Legal HK, Asia Pacific Private Wealth Management, Vice President recruitment

Position Category: Legal/Compliance

Position Title: Legal HK, Asia Pacific Private Wealth Management, Vice President

Job Level: Vice President

Location: Hong Kong - Hong Kong

Education Required: Refer to Position Description

Position Description:
Morgan Stanley's highly regarded Asia Pacific Legal team is currently looking for a Hong Kong-based Vice President to provide internal client coverage for Private Wealth Management (PWM) within Asia Pacific, focusing on a full array of wealth management products such as funds, structured products and derivatives, as well as asset classes in capital markets.

Within our team, lawyers would work cohesively with a diversified group of clients across the PWM business and consistently deliver quality advice to a dynamic and constantly evolving business.

Reporting directly to the Head of Legal for IWM (Asia and EMEA), we are looking to recruit an experienced lawyer with enthusiasm and strong initiative, managing a diverse and complex workload meeting tight deadlines and carrying these primary responsibilities:

- Provide legal advisory and support to PWM investment professionals on all aspects of the client relationship, from pitches through to the structuring of accounts and account opening procedures, negotiation of account documentation and investment restrictions, transaction-specific questions, margin and risk management processes and new products
- Advise senior PWM management on regulatory changes, industry initiatives and policy developments, including anticipation and timely updates on regulatory changes, analysis on the impact of new regulations, introduction of new policies in response to new regulations/legislations and revision of current policies to meet the needs of the PWM business
- Advise and negotiate with PWM product specialists on all aspects of product development pertaining to funds, structured products and derivatives
- Advise and liaise with PWM Compliance team on a wide range of issues encompassing the interpretation of regulations, account activity and surveillance
- Interact with other lawyers in the Legal department on product and litigation issues and instruct external counsel to review key legal opinions as and when necessary

Skills Required:
- Qualified lawyer, at least 6 years post qualification together with experience in private wealth management from either a well-regarded private practice or an in-house role with a leading investment bank or private bank
- Product experience (sales and trading, derivatives or funds). Solid drafting and negotiation skills
- Personable and confident, with the ability to manage good business relationships whilst adhering to Firm policies and practices
- Familiar with Asia Pacific. Knowledge of EMEA and US regulatory issues an advantage
- Very strong preference for Chinese language skills (verbal and written Cantonese and Mandarin) with the ability to write in simplified and traditional Chinese.
- Candidates currently residing outside of HK should be prepared for relocating to HK at their own cost