Legal Counsel

BBVA is a global company with more than 160 years of history that operates in more than 25 countries where we serve more than 80 million customers. We are more than 121,000 professionals working in multidisciplinary teams with profiles as diverse as financiers, legal experts, data scientists, developers, engineers and designers.

BBVA is growing its Corporate and Investment Bank (CIB). We are hiring an excellent and motivated lawyer to join our dynamic and growing international CIB legal team in London. Reporting directly to the Head of Legal in the UK, exposure to a significant breadth of product areas will provide an excellent platform for professional development and opportunities for growth in a leading international bank.

About the job:

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Advising, drafting, reviewing and negotiating a wide range of CIB products including:

•  global markets (including structured products, derivatives transactions, master agreements (e.g. ISDA, CSA, GMRA, GMSLA), securities financing transactions, securitisations, balance sheet solutions, and debt capital markets transactions);

• structured and trade finance (including supply chain finance, receivables discounting, trade instrument issuance and distribution through insurance and participation agreements); and

• banking and finance (including leveraged finance, project finance, fund/capital call finance, syndicated facilities, bilateral facilities, structuring financings, commitment/mandate letters, term sheets, secondary loans trading and intercreditor agreements);

2. Analysing and advising on all relevant UK regulatory matters, ensuring that contracts remain in compliance with applicable law and regulation and keeping abreast of legislative changes that may affect the bank;
3. Providing English law advice on wholesale banking matters in the UK, to the head office and to international branches; and
4. Working closely and directly with business units and other legal team members, and appointing and managing outside counsel.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Qualified solicitor in England and Wales.

• Would suit candidates with experience (3+ PQE) working in a top international law firm; additionally, prior experience in an in-house legal department is also helpful but not a prerequisite.

SKILLS/COMPETENCIES/EXPERIENCE/ PROFICIENCIES REQUIRED:

• A background in Global Markets, Derivatives or Structured Products is required. Prior experience of all other areas is not required but the candidate must be enthusiastic and keen to learn.

• Robust and thorough approach to drafting and reviewing of documentation; 

• Strong ability to work effectively in multi-cultural, geographically dispersed, virtual teams;

• Ability to work well and efficiently under pressure - working outside core office hours in order to meet deadlines, if required;

• Ability to manage a high workload consisting of a wide range of multiple competing tasks for various business areas;

• Good understanding of the regulatory aspects of banking and finance; and

• Spanish language skills are helpful but not essential.

ADDITIONAL ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES:

• A responsible, professional and reliable team player;

• An understanding of the necessity to provide a high standard of customer service to clients; and

• A desire to work as a part of a team to take on new challenges and help develop new business areas for CIB.

Skills: