Jobs

Legal Counsel

English (EN)

Legal Counsel

Mizuho Amsterdam

What is required?

  • Master’s degree in Dutch Law
  • At least 4 years PQE in a law firm or within the banking/financial sector
  • Experience in drafting and negotiating transaction documentation in English
  • Ability to manage transactions independently
  • Knowledge of regulatory legislation and/or interest and FE derivatives is a pro
  • Advanced command of the English and Dutch language, both verbally and in writing. Command of the Japanese, German and/or Spanish language are a plus
  • Strong analytical skills, initiative, pragmatic and independent worker combined with a (internal) client focus
  • Has a good adaptability, like to work in a team and is punctual

What will you get?

  • €75K - €95K gross p/y (depending on knowledge and experience) including 13 th month and holiday allowance
  • Annual bonus
  • 37,5 hour working week (flexible working hours)
  • Possibility to work flexible and remote
  • 30 vacation days (based on fulltime employment)
  • Option to buy or sell leave annually
  • Technical and professional training possibilities
  • 100% company paid defined contribution pension plan
  • Global employee mobility plan
  • Unique opportunity of working in a dynamic international and multicultural environment and being part of one of the largest financial institutions of the world

What will you do?

  • 25% Creating and reviewing documents
  • 25% Ensuring compliance and overseeing regulations
  • 15% Updating policies and templates
  • 15% Managing external legal relationships
  • 10% Collaborating with other Mizuho Legal departments
  • 10% Advising on products, services and legal frameworks

This vacancy has been created based on interviews with employees to help you get a realistic preview of the job.

Vacancy

As a Legal Counsel at Mizuho, you take on a key role in supporting and advising the commercial staff in their negotiations. Your main responsibilities will be to support the commercial activities of MBE. Among other things, you help to create and check various banking documents like loan agreements, credit facilities, and trade finance documentation. It’s important that you make sure all of these documents follow the law and Mizuho’s own rules. Your advice will also guide how new deals are put together and how current financial setups are adjusted or changed.

In addition, you are ensuring that Mizuho stays prepared for any changes in legal and market standards, such as LMA documentation. This means you will spend time observing and analyzing changes in laws and market standards and adjusting the policies and document templates to keep them up-to-date. Your role also involves managing relationships with external legal service providers and making sure the legal Departments within Mizuho are working well together.

You will be part of a small, dedicated team in the Legal, Corporate & Regulatory Affairs department. Working alongside two other Legal Counsels and reporting to the Head of Legal, Corporate & Regulatory Affairs, your work will be vital in managing the various legal aspects of the operations. The team is here to make sure all the bank's dealings are legal and above board. It's straightforward, impactful work, where your skills make a difference every day. And while the work can be complex and the days can be busy, you will be in a supportive environment where your contribution is valued and your professional growth matters.

If you like to navigate through the complexities of financial documents and find it challenging to ensure all commercial activities are legally sound and strategically effective, then this is the job for you.

Working week

Legal Counsel

On an enjoyable day, you help with advising on financial negotiations, participate in international projects, and foster MBE's global connections within the Mizuho network.

On a less enjoyable day, you might jump into a transaction late and have to quickly figure out the legal risks with not much information and not much time.
  • 08:00
  • 09:00
  • 10:00
  • 11:00
  • 12:00
  • 13:00
  • 14:00
  • 15:00
  • 16:00
  • 17:00
  • 18:00
    • Lunch break
    • Meeting with external Counsel
    • Reading and replying to emails
    • Participating in an international project
    • Assessing new transactions
    • Team meeting
    • Lunch break
    • Amending existing financial structures
    • Evaluating new transaction issues
    • Reviewing and drafting banking documentation
    • One-on-one with Manager
    • Meeting with Front Office
    • Lunch break
    • Reading and replying to mails
    • Reading and replying to emails
    • Visiting external Legal Advisor
    • Managing external legal relationships
    • Attending internal legal workshop
    • Processing administration
    • Lunch break
    • Reading and replying to emails
    • Internal consultation
    • Revising legal opinions
    • Working on ISDA documentation
    • Consulting internally on transactions

Firsthand experience

You are embedded in a complex transaction involving meticulous legal review and challenging negotiations. What do you do?

As a Legal Counsel at Mizuho, your primary task is to guide and advise through every stage of the transaction, ensuring all legalities are meticulously checked and every negotiation point is in the bank's best interest. Your expertise lights the way in reviewing and drafting important documents, such as loan agreements and ISDA documentation, ensuring that each step is legally sound and strategically beneficial. You not only navigate through the complex negotiations with a good understanding of legal principles, but also with a strategic mindset, always aiming to seal the transaction successfully and advantageously for Mizuho.

Growth

The goal of Mizuho Bank Europe is that employees have the right skills, knowledge and attitude to drive results they need to achieve. Their key principle is that trainings should be accessible to anyone and contribute to their strategic business goals. Because of that, employees are allowed to follow a study or training in a relevant field. Additionally, Mizuho promotes internal and international vacancy's so employees can move from one department to another.

Legal Counsel

Working at Mizuho

Mizuho Bank Europe N.V. (MBE) is a fully-licensed bank incorporated in the Netherlands and supervised by De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) and the Autoriteit Financiële Markten (AFM). With over 45 years of experience providing financial services to Japanese and non-Japanese customers in the region, Mizuho has developed a solid client base and expertise throughout the European single market - with a focus on the markets in the Benelux, Iberia, and Central & Eastern Europe - using their EU Banking Passport.

View company profile of Mizuho
  • Based in Amsterdam (Zuidas)
  • 124 employees in the Netherlands
  • Over 65.000 employees worldwide
  • 45% / 55%
  • Average age 33 years
  • Possibility to work flexible and remote
  • Business casual

Interesting job?