Legal Counsel - Trade Finance

Job description / Role

1. To provide legal support to the C&IC, CF and TB Segments of the Bank in the Middle East, Pakistan and North Africa.
2. To provide legal support on a transactional, product and project basis for the Transaction Banking business, the Corporate Finance business and the Corporate and Institutional Segment. The role will cover MENAP, with a principal focus on Transaction Banking.
3. To assist the Bank in procuring that appropriate forms of legal documents are used for dealings with third parties which contain adequate protections and remedies to address credit and event risk, and to help determine that transactions with third parties are valid and enforceable under the laws of all relevant jurisdictions.
4. To assist in the negotiation and completion of contractual documentation with customers and counterparties.
5. To control the quality and cost of legal services provided by external law firms and overseas counsel (as appropriate).

Key Roles & Responsibilities
* Commonwealth or Middle East qualified lawyer, with strong trade finance and lending experience. An understanding of the key features of Middle East relevant laws and regulations would be useful. The candidate should independent, tenacious, robust and resilient.
* Review standard-form documentation and ensure that it remains appropriate in the light of all legal and regulatory developments and all internal policy requirements.
* Provide guidance to Transaction Banking and internal clients, including the various documentation units (confirmations, master agreements, etc), on acceptable amendments to approved standard form documentation and review and approve any non-standard documents or material departures from approved standard form documentation in particular cases.
* Where standard form documentation does not exist or is not considered appropriate, draft and negotiate documentation on an ad-hoc basis.

Requirements

* Educational background to degree level/post-graduate & professional studies as necessary to fulfil this role
* We would preferably need a commonwealth or Middle East qualified lawyer, with strong trade finance and lending experience.
* An understanding of the key features of Middle East relevant laws and regulations would be useful.
* The candidate should independent, tenacious, robust and resilient.
* Personal authority and integrity
* Independence and resilience
* An inquisitive approach to practices, procedures and specific transactions
* Effective communicator and team player

Closing Dates
The closing date for applications is 22/01/2015. Please note all closing dates are given in Hong Kong time (GMT + 8 hours). We aim to respond to successful applicants within four weeks and will keep a record or your application in our database so that we can contact you when suitable vacancies arise in future.

Diversity & Inclusion
Standard Chartered is committed to diversity and inclusion. We believe that a work environment which embraces diversity will enable us to get the best out of the broadest spectrum of people to sustain strong business performance and competitive advantage. By building an inclusive culture, each employee can develop a sense of belonging, and have the opportunity to maximise their personal potential.

About the Company

Standard Chartered Bank started in 1958 in UAE with its first branch in Sharjah. The Group’s business gradually increased in Dubai with the opening of several branches and today, Dubai is the administrative hub of the Middle East and South Asia Region. In its 43rd year, the Bank enjoys the position of having the most extensive branch network among foreign international banks in UAE with 10 branches emirate-wide.

Standard Chartered is an international bank, focused on the established and emerging markets of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America with an extensive global network of more than 600 offices in over 50 countries. The three principal business groups are Global Markets, Personal Banking and Corporate and Institutional Banking.

In UAE, we are one of the leading banks, offering an extensive range of products and services for personal customers, local companies, multinational corporate and financial institutions.