Job Description

We are seeking a proactive and commercially astute Regulatory Lawyer to join our London-based team as a strategic legal advisor on complex regulatory matters across multiple jurisdictions. In this role, you will work closely with senior leadership, practice groups, and business services colleagues to ensure the firm's compliance with applicable laws, professional standards, and internal policies. This position demands deep regulatory expertise and the ability to navigate high-stakes issues within a fast-paced, international environment.
Key Responsibilities and Deliverables:Regulatory Advisory: Providing expert legal advice on regulatory and other legal risk issues to ensure firm compliance with professional practice rules and associated legislation. Policy Development: Drafting, reviewing, and updating internal policies and procedures to reflect evolving regulatory requirements and best practices. Horizon Scanning & Reporting: Monitoring regulatory and legislative developments across jurisdictions, assessing their impact on the firm, and preparing timely briefings and reports for senior leadership and relevant committees. Risk Management: Collaborating with the Risk Management team and others within the Legal Department to help identify and mitigate legal and reputational risks impacting the firm. Conduct Advisory: Advising on the regulatory aspects of internal investigations, including reporting obligations, and assisting with drafting notifications to regulators and responding to inquiries. Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborating with partners, practice group heads, and colleagues in the global legal department to deliver practical, business-oriented legal solutions. Training & Awareness: Working with Learning & Development to help develop and deliver training programs on regulatory compliance, conflicts, and risk awareness across the firm. Change Management: Supporting firmwide projects to implement new regulatory requirements, collaborating with legal, business services, and technology teams to ensure practical adoption. External Liaison: Managing relationships with external counsel and regulatory bodies as needed.

Key Requirements:Qualified solicitor (England & Wales or equivalent jurisdiction). We encourage applications from all qualified individuals. While the ideal candidate will have 5+ years' PQE, we are open to considering exceptional candidates with slightly less experience who can demonstrate equivalent skills, expertise, and a strong aptitude for the role. Ideally law firm and/or in-house legal experience. Deep understanding of regulatory regimes relevant to global law firm operations, with proven experience navigating multi-jurisdictional professional rules and regulatory environments. Demonstrated expertise in regulatory horizon scanning, including the ability to proactively monitor, analyse, and interpret emerging legislation, policy developments, and regulatory trends across relevant jurisdictions, assessing potential impacts and communicating insights effectively to senior stakeholders. Exceptional analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills. Familiarity with emerging areas of regulatory focus for law firms, such as technology, data governance, and responsible use of AI. Strategic thinking with strong business acumen. Close attention to detail, high standards of accuracy and efficiency, balanced with a practical, common-sense approach. Ability to think broadly, anticipate and address issues, and make and implement decisions readily, inspiring confidence from senior stakeholders. Comfortable working autonomously and managing competing priorities. A collaborative team player with a commitment to excellence and integrity. Experience working in a global environment is highly desirable.

About Our Legal Department The Freshfields Legal Department comprises qualified lawyers and non-lawyers, dedicated to managing the firm's risk exposure and providing advice on legal and compliance issues to partners. Our core role is to support partners and staff in the effective management of regulatory, legal, operational, and information security risks, thereby preserving and maximising the firm's value long-term. We aspire to be a leading department among elite law firms, acknowledged internally for providing excellent, commercial, and empathetic service, constantly adapting our techniques and objectives to address business changes and threats.Inclusion

Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered by the firm on the basis of their merit alone and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing.

Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case by case basis and take a number of factors into account (eg the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence).