Counsel

Job Title: Counsel
Reports to: Senior Counsel
Location: New York/Washington, DC

Job purpose
The Counsel will support ISDA’s legal and documentation work in digital transformation within the derivatives industry and will also work on other ISDA legal documentation projects, providing an interesting, diverse and varied portfolio of work. The digital transformation legal portfolio includes digital/tokenized assets, smart contracts, legal agreement data modeling (using the common domain model), ISDA Amend, ISDA Create and digital delivery of ISDA legal documents. Other areas of focus will include product documentation, supporting interest rates, FX, commodities and/or equity. The Counsel will work closely with the recently-established ISDA Digital Transformation Team, the wider organization, members and other industry participants to identify opportunities to create efficiencies via implementation of digital solutions and to drive broad adoption across the industry.

Duties and responsibilities

General:

• Organize and manage ISDA committees and working groups which focus on product specific, regulatory or legal issues in the derivatives industry
• Working with ISDA members and colleagues across the legal department globally to develop documentation to support the derivatives industry, particularly in relation to on-going regulatory developments
• Representing ISDA, its membership and constituencies at meetings with government, legal and regulatory agencies
• Procuring and reviewing industry critical legal opinions
• Speaking at ISDA hosted conferences and events domestically and internationally
• Working with non legal colleagues to deliver key industry objectives
• Research and respond to industry queries, issues and questions in scope
• Subject matter expert in the legal and regulatory framework governing the trading of cleared and uncleared derivatives, particularly in the US, with ability to analyze how regulations will impact the derivatives industry

Legal Technical Specialist – Smart Contracts, ISDA Legal Solutions, and Digital Assets:

• Support the structuring of industry-standard documentation (including legal agreements and definitional booklets) to facilitate digitization and smart contract development;
• Collaborate with members of the Derivatives Product and Infrastructure Team to support development of legal agreement models for ISDA documentation (including collateral documentation) using the common domain model;
• Support, maintain and expand use of ISDA Legal Solutions including ISDA Amend, ISDA Create, MyLibrary.
• Engage with industry participants, raise awareness of ISDA’s Legal Solutions, and identify pathways to adoption;
• Support the development of smart contract proofs-of-concept, demonstrating opportunities for greater digitization and automation of derivatives contracts;
• Support industry efforts and represent ISDA, its membership and constituencies at meetings with government, legal and regulatory agencies in response to regulatory initiatives relating to smart contracts, digital assets and ISDA’s broader digital transformation efforts;
• Speak at ISDA hosted conferences and external events domestically and internationally to promote IDDS and ISDA’s work on smart contracts and digital assets as well as the broader scope of ISDA’s mission and values;
• Write articles, white papers and academic analysis on the application of smart contract and digital asset technology to derivatives markets, with the aim of promoting ISDA and ISDA’s digital transformation agenda and promoting adoption of IDDS.

Digital Transformation:

• Work collaboratively within the ISDA Digital Transformation Team to:
  • Define the framework and processes for evaluating new ISDA Data and Digital Solutions (IDDS) initiatives, ensuring alignment with legal requirements and industry best practices;
  • Engage with industry participants, raise awareness of ISDA’s digital solutions, and identify pathways to adoption;
  • Manage and allocate key performance indicators aligned with the digital transformation team and ISDA’s strategic objectives;
  • Proactively identify potential risks related to ISDA’s digital transformation strategy and develop strategies for their mitigation.
• Develop strategies for efficient industry use of new technologies in the legal/documentation arena such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) to digitize and analyse legal agreement portfolios;
• Provide legal oversight and guidance on contractual and regulatory matters relating to IDDS and digital transformation initiatives.

Relationship Management:

• Build strong relationships across ISDA globally and utilize the broad reach of ISDA to expand the visibility of ISDA’s solutions
• Work closely within other specialists across digital and legal internally and externally to develop resources and materials to support adoption of digital assets/smart contracts
• Develop and maintain strong member relationships and develop relationships with non-member firms

Qualifications & Experience

• Qualified Lawyer
• 2-5 Years in Financial Services, preferably Derivatives
• Further financial qualifications an advantage

Relevant Skills / Abilities

• Knowledge of the derivatives market and proven technical expertise across Derivatives
• Experience advising on digital/tokenized asset structures
• Strong public speaker with ability to communicate abstract ideas and concepts to a variety of audiences
• Proven ability to gain credibility at all levels quickly; excellent relationship management skills
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team, demonstrate initiative and proactively contribute ideas, views and recommendations
• Ability to adapt plans, based on data-driven input
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to address issues with tact and diplomacy in order to reach consensus across a wide range of market participants. Must be able to interact and communicate with individuals at all levels of member firms
• Detail-oriented in composing, typing and proofing materials
• Self-starter with a strong work ethic who demonstrates an appreciation for punctuality, reliability and a desire to drive change and achieve results
• Team player who contributes to success of the immediate team and ISDA as a whole

Salary Range: $150,000 – $170,000