Legal Counsel

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The Legal Counsel provides expert and professional legal advice, guidance and support to ensure that the legal and reputational risks faced by the area of coverage are identified, reported and mitigated. This role will typically report to a Senior Legal Counsel, an Associate General Counsel or to a Country General Counsel.

Global Legal plays an important role in protecting HSBC’s reputation, helping to safeguard the organization by providing robust and comprehensive advice on legal issues and risks. Our lawyers advise senior management and the Global Businesses and Functions. They offer a range of legal skills, jurisdictional experience, and practice specialisms across all the countries and territories in which HSBC operates.

Career progression may be into roles with greater accountability in a similar area of coverage, such as Senior Legal Counsel (GCB5 or GCB4).

Be the accountable lawyer or aiding the accountable lawyer for the Global Trade & Receivable Finance business in MENAT on all material legal issues that the business faces

Execute against relevant policies and procedures for the relevant area of coverage to ensure that Legal role in the second line of defence can be executed

Advising relevant CMB & GTRF Management on non-standard legal and reputational risks

Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating relevant transaction documentation principally focused on core trade and structured trade transactions but including all forms of CMB documentation used across onboarding, lending, trade and in respect of new innovative product development across MENAT.

Evaluating and responding to changes in legal and regulatory requirements as they arise

Provide legal advice, that is prompt, succinct, easy to understand, and adds value by identifying the root cause of the problem and seeing the ‘bigger picture’

Provide commercially sensitive, pragmatic and practical guidance and support to relevant businesses in relation to GTRF matters in a cost-effective manner

Ensure that legal implications and risks of initiatives and/or complex matters are effectively communicated to and understood by the relevant business area

Working alongside Regional General Counsel, MENAT, Regional Head of CMB Legal, MENAT and Regional Head of GTRF Legal, MENAT on broader wholesale and functional projects as required.

Maintain and develop positive and professional working relationships with CMB and wider product teams (e.g. GPS), other functional departments (e.g. compliance) and the wider CMB and Global Banking Legal teams across MENAT and globally

Participate effectively as part of the CMB and MENAT Regional legal teams, and Global GTRF Legal team sharing legal knowledge and best practice with colleagues.

Assist in the management of legal risk in relation to the GTRF and wider CMB business in accordance with group policy requirements, to include implementation and provision of advice to on legal and regulatory developments affecting the GTRF & CMB business across the region

Brief Legal management on major issues arising in relevant business areas and major legislative changes in area of expertise

Proactively maintain knowledge of and adhere to HSBC Group operations and policies

Requirements

Qualified Lawyer (0-5 years PQE) with experience of lending (bilateral and syndicated), trade and receivables finance products.

To be successful in the role, you should meet the following requirements:

Qualifications:

Corporate experience, restructuring experience and Compliance experience an advantage, but not essential

Knowledge of the HSBC Group corporate structures, its business and personnel and a clear understanding of HSBC’s corporate culture
Knowledge and experience of banking law concepts (in particular credit & lending, UAE corporate structures, security and trade finance concepts) and a working knowledge of the laws in the major jurisdictions in which HSBC operates across MENAT

Familiarity with industry standard documentation (including LMA documentation).

Ability to prioritize

Communication and inter-personal skills

Developing lateral thinking/problem solving skills

Role is based in Dubai, UAE

Knowledge of Islamic finance and Arabic language skills will be an advantage but not essential.