Derivatives or Structured Products Associate

Company: The Stephen James Partnership
Apply for the Derivatives or Structured Products Associate
Location: London
Job Description:

Are you a Derivatives or Structured Products Associate ready to stop being a small cog in a huge machine?

I’m working with a top-tier US law firm that is urgently hiring two mid-senior associates into its Derivatives & Structured Products (D&SP) team – and this is not your typical big-firm opportunity.

You’ll be joining right at the ground floor of a team being built from scratch, working directly alongside the practice leads rather than buried under layers of hierarchy. Real ownership, real visibility, and a genuine path to partnership as the team scales – this is the kind of opportunity that comes around once in a career.

The team:

  • One role sits alongside the D&SP Team Lead, focused primarily on Derivatives – Infrastructure, Real Estate Finance, and Leveraged Finance hedging across IR, FX and Commodities, alongside fund-level ISDA work.
  • The other role sits with the Structured Products lead, focused on Structured Products, with flexibility for candidates who want broader exposure across both areas.
  • The team is already expanding into Prime Brokerage buy-side work for the fund formation team – you’d be getting in before that growth really takes off.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Advising on ISDA documentation and derivatives across infrastructure, real estate finance and leveraged finance hedging.
  • Structuring and negotiating IR, FX and Commodities hedging arrangements.
  • Supporting fund-level ISDA and structured products work.
  • Playing a key role in shaping the team as it expands into Prime Brokerage and fund formation work.

Who we’re looking for:

  • Mid-senior PQE associates with strong Derivatives and/or Structured Products experience.
  • Solid ISDA documentation knowledge.
  • Lawyers who want ownership, not just another seat on a big team.
  • Ambitious candidates looking for a genuine, accelerated path to partnership.

This is a rare chance to join a top-tier US firm at the start of something significant – with compensation to match, including flexibility to match end-of-year bonuses for the right candidates.

If you’re interested in hearing more, or know someone who may be suitable, I’d be very happy to have a confidential conversation.

Posted: September 1st, 2026