Counsel, International
Coinbase has built the world's leading compliant cryptocurrency platform serving over 30 million accounts in more than 100 countries. With multiple successful products, and our vocal advocacy for blockchain technology, we have played a major part in mainstream awareness and adoption of cryptocurrency. We are proud to offer an entire suite of products that are helping build the cryptoeconomy and increase economic freedom around the world.
There are a few things we look for across all hires we make at Coinbase, regardless of role or team. First, we look for signals that a candidate will thrive in a culture like ours, where we default to trust, embrace feedback, disrupt ourselves, and expect sustained high performance because we play as a championship team. Second, we expect all employees to commit to our mission-focused approach to our work. Finally, we seek people with the desire and capacity to build and share expertise in the frontier technologies of crypto and blockchain, in whatever way is most relevant to their role.
The role will be based in our London office and report to the Associate General Counsel, International. Working closely with our International and US-based executive teams, business stakeholders and colleagues in Legal and Compliance globally, you will play a key role in advising our operating entities outside the United States of America on a broad range of legal matters, including compliance with applicable e-money / payment services and financial services law and regulation, consumer protection law, product roll-outs and strategic initiatives. You will also establish and manage legal policies and procedures and assist with the smooth running of legal operations to ensure that our business receives the highest quality legal advice as we continue to expand globally.
What you’ll be doing (ie. job duties):
- Work closely with business executives and the Compliance team to ensure compliance of our EU and international operations with applicable e-money / payment services and financial services law and regulation and digital currency exchange best practices
- Provide legal support to international operating entities. Includes responsibility for ensuring legal and regulatory compliance of new products and services, inter-company operating arrangements, commercial relationships and banking partnerships, retail and institutional terms of business, assisting the business in rolling out products and services to new jurisdictions and co-ordinating support and advice with the U.S. based legal team as appropriate
- Provide legal support to the asset listing team, including assisting with the international legal review of new digital assets and ensuring the international legal review process is able to scale to meet the needs of the business
- Keep abreast of all regulatory and policy developments involving digital currency in Europe and other key international jurisdictions and assist Coinbase in its advocacy for effective regulation
- Continuously assess operating risks and legal needs and ensure that the legal department is equipped to provide outstanding support as Coinbase’s international business continues to grow
- Manage outside counsel effectively where they are engaged in connection with specific projects
What we look for in you (ie. job requirements):
- Qualified solicitor in England and Wales with approximately 5 - 7 years experience working in a regulated e-money / payment services or financial services institution in the UK (e.g. e-money issuer, payment service firm, broker dealer / asset manager) or in a law firm supporting such clients (ideally with some previous in-house experience)
- Strong familiarity with PSD2, 2EMD and/or MiFID II and broader financial services regulation is required
- Experience dealing with regulators such the Financial Conduct Authority, Prudential Regulation Authority and/or other key European regulators is preferred
- Ability to manage complex projects involving coordination across multiple time zones, challenging legal issues and tight deadlines
- Ability to work closely with Compliance to deliver coordinated input to the business and other stakeholders
- Ability to manage a large and varied workload and exercise excellent judgment, analytical rigour and commercial pragmatism. Must be able to provide crisp and practical legal advice to business executives across a broad range of matters with limited supervision
- Enthusiasm for and a basic understanding of digital currencies/blockchain
- Highly driven and proactive - keen to create process and structure and strive for continuous improvement
- Comfortable working independently in a fast-paced, growth-stage environment, subject to regulatory scrutiny, operating excellence and Coinbase’s demanding standards to operate the world’s most trusted digital currency exchange.
Coinbase is committed to diversity in its workforce and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation or any other basis protected by applicable law. Coinbase will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. For US applicants, you may view Pay Transparency, Employee Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law notices by clicking on their corresponding links. Additionally, Coinbase participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law.
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