Legal Counsel – Alternative Investments & Financial Services | Johannesburg

SUMMARY:
Legal Counsel – Alternative Investments & Financial Services | Johannesburg

POSITION INFO:

Reporting To: Chief Risk Officer

About the Client

A leading investment manager based in Johannesburg is seeking an experienced, commercially astute Legal Counsel to join their team. The firm operates across SADC and specializes in alternative investments, private credit, and asset management.

Role Overview

The Legal Counsel will provide strategic legal support across group business activities, focusing heavily on alternative investment structures, credit transactions, and corporate commercial law. You will act as a key commercial partner, mitigating legal risk while actively supporting business growth across local and cross-border jurisdictions.

Key Responsibilities

• Transactional & Commercial Law: Draft, review, and negotiate complex commercial agreements, including investment management agreements (FAIS compliant), bilateral loan funding, securitisations, DMTNs, and ISDA/GMRA agreements.

• Deal Structuring & Risk Management: Advise on complex deal structures, perform legal due diligence, manage conditions precedent, and oversee post-investment legal management, workouts, and turnarounds.

• Cross-Border Expansion: Provide legal input for foreign expansion initiatives within the SADC region, evaluating international legal frameworks and strategic partnerships.

• Corporate Governance: Advise on the Companies Act and general South African corporate legislation.

• Stakeholder Management: Work closely with Risk, Compliance, Investments, and Finance teams, while managing relationships and costs with external legal counsel.

Key Requirements

• Qualifications: LLB degree (or equivalent recognized legal qualification).

• Admissions: Admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa.

• Experience: 4–8 years post-qualification legal experience, ideally from a top-tier law firm’s banking/finance team or in-house within asset management, banking, or private credit.

• Technical Expertise: Strong working knowledge of South African financial services law, corporate law, and complex contract negotiation (both listed and unlisted structures).

• Cross-Border Funding: Experience with cross-border funding structures and SADC regional arrangements is highly advantageous.