Legal Counsel - Derivatives Documentation

About the role

Eastspring, a global asset manager with Asia at its core, is hiring a Legal Counsel to support a wide range of documentation work across derivatives, fund-related and general commercial agreements for a buy-side asset management firm. The role suits a lawyer or documentation specialist with around three years' experience seeking well-rounded in-house exposure, covering both derivatives documentation and day-to-day commercial agreements; experience with ISDA documentation is highly advantageous.

Key responsibilities

• Support negotiation and execution of derivatives and financing documentation, including ISDA Master Agreements, CSAs, GMRAs, clearing and brokerage agreements.
• Work with external counsel on complex, jurisdiction-specific or regulatory documentation matters.
• Analyse and summarise legal and commercial issues, escalating with concise proposed positions.
• Manage multiple live negotiations and competing priorities in a fast-paced trading environment.
• Coordinate documentation with trading, operations, risk and investment teams and engage with senior internal stakeholders and clients.
• Contribute to internal playbooks, templates and negotiation guides, and prepare legal data, trackers and management reports.
• Negotiate buy-side agreements such as NDAs, broker onboarding/empanelment agreements, cornerstone agreements and fund or distribution documentation.
• Use AI and legal technology tools for contract review, clause benchmarking and workflow efficiency, and maintain records of executed agreements.
• Monitor market developments in derivatives, asset management and commercial documentation.

Required profile

• About 3 years' experience in legal, financial markets or commercial contracting.
• Experience with general commercial or asset management agreements (NDAs, onboarding, investor documentation) preferred.
• Hands-on use of AI and legal technology tools, or a clear interest in developing them.
• Some exposure to derivatives documentation (e.g. ISDA) highly useful; buy-side in-house experience advantageous but not essential.
• Strong academic background with analytical and investigative mindset.

Required skills

• Sound understanding of legal documentation principles.
• Clear, concise communication with senior stakeholders and clients.
• Comfortable managing multiple workstreams and tight deadlines.
• Confident with data, trackers and reporting tools.
• Technologically adept with AI tools for contract review and clause benchmarking.
• Commercial, pragmatic and collaborative approach.