on material legal issues or developments and sharing knowledge with Legal and other stakeholders.
Assisting in the supervision and management of less experienced lawyers and/or secondees and providing leadership and guidance.

Requirements

To be successful in this position you will need:

To be a fully qualified lawyer, admitted to practice in Australia with significant post qualification experience in Australia or other similar common law jurisdiction.
Significant experience working in private practice and/or in-house with a leading financial institution on corporate and institutional banking transactions, with strong knowledge of syndicated/club lending transactions.
A demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with, and provide leadership to, other lawyers in the legal team and engage with senior stakeholders across the bank.
A strong working knowledge of the Australia banking and financial services legal regime (or other similar common law jurisdiction).
Strong technical legal skills and up-to-date knowledge of developments in structuring and negotiation of lending / security documentation.
Ability to work seamlessly with a job share partner, through exceptional communication, organisation and flexibility.
Derivatives experience would be an advantage, but not essential.
Flexibility and willingness to work on a variety of matters, from complex to routine with the ability to handle a diverse range of issues simultaneously.
Strong negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to make decisions under pressure and solve problems.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build credibility with business teams and other stakeholders.
A proactive self-starter with strong organisational skills who works collaboratively and in an inclusive manner.

Preference will be given to candidates who hold Australian PR/Citizenship or New Zealand Citizenship, or who can demonstrate current unrestricted work rights in Australia without limitations.

We value different perspectives, we succeed together, collaborating across boundaries, we take responsibility, holding ourselves accountable to get things done. Through these values, HSBC is committed to building a culture where all employees are appreciated and respected and where opinions count. We take pride in providing a workplace that fosters continuous professional Read more