Company Description
Rize ETF, now part of ARK Invest, is a provider of ETFs that provide unprecedented access to the megatrends transforming our world. Our approach to investing enables investors of all stripes to invest in the future while remaining on the right side of history. We are based in London but our investor base is pan-European.
Role Description
This is a full-time in-house counsel role based in London. The in-house counsel will be responsible for providing legal and compliance counsel to the firm and ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The role will span multiple areas of legal practice, including investments funds, regulatory work and implementation (e.g. SFDR, SDR), commercial contracts, some corporate work and all other general legal matters.
Key Attributes:
This role will be demanding. We recognise that most lawyers at the junior-end will not have experience in all of the competencies listed below, but that is ok. The most important is that you have some experience in the financial services/investment funds and associated regulatory space and the potential to learn the rest (which we can help you develop). So drive and capability are key attributes.
- Qualified Solicitor (UK or Ireland) - ***Please note that we cannot consider candidates without this.***
- Eligible to work in the UK ***Please note that we cannot consider candidates without this.***
- Financial Services / Investment Funds / Regulatory experience ***Please note that we cannot consider candidates without this.***
- Experience drafting and negotiating contracts
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Solutions-oriented mindset
Salary Range:
£120+ depending on experience
How to Apply?
Please submit your CV to [email protected] and please ensure to put the following in the subject line of your email "Application for In-house Legal Counsel role"
Detailed Role Description
The In-house legal counsel’s duties and functions shall extend to the business of the company and ETFs or other fund structures/mandates issued in Europe or elsewhere as communicated by management from time to time and may include, but shall not be limited to, the following:
General legal - General legal, compliance and regulatory work relating to the Company, the fund-issuing entities and such other group companies as directed by the Company from time to time (collectively, the “Business”) and the management and distribution of the ETFs, including:
- the negotiation and drafting of Authorised Participant Agreements, distribution platform agreements, service provider agreements and other other agreements from time to time;
- drafting disclaimers relating to the Company’s website and marketing materials; and
- engaging with external legal counsel and acting as general point of contact between the Business and external legal counsel as required from time to time;
Regulatory – Undertaking research relating to any new or existing regulation from time to time (e.g. SFDR or SDR), understanding how such regulation may be relevant to or impact upon the Business, advising the company on appropriate implementation within the Business and overseeing and managing the implementation thereof.
Compliance matters -
- Implementation and management of, the Company’s compliance program and compliance-related initiatives of the Business and any work related thereto; and
- Acting as general point of contact between the Business and external compliance service providers, principals under any tied agency arrangements or other parties engaged in the facilitation of the Company’s marketing activities from time to time;
- Maintaining and drafting any necessary change to the compliance manual for the Business and other company policies.
Data protection – Management of all data protection matters related to the Business, including maintaining all relevant records and ensuring compliance with applicable data protection regulations.
Board matters - Preparation of board reports for the Company, the ICAV and such other Group Companies as directed by the Company from time to time and coordination with the directors of such entities with respect to board meetings, governance matters relating to such entities and the creation and retention of records in relation thereto;
Corporate legal matters - Assisting with the management of the corporate affairs of the Business as directed by the Company from time to time, including any corporate legal work associated with corporate transactions related to such entities, including equity and debt financing matters, as directed by the Company and, where relevant, working with external legal counsel.
Employment and IP matters - Assisting with any employment-related legal matters and any intellectual property matters relating to the Business; and
New fund launches - Managing the regulatory approval process for new Product launches, including drafting offering documentation and taking the lead on managing updates to offering documentation, including drafting the updates to the offering documentation and liaising with the third party management company (the “ManCo”) and external legal counsel in relation to those updates.;
ManCo and investment manager engagement - Acting as a point of contact for the Business with respect to their dealings with the appointed third party UCITS management company (the “ManCo”) and/or group or third party investment managers appointed from time to time in relation to the Products;
Counterparty engagement - acting as a point of contact for the Business with service providers or other contractors appointed by the Business from time to time in relation to contractual matters, in each case supporting the relevant relationship owner within the Business;
Listings and Registrations - Oversight of the work of the third party management company with respect to all stock exchange listings and foreign registrations for the ETFs, the appointment of new service providers/contractors by the Manager and any other initiatives of the Business.