Legal Counsel

Swiss Re - Schweizerische Rückversicherungs-Gesellschaft; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A global insurance provider is seeking a Legal Counsel to support its Credit & Surety team. The role involves providing legal advice on various transaction types including credit insurance and structured finance, drafting key documents, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Candidates must hold a law degree with at least six years of relevant experience. This position operates in a hybrid work model with a collaborative team dynamic and focuses on delivering pragmatic legal solutions in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

Hybrid work model

Inclusive corporate culture

Qualifications

• Law degree with minimum six years' experience in a law firm or financial institution.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, and influencing abilities.
• Proven ability to identify legal risks.

Responsibilities

• Provide global legal advice and support for transactions.
• Draft and negotiate insurance contract documentation.
• Conduct legal and regulatory reviews of transactions.

Skills

Credit insurance experience

Drafting and negotiating contracts

Strong communication skills

Ability to manage multiple priorities

Education

Law degree, minimum six years’ experience

Job description

This is a legal counsel role in the Corporate Solutions Credit & Surety legal team. We are a small, global legal team providing dedicated transactional, regulatory and legal support to the Credit & Surety business unit which underwrites insurance in areas such as trade finance, project & infrastructure finance, commodity finance, political risk insurance and surety.

We are prioritizing candidates with proven experience (in-house/private practice) in one of the following areas:

• Credit insurance (including applicable documentation, insurance regulation, and underwriting market standards), alternatively other areas/lines of (re)insurance including advisory or contentious experience relevant to primary insurance or reinsurance;
• Surety bonds/guarantees;
• Banking/finance, particularly in the areas of structured finance, securitizations and/or portfolio transfers or significant risk transfers.

Experience of working in funded and unfunded regulatory capital relief deals is advantageous.

In this role you will:

• Provide global legal advice and support for transactions primarily in the following areas: bank trade finance & infrastructure, surety, structured finance, credit and political risk insurance and significant risk transfers.
• Draft and negotiate insurance contract documentation – including (re)insurance policy wordings, risk participations, bond forms, indemnity agreements.
• Conduct legal and regulatory reviews of credit and surety transactions.
• Advise on cross-border enforceability of contracts.
• Advise on licensing and regulatory aspects in relation to international surety transactions.
• Facilitate the closing of transactions and supporting underwriters during implementation, restructuring and unwinding of transactions.
• Provide legal support for internal group projects and strategic initiatives.
• Foster and maintain positive working relationships with internal and external clients and outside counsel (as needed).
• Monitor legal and regulatory trends affecting relevant business areas.
• Support internal group projects and strategic initiatives, as required.
• Conduct internal presentations and trainings on legal topics.

About the Team

This is a full time position in a legal team that provides legal support to the global Credit & Surety insurance business at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions. This is a largely transactional role providing legal support to underwriters, product managers, risk managers, and claims specialists in a highly commercial way. Our client is a global business team, committed to delivering value and innovative solutions in the primary insurance space. In our team, you will be close to decision makers and directly see the results of your work.

About You

You’re a proactive legal professional who thrives in a fast-paced global environment. You combine technical excellence with commercial awareness, enabling you to provide pragmatic solutions that balance legal risk with business objectives. Your strong communication skills allow you to explain complex legal concepts clearly to diverse stakeholders, and you’re energized by working in an international setting.

We are looking for candidates who meet these requirements:

• Law degree with minimum six years' experience in a law firm or international financial institution/insurance company, with experience in one of the following areas: credit insurance, surety bonds/guarantees, or banking/finance
• Experience and understanding of regulatory and licensing topics in cross-border scenarios
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, and influencing abilities
• Proven ability to identify legal risks and provide sound judgment beyond the dimensions of laws and regulations
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• "Can-do" mindset with dedication to continuous learning and development
• Comfort working independently while collaborating with a global team

Preference will be given to candidates with:

• Experience working with funded and unfunded regulatory capital relief deals
• Experience in structured finance, securitizations, and/or portfolio transfers
• Additional language skills beyond English

Our company has a hybrid work model where the expectation is that will be in the office at least three days per week.

#LI-Hybrid

About Swiss Re

Swiss Re is one of the world’s leading providers of reinsurance, insurance and other forms of insurance-based risk transfer, working to make the world more resilient. We anticipate and manage a wide variety of risks, from natural catastrophes and climate change to cybercrime. Combining experience with creative thinking and cutting-edge expertise, we create new opportunities and solutions for our clients. This is possible thanks to the collaboration of more than 14,000 employees across the world.

Our success depends on our ability to build an inclusive culture encouraging fresh perspectives and innovative thinking. We embrace a workplace where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive and develop professionally regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, skillset, thought or other characteristics. In our inclusive and flexible environment everyone can bring their authentic selves to work and their passion for sustainability.

If you are an experienced professional returning to the workforce after a career break, we encourage you to apply for open positions that match your skills and experience.

Start your career journey with Swiss Re.