Legal Counsel

Company Overview 

 As a global investment manager, we help institutions, intermediaries and individuals across the planet meet their goals, fulfil their ambitions, and prepare for the future. We are responsible for £421.4 billion (€469.5 billion/$536.7 billion)* of assets for our clients who trust us to deliver sustainable returns. Today, we have 5,000 people across six continents who focus on doing just this. Since the establishment of our Shanghai and Beijing representative offices in the 1990s, and Schroders’ joint venture company, BOCOM Schroder Fund Management Co., Ltd., in 2005, Schroders has been present in the China market for more than 20 years. Schroders is deeply committed to further developing its business in China and has been actively participating in business initiatives rolled out in China such as QFII, RQFII, QDII, as well as Mutual Recognition of Funds (MRF) between China and Hong Kong. In 2015, Schroders established a wholly-owned subsidiary, Schroder Investment Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., a WFOE headquartered in Shanghai with a branch in Beijing. The WFOE obtained a private fund management licence from the Asset Management Association of China in 2017. Schroder Adveq was acquired by Schroders in 2017 and is now a key part of Schroders private assets business. It currently has a WFOE in Beijing. 

CLG and Team Overview 

CLG includes lawyers, compliance and governance professionals who serve Schroders’ business across the Investment, Distribution, Product and Infrastructure divisions of the firm. The successful candidate will become a member of Schroders’ APAC CLG team, which handles a wide variety of matters primarily in connection with the firm’s regional businesses. The role involves working on matters pertaining to Schroders’ Hong Kong and China businesses and reports to the Head of Legal, Hong Kong and China. 

Role Overview 

In collaboration with Compliance and Governance regionally and with others throughout CLG globally, the key aspects of the role are: 

•  to provide advice on legal matters affecting the firm’s China and Hong Kong businesses (the majority will relate to China); 
•  to provide consideration and support of compliance and regulatory issues, for example, for Schroder’s products (onshore and offshore) sold in China and Hong Kong; and
•  to implement the China and Hong Kong CLG aspects of ongoing regional and Group related projects, including ad hoc projects related to regulatory and Schroder Group policy changes. 

Key Areas of Role Private funds/ Retail funds/ Distribution 

• Provide legal advice on the set up of Schroders (i) private funds and their on-going maintenance; (ii) retail funds and their on-going maintenance; and (iii) private equity funds and other private assets related matters, as appropriate. 
• Provide legal advice (from a PRC and Hong Kong law perspective) on general distribution issues in relation to Schroder’s fund products.
• Draft and review fund-related documentation including fund contracts, limited partnership agreements, prospectus etc. for Schroder’s fund products.
• Draft and review agreements with service providers, such as distribution agreements, brokerage agreements, fund raising account supervision agreements, transfer agent and fund administration outsourcing agreements. 

 Institutional 

•  Preparation and negotiation of investment management agreements and rebate arrangements with institutional clients. 

General Commercial 

•  Draft, review and negotiate a variety of commercial agreements with external vendors/outsourcing partners, such as engagement letters, subscription agreements, IT contracts and other legal documentation in relation to the Hong Kong and China businesses. 

Company Secretary 

• Provide company secretarial support (including advice on corporate governance matters) to Schroders’ onshore entities in China, with assistance from external service provider.
• Work with external counsel on trademark registration, defence and opposition matters/cases in China. 

China 

•  Provide all other legal support to our China business (including our China Joint Venture- mainly from the shareholder’s perspective) in collaboration with our CLG team onshore in Shanghai. 

Projects 

Contribute to

• i) on-going projects run within the regional legal team and
• (ii) other ad hoc projects related to regulatory and Schroder group policy change across the business. 

 Essential Skills 

• Excellent academic qualifications.
• Licensed to practise law with 2-5 years relevant post-qualification experience in a law firm or financial services environment or with a local regulatory organisation. 
• Experience working with a reputable law firm with substantial exposure to PRC related work.
• Experience with a UK or US law firm or international exposure preferred.
• Familiarity with PRC regulations and the ability to understand how regulatory requirements impact our businesses.
• Strong written and spoken English.
• Fluent spoken Mandarin and strong written Chinese, including the ability to draft in simplified and traditional Chinese.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation and communication skills in both English and Chinese.
• Excellent time management and prioritisation skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and in a fast paced environment.
• Keenness to take a holistic view of issues, priorities, reputational and regulatory risks, cultural nuances and efficient solutions with an independent mindset.
• High level of awareness of the commercial implications of legal issues.
• Team player across CLG, globally and with business colleagues.
• Commitment to the maintenance and application of Schroders’ values and culture in the development of business in China.