Senior Legal Counsel

Legal Europe is a trusted partner to the business, playing a critical role in enabling commercial growth while managing legal and regulatory risk for our European trading businesses 

We're looking for an experienced financial markets lawyer who can operate as a trusted adviser to the business from day one. You’ll lead complex negotiations, advise senior stakeholders, and take ownership of significant legal matters in a fast-moving environment where your advice has direct commercial impact.

What you'll do 

As a Senior Legal Counsel, you will work closely with trading, compliance, risk, finance, operations and technology teams. You will support the businesses and trading desks covered by the Legal Europe team, including our European listed derivatives, commodities, and systematic trading businesses. The role is primarily focused on listed markets and market infrastructure. 

Proximity to trading is fundamental to the way we work. You will partner directly with traders and business leaders, developing a deep understanding of the products, markets, and commercial objectives of the desks you support. Experience advising on relevant trading products or market structures will be a significant advantage. 

Your responsibilities will include: 

• Leading legal support for key business initiatives and acting as the primary legal adviser to assigned trading desks. 
• Advising traders and business stakeholders on legal issues arising from market making, exchange trading, listed derivatives, clearing and related market infrastructure. 
• Challenging stakeholders where appropriate and helping shape commercial outcomes through clear, pragmatic legal advice. 
• Drafting, reviewing and negotiating trading and commercial documentation, including: futures and options clearing agreements; prime brokerage agreements; execution, brokerage and market access agreements; exchange and market infrastructure documentation; market data, connectivity and trading technology agreements; and other commercial agreements supporting the trading business. 
• Providing pragmatic advice on market structure, trading regulation, market conduct and legal risk affecting the European trading business. 
• Working closely with our compliance and risk teams to develop practical solutions that appropriately balance business objectives and legal risk. 
• Supporting strategic projects, including new market launches, legal entity expansions, and growth initiatives. 
• Managing external counsel where specialist jurisdictional or product expertise is required. 
• Developing scalable legal processes, templates, playbooks and technology-enabled solutions that improve the effectiveness of the legal function. 
• Contributing to the continued development of Legal as a proactive, commercially focused business partner 

Who you are

• Qualified lawyer in England & Wales.  
• 8–15 years' post-qualification experience, with most of that experience focused on financial markets, derivatives, or trading.  
• Experience within the markets legal function of an investment bank or other financial markets participant. Experience at a leading international law firm with a recognised financial markets, derivatives or trading practice is also desirable.  
• Demonstrable experience advising trading businesses on legal and commercial issues. Experience advising on trading regulation as part of a broader markets legal practice is required, including close partnership with front-office trading businesses. 
• Strong experience negotiating complex financial markets agreements, including execution agreements, brokerage agreements, exchange documentation, clearing documentation, market access arrangements, market data agreements, or other trading-related contracts.  
• A strong understanding of financial market infrastructure, including exchanges, central counterparties, clearing brokers, and execution models.  
• The judgement and confidence to lead negotiations independently, balance legal and commercial risk, and provide pragmatic advice without close supervision.  
• Outstanding drafting, analytical and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex legal issues clearly to traders, technologists and senior management.  
• Ability to manage multiple high priority matters simultaneously while exercising sound judgement in a fast-moving environment.  
• Intellectual curiosity and a genuine interest in understanding the products, strategies and markets that underpin Optiver's trading business. 
• A collaborative, low-ego approach and a genuine enjoyment of working as part of a high-performing team. You build trusted relationships through sound judgement, responsiveness and high-quality execution, and are known for being approachable, pragmatic, and easy to work with. 

Nice to have 

• Experience at a proprietary trading firm or market maker.  
• Experience supporting algorithmic or electronic trading businesses.  
• Familiarity with MiFID II, UK MiFIR and exchange rulebooks.  
• Experience implementing scalable legal processes or legal technology.  
• Experience supporting strategic business projects. 

Who we are

At Optiver, our mission is to constantly improve the market by injecting liquidity, providing accurate pricing, increasing transparency and acting as a stabilizing force no matter the market conditions. With a focus on continuous improvement, we participate in the safeguarding of healthy and efficient markets for everyone who participates. As one of the largest market making institutions, we are a trusted partner of 70+ exchanges across the globe.

What you'll get

You’ll join a culture of collaboration and excellence, where you’ll be surrounded by curious thinkers and creative problem solvers. Motivated by a passion for continuous improvement, you’ll thrive in a supportive, high-performing environment alongside talented colleagues, working collectively to tackle the toughest problems in the financial markets. 

In addition, you’ll receive: 

• A performance-based bonus structure, enabling all of our employees to benefit from our global profit pool. 
• 27 paid vacation days plus all UK public holidays. 
• Daily breakfast and lunch, along with support on commuting expenses. 
• Private medical insurance, pension scheme, and ClassPass fitness membership. 
• Training and continuous learning opportunities, including access to conferences and tech events. 
• International transfer opportunities for global career growth

How to apply
Apply directly via the form below. If you have any questions feel free to contact our Recruitment team via our recruitment inquiry form.

Please note:

• We do not require any assistance from third-parties including agencies in the recruitment of this role
• We cannot accept applications via email

Diversity statement

Optiver is committed to diversity and inclusion.