Legal Counsel - Derivatives

As a Legal Counsel - Derivatives at Wintermute Trading, you will support the company's rapidly growing derivatives business and expansion into traditional financial markets, with a focus on OTC derivatives. You will work closely with senior legal colleagues, traders, and teams across risk, compliance and operations to take ownership of negotiations and projects across the jurisdictions in which Wintermute operates, helping to balance business growth objectives with legal risk.

What you'll do

• Negotiate and draft documentation relating to derivatives offerings, including ISDA Master Agreements, credit support documentation, trade-specific confirmations, and financial infrastructure agreements such as tri-party custody, collateral, prime brokerage and clearing documentation; coordinate input from various stakeholders and drive contracts to completion
• Negotiate directly with counterparties and their counsel as required
• Conduct legal and regulatory research and work with external advisors to define the legal and regulatory requirements for the firm's trading in various products and jurisdictions
• Deliver practical, commercially focused legal advice and implementation support
• Get involved in projects outside of OTC derivatives based on professional development interests and company requirements

What you bring

• Qualification as a lawyer in England and Wales, with approximately 3-5 years of post-qualification experience as a derivatives lawyer (applications from strong candidates with different levels of experience or equivalent common-law qualifications will be considered)
• Training at a Magic Circle firm, leading US law firm, or other leading international firm with a recognised derivatives practice (candidates who trained at such a practice and subsequently moved in-house at a bank, broker-dealer, hedge fund or trading firm are also considered)
• Experience negotiating ISDA Master Agreements and related credit support documents under both English and New York law
• Ability to document transactions in OTC derivatives including swaps, options and forwards across a range of underlying asset classes
• Familiarity with securities lending and repurchase master trading documentation
• Ability to work effectively in a high-performing setting and under tight deadlines

Nice to have

• Experience with prime brokerage, custody, clearing and other financial infrastructure documentation
• Understanding of regulatory frameworks and how they apply to OTC derivatives in various jurisdictions in traditional financial markets

What we offer

• Performance-based compensation with significant earning potential
• Pension and private health insurance
• Office in central London with amenities including table tennis, foosball, personalized desk configurations, and free food
• Significant flexibility regarding working from home and working hours
• UK work permits and relocation support
• Vibrant working culture with frequent team meals, holiday celebrations, gaming events and company-wide outings

About Wintermute Trading

Wintermute is one of the largest crypto-native algorithmic trading companies in digital assets, providing liquidity across most cryptocurrency exchanges and trading platforms, OTC trading solutions, and support to blockchain projects and traditional financial institutions moving into crypto. Founded in 2017, Wintermute combines the technology standards of high-frequency trading firms with the innovative and entrepreneurial culture of technology startups.