Legal Counsel

Legal Counsel – Private Assets

Who we’re looking for.

We are looking for a qualified lawyer with a corporate / commercial or fund formation background, ideally with some asset management experience and/or basic understanding of the commercial and regulatory environment within which an investment management firm operates.

About Schroders Greencoat
Schroders Greencoat is one of the largest specialist energy transition infrastructure investment managers globally, with ca. £10bn under management across a range of publicly listed and private markets fund vehicles. Founded in 2009, we have been at the vanguard of the energy transition infrastructure opportunity for over a decade and have the ambition to be a global leader in the fast-growing alternative asset class of energy transition. Our expertise includes “traditional” renewable energy assets like wind and solar and newer sectors such as battery storage, residential and commercial heat networks and green hydrogen. 

Since 2022, we are part of Schroders Capital, the Schroders Group's ca. €96 billion private assets business that also includes private equity, real estate and private debt and credit alternatives. The Schroders Capital Infrastructure pillar encompasses the energy transition capabilities of the Schroders Greencoat team in Europe and the U.S., the recently onboarded Schroders Capital Infrastructure Asia team in China, and the legacy Paris-based infrastructure equity team that focuses on essential infrastructure.  Schroders plc is a global investment manager. We help institutions, intermediaries and individuals around the world invest money to meet their goals, fulfil their ambitions, and prepare for the future.

Both Schroders Greencoat and Schroders plc are committed to sustainable investment principles and to developing market leading sustainable investment and impact solutions for clients. Specifically, Schroders Greencoat believes that the energy transition offers investors a significant opportunity to play their part in the transformation of the global energy system, contribute to energy security, help control the costs paid by consumers and abate carbon emissions. The outcomes associated with investments in the energy transition sector are inherently connected to both financial returns and broader environmental objectives. Therefore, Schroders Greencoat considers its investment beliefs to be completely aligned with a responsible investment approach, and ultimately investors’ expectations of the funds it manages. Further, as a leading investment manager in the sector, Schroders Greencoat believes that it has a responsibility to actively promote best practice in operation, sound governance and ethical business conduct. 

The base

We moved into 1 London Wall Place in 2024. We're close to our clients, in the heart of the UK's financial centre. We have everything we need to work flexibly but expect 3 days in the office each week. 

The team

Based in London, you will be part of the small legal team supporting the Schroders Capital Infrastructure / Schroders Greencoat business. The team supports the strategic growth of the business, giving legal effect to new business opportunities and is also responsible for identifying, managing and reporting legal risks.  In this role you will be involved in all legal workstreams with a particular focus initially on legal project management, developing processes and responsibility for maintaining data bases and obligations trackers as well as supporting on ancillary documentation for fundraisings and general corporate and commercial matters.  This opportunity is for someone at the beginning of their career in asset management who wants to learn the ropes and acquire the knowledge to a become a highly experienced lawyer in that field. 

What you’ll do

• Leading on the development of internal templates and processes to make the legal work flow more effective and efficient, including assisting with the development of training for the business teams on certain topics so they can be more self-sufficient
• Supporting new product launches and the lifecycle of funds and mandates, in particular on:
• Project managing the legal workstreams of new product launches and/or co-investment initiatives
• Setting up new GPs and fund vehicles, assist with non-complex corporate re-organisations, assist with the dissolution of redundant entities
• Assisting with regulatory disclosures and product governance and target market assessments
• Assisting with ancillary documentation and workstreams of new fund launches; over time getting involved in review and negotiations of the core documents 
• Leading on maintenance of the funds obligations tracker 
• Answering ad hoc questions from the business teams on existing agreements and arrangements
• Assisting with the review of agreements with service providers and clients, including administration and depositary agreements, investment management agreements, distribution agreements, placement agent agreements
• Leading on the maintenance of precedents / know-how shared folders
• Drafting and reviewing intra-group arrangements such as sub-advisory agreements, distribution or introducer agreements and other services agreements; maintaining intra-group agreements tracker
• Assisting with other ancillary tasks involving NDAs, engagement letters, secondment agreements, assisting with KYC requests
• Assisting with external law firm management 

The qualifications you need

• 1-3 years PQE gained in the corporate / commercial or private assets funds team in a leading City or international law firm or in-house (ideally in a small team or a division of a larger business)

The knowledge and experience that will help 

• Familiarity with private funds structures and understanding of how they invest
• Working knowledge of key applicable regulatory regimes and the regulatory environment within which an investment management firm operates 

What you’ll be like

• Effective communicator
• Meticulous in attention to detail 
• Resourceful, flexible and adaptable with a positive and ‘can do’ attitude
• Happy to roll up sleeves, willing to take the initiative and drive the execution of projects
• Good under pressure and with competing priorities while maintaining a high level of personal and professional integrity
• Interested in expanding subject matter expertise and learning about new topics
• Understands the importance of project and document management and developing processes 
• Prepared to make a personal commitment to ensure success 

Under the Financial Conduct Authority’s Senior Manager & Certification Regime, this role will be within the scope of the Financial Conduct Authority’s Conduct Rules. 

We recognise potential, whoever you are.

Our purpose is to provide excellent investment performance to clients through active management. Diversity of thought, facilitated by an inclusive culture, will allow us to make better decisions and better achieve our purpose. This is why inclusion and diversity are a strategic priority for us and why we are an equal opportunities employer. You are welcome here, regardless of your age, disability, gender identity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, or any other protected characteristic.