Senior Legal Counsel, Disputes (UK and Europe)

Overview

In this role you will lead disputes and advise across a global business, helping Wise navigate high-stakes litigation, arbitration, and regulatory matters. You will manage a growing legal team and partner with stakeholders across Product, Banking, Risk, Compliance, and Marketing to mitigate risk. The position sits within a fast-paced, international company committed to “money without borders.” You’ll act as a trusted advisor to multiple business units, influencing decisions with practical legal guidance. This is a unique chance to shape Wise’s approach to disputes in a scale-driven environment.

Pay / Benefits

• stock options
• private healthcare plan
• pension scheme
• 6 weeks’ paid sabbatical every 4 years
• generous parental leave
• flexible working arrangements

Responsibilities

• Advise and lead on a broad range of disputes (UK/Europe-focused and global) including high-value litigations, arbitrations, regulatory matters, IP, competition, consumer disputes, and asset recovery
• Lead a growing team of lawyers and legal operations personnel
• Advise and liaise with stakeholders (Boards/committees, Product, Banking and Expansion, Risk, Compliance, Marketing) on contentious matters
• Build relationships across business units and act as trusted advisor on financial/regulatory issues, sanctions, AML, fraud, banking arrangements, new products, partnerships, and employment issues
• Identify, assess, manage and report risks to the business and provide practical risk-mitigating solutions
• Collaborate with Wise’s global legal team to deliver outcomes impacting the wider business
• Report to Head of Legal, Disputes
• Offer autonomous ownership from day one and support the mission of money without borders
• Contribute to a culture of collaboration and high performance across the legal function

Key requirements

• UK-qualified lawyer with at least 6 years PQE
• Background in commercial disputes, preferably with banking/payments industry experience
• Ability to lead multiple contentious matters across different jurisdictions
• Ability to evaluate and summarise legal advice and communicate concisely to various business areas
• Ability to navigate difficult issues and multiple stakeholders, advising on key risks and developing solutions
• Ability to lead junior lawyers and collaborate with senior lawyers
• Get-it-done, collaborative problem-solving approach

• collaborative
• stakeholder management
• clear communication
• disputes management (litigation/arbitration)
• regulatory matters
• IP disputes

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