Commodities Trade Finance Lawyer

The role

An opportunity exists in our fast-growing and highly regarded Commodities Trade Finance group for a newly qualified or 1 year Post Qualified Equivanet (PQE) Associate to join our team in Geneva. The team is ranked as one of the best in the market by leading directories, such as Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners. In the role, you work directly with Associates, Partners and clients across a range of jurisdictions on interesting, upbeat and often complex matters. You should have excellent drafting skills and be able to work independently as well as part of a team.

About you

We are seeking candidates who:

are admitted as solicitor in England & Wales

if newly qualified, have completed at least one seat in trade finance or banking & finance, ideally with a leading City law firm, or, if PQE 1, have one year of trade finance or banking & finance experience, ideally with a leading City law firm

speak fluent English (French, German or Italian a plus)

have excellent English communication and drafting skills

demonstrate a keen interest in international trade, banking, trade finance and the applicable laws

have a basic understanding of trade finance structures and needs in the commodities sector, on which they are enthusiastic to build

are willing to think out of the box to find and implement innovative structures

are willing to learn and strive to be the best lawyer they can be

are efficient and can demonstrate excellent time management

understand that providing outstanding client service is paramount

willing to understand the client's business to best meet its objectives

willing to invest in strong internal and external relationships

On offer

The successful candidate will join a reputable and thriving practice, and work with a high performing and supportive team who view the broader success of the firm as paramount. Clients are global and diverse, among commodity trading and shipping firms and banks located in Switzerland, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Eastern Europe, America or Africa. Along with an attractive salary package, you will be eligible for bonuses and offered training programmes and a clear career progression path. The position is full-time based in Geneva.

Additional information

This job description is not contractual. It is reviewed periodically and may be amended or altered to meet the needs of the firm.

HFW aims to ensure equality of opportunity and we are actively working towards improving the diversity of our staff. All applications will be considered only on merit and the applicant's suitability to meet the requirements of the role.

HFW collects and processes personal data relating to job applicants to manage its recruitment process. The firm is committed to being transparent about how it collects and uses that data and to meeting its data protection obligations. For information on how the firm will process your data, please see our Privacy Notice on our website (www.hfw.com/Privacy-Notice), in the section "What we collect and how we use it".

The Firm

HFW is a leading global law firm in the aerospace, commodities, construction, energy, insurance and shipping sectors. The firm has almost 600 fee‑earners, including 180 partners, based in 20 offices across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. As true industry specialists, we take a progressive approach to our roles in commercial business – thinking creatively and pragmatically to support our clients. HFW prides itself on its deep industry expertise and its entrepreneurial, creative and collaborative culture.

Geneva is the world's leading hub for physical commodities and trade finance across diverse sectors such as coffee, cocoa, grains and soft commodities, oil and energy and metals