Legal Counsel

About the Role

Nova Prospect is a systematic prop trading firm, founded by industry experts who previously built some of the most successful businesses in quant finance and crypto. We run lean, move fast, and hold ourselves to an exceptionally high bar.

We are looking for a sharp, ownership-driven Legal Counsel to join our Legal and Compliance team. This is a broad, hands-on role- you will own the full legal function, from contracts and corporate structuring to compliance oversight. You will work directly with senior stakeholders, sit at the centre of consequential decisions, and build the legal infrastructure of a growing trading firm from the ground up.

This is not a support role. We want someone who takes initiative, exercises sound judgement on hard problems, and thrives in an environment where the answer is rarely obvious.

What You Will Do

Legal & Contracts

• Own all legal matters for the firm — from initial scoping to resolution — across trading, operations, and corporate functions
• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of agreements including prime brokerage agreements, NDAs, vendor contracts, and financing arrangements
• Be the first point of contact for contract queries, new business questions, and legal escalations from the trading and operations teams
• Manage relationships with external counsel and specialist advisers; scope engagements efficiently and ensure quality output

Corporate Structuring

• Advise on entity structure, jurisdiction selection, and cross-border legal considerations as the firm expands into new markets and asset classes
• Support corporate governance, including maintaining statutory records, board resolutions, and regulatory registrations across jurisdictions
• Partner with senior leadership on strategic initiatives requiring legal input — including market access arrangements, counterparty onboarding, trading operations, and firmwide commercial initiatives.

Compliance Oversight

• Build and maintain the firm's compliance framework — including trading conduct policies, personal account dealing, and employee compliance requirements
• Manage regulatory licensing obligations across relevant jurisdictions; coordinate applications, renewals, and ongoing reporting requirements
• Prepare for and manage regulatory examinations, enquiries, and investigations
• Monitor regulatory developments in crypto and financial markets and translate them into practical guidance for the business

What We Are Looking For

• 5+ years of post-qualification experience in a finance or corporate practice at a top-tier law firm, or in-house at a trading firm, bank, or financial institution
• Demonstrated strength in drafting and negotiating complex commercial and financial contracts
• Working knowledge of financial services regulation; familiarity with crypto regulation is a plus but not required- we will invest in the right candidate
• Experience advising on corporate structuring or cross-border legal matters

Beyond credentials, we are looking for someone with strong judgement, a bias for action, and the ability to give clear recommendations on ambiguous issues. You should be comfortable operating without a large legal team behind you, and genuinely excited about building something from scratch.