Legal Counsel

Legal

London, England, GB

Posted on

Employer reference: REF801M

The Opportunity

Shawbrook provides finance to a wide range of customer segments that value the premium experience, flexibility and certainly we deliver.  We are a purpose-led organisation, with a focus on delivering long-term sustainable value for all our stakeholders.

We have a diversified offering, with our innovative lending propositions tailored to meet specific customer needs in carefully selected markets across SME, Real Estate and Personal. Our products range from complex structured credit facilities for growth-focused businesses to mortgages for professional landlords and property investors, as well as simple loans for consumers delivered digitally.  We fuel our lending through customer deposits, which we attract by delivering a premium experience, choice and consistently great value to smart savers.

The business model we have created is unique and difficult to replicate, with our ‘best of both’ approach combining deep human expertise with advanced digital, tech and data capabilities.  This combination not only allows us to deliver excellent customer experiences, but to do so efficiently and at scale.  We are proud of our innovative and agile culture, which drives consistently high employee engagement scores and makes Shawbrook an attractive destination for the best talent.If you’re willing to roll up your sleeves, contribute new ideas and believe anything is possible, you’re our kind of person

Work with us because you:

  • Want to be part of a bank built for the dynamics of the modern world
  • Relish a challenge and enjoy a fast-paced, innovative and hardworking culture
  • Enjoy finding new and better ways to solve complexity and make things happen
  • Want to belong to a diverse culture that stands shoulder to shoulder with minority and underrepresented groups
  • Care about society and the environment and want to be part of a business that cares too
  • Want to continue to grow professionally and be the best version of yourself

The Role & Responsibilities

  • To proactively support the Bank’s business initiatives and projects by providing high quality legal support and advice.
  • In particular, focusing on supporting and managing legal risk within the Bank’s Real Estate and Development Finance lending teams which sit within the Bank's Enterprise franchise.  Products include real estate finance and development lending.
  • Responsible for the development and maintenance of the Bank’s standard form customer-facing documentation suite within Real Estate and Development Finance, working closely with other members of the legal team and other Bank stakeholders.
  • Develop strong working relationships (and manage those relationships) with internal stakeholders in the Bank and, where necessary, supporting engagement with the Bank’s risk and product governance committees.
  • Engage, liaise with and oversee external counsel as necessary to deliver appropriate and timely legal advice on transactions and to assist in managing the Bank's Real Estate and Development Finance legal panels. This will include undertaking audits of these firms and reporting the findings to relevant stakeholders.
  • Work collaboratively with other teams within the legal function to ensure effective and fully aligned end-to-end legal support to the wider business in a transactional context.
  • Support the Bank’s wider Legal function in other areas as and when needed (e.g., commercial contracts, strategy and approach to issues which may involve litigation/dispute resolution, general corporate and commercial support).
  • Develop and maintain good legal risk governance structures and mechanisms that reflect best practice and meet the needs of the business within the Bank’s regulatory environment.
  • To develop an awareness of and competency in the wider legal and regulatory framework in which the Bank operates and to support the Group Legal function.
  • To spend a minimum of two to three days each week working in the office.

The Person

  • Qualified solicitor (England and Wales). Qualified lawyers in other legal jurisdictions (e.g., Australia, New Zealand) who can demonstrate sufficient UK law experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis
  • The candidate will have received wide ranging training and experience within a medium to large city law firm (ideally in a real estate finance transactional team) and be able to demonstrate a solid knowledge of real estate law as well as banking law
  • Experience in drafting, advising on and negotiating real estate / development financing documentation
  • Understanding of complex transaction and corporate structures, including trusts and offshore ownership
  • Familiarity with Loan Market Association suite of real estate finance / development finance documentation a plus
  • Familiarity with intercreditor / multiple lender structures
  • Awareness of regulatory environments and requirements, e.g. FCA/MCOB regulated activity, ‘treating customers fairly’ would be beneficial (but not necessary)
  • Experience in the financial services/banking sector preferred
  • Experience in being the direct point of contact for your client(s)/stakeholders and providing pragmatic, solutions-based commercial advice and decision making
  • In-house experience (permanent or secondment) would be an added benefit
  • Excellent skills in synthesising and summarising complex information and communicating key points to the wider team/stakeholders

 

Reward

Your Wellbeing - We take your health and well-being very seriously by providing a range of benefits to give you and your family peace of mind. These include:

  • Market leading family friendly policies such as access to our Maternity, Adoption and Paternity policies from Day 1 of your employment
  • Free access to Headspace, a mindfulness & meditation digital health app
  • Free access to Peppy digital health app that offers personalised support through fertility treatment becoming a parent or menopause
  • EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) - Offering you support on a wide range of subjects including financial concerns, mental wellbeing and more general queries around family, work, housing, and health
  • Cycle to work scheme
  • Discounts on gym membership
  • Contributory pension scheme & death in service

Your Lifestyle - It’s important you strike the right balance between your work and personal life. We provide benefits to support you when at work and when you’re enjoying your leisure time.

  • Minimum of 27 days holiday per year
  • Option to buy or sell holiday days through our flexi-holiday scheme
  • Discounts on gym membership nationwide
  • Access to discounts on a range of high street and online brands
  • Community support and charitable giving

Your Contribution - We’re focused on rewarding those that go the extra mile in helping us achieve our goals.

  • Participation in our annual discretionary bonus scheme designed to reward your contribution to our success
  • Proudly Shawbrook recognition scheme focused on recognising our role models and thanking our colleagues for a job well done

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