Financial Regulation Associate

A US-headquartered international firm is building a non-contentious Financial Services Regulatory practice in London. A highly experienced partner has just joined to lead it, and the team is now recruiting its first two associates. This is a new build around a practice that is already winning work, not a replacement for anyone who has left. The firm is looking across NQ to 6PQE. The most likely outcome is one junior hire and one more experienced hire, not two associates at the same level. WHY NOW The practice sits within a London finance platform that has grown quickly, with substantial lateral partner investment over the past year across structured finance, fund finance and related areas. The regulatory team has been created to work alongside those practices, as well as the firm's long-standing fintech and venture capital strength. For the associates who join now, that means something unusual: no established hierarchy to work through, direct access to a senior partner, and a real chance to shape how the team develops. THE PRACTICE This is a broad financial regulatory practice, not a niche one. Clients include investment banks, asset and wealth managers, retail banks, private equity and fund sponsors, and fintech businesses. The partner's practice spans UK, EU and Asian regulatory regimes, so the work has a strong international dimension. Matters cover the full regulatory lifecycle, including:

• FCA licensing and authorisations
• MiFID II and AIFMD
• Conduct of business, Consumer Duty and SMCR
• Governance and regulatory change programmes
• Payments, digital assets and crypto
• AML and market misconduct There is also a significant transactional element. The team advises on the regulatory side of M&A, private equity, corporate finance and banking transactions. This includes change-of-control approvals, GP stakes deals and AIFMD anti-asset stripping issues in PE structures. Product categorisation and cross-border financial products work add further variety. Although the firm's fintech credentials are a real draw, this is not purely a fintech role. The breadth of the practice is one of its main attractions. AT THE JUNIOR END Candidates must already be qualified. A solid grounding in financial regulation from a high-quality regulatory team matters more than years of experience. This is an opportunity to learn directly from a senior partner while the practice takes shape, with a level of exposure that is hard to find in a larger, established team. AT THE MORE SENIOR END The firm is looking for someone with substantive standalone FS regulatory experience who can take real ownership of matters and help the partner deliver work as the practice grows. Broad advisory experience will translate well, given the range of the practice. WHAT MATTERS ACROSS THE RANGE Genuine financial services regulatory experience and a strong technical command of UK financial regulation are essential. This should ideally have been gained at a Magic Circle, City or US firm. Funds, asset management and PE regulatory backgrounds will be particularly relevant, as will experience combining regulatory advice with transactional work. Candidates also need to be comfortable in a lean, growing team where responsibility comes early. E&W qualification is not a strict requirement. US-qualified lawyers with credible London regulatory experience will be considered. THE PRACTICALITIES
• Highly competitive US-firm salary
• 1,800-hour billing target
• Interview process: an initial meeting with the lead partner and a colleague, then a second stage with the wider partnership, with an associate meeting if needed
• Strong progression potential as the team scales around its first hires