Legal Counsel – Equity Finance

Mizuho•New York, NY

2d•$230,000 - $275,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Mizuho Americas is seeking an experienced Legal Counsel to support its equity sales and trading platform, with a focus on equity finance (margin lending, equity repo, securities lending, delta-one swaps). This role works closely with front‑office, risk, and operations partners to manage legal and regulatory risk, negotiate complex trading documentation, and support a broad range of equity and equity‑linked products in a fast‑paced markets environment.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited U.S. law school.
Member in good standing of the New York State Bar.
10+ years of relevant legal experience within a financial institution or top‑tier law firm.
Proven ability to manage multiple complex matters and tight deadlines in a trading‑floor environment.
Proactive, resourceful, and able to operate independently while exercising sound judgment.
Detail‑oriented, collaborative team player with strong interpersonal skills.
Excellent written, verbal, organizational, and presentation skills.
Demonstrated professionalism and strong work ethic.

Responsibilities

Provide legal coverage for the structured equity finance business.
Support LP fund financing, full-recourse margin lending, equity repo (bi-lateral and tri-party), securities lending and delta-one equity swaps.
Provide legal guidance on margin lending regulations, FINRA, Regulation T, and Regulation U compliance.
Provide guidance on Dodd-Frank and rules applicable to Security-Based Swaps (SBS) and Security-Based Swap Dealers (SBSD).
Draft and negotiate credit agreements, loan agreements and related fund financing and margin lending documentation.
Draft and negotiate securities financing documentation, including MRAs and MSLAs and equity swap MCAs; maintain and enhance standard documentation templates.
Partner closely with Credit, Market Risk, Collateral Management, Operations, and other internal stakeholders to address legal, operational and risk matters.