Legal Counsel (Advice and Investments – Absa Trust Limited)
Absa Bank Limited
Available Locations:
Johannesburg, Gauteng
Job Description
Job Summary
Absa Trust Limited is seeking an experienced Legal Counsel to provide end‑to‑end legal, regulatory and fiduciary support across our advice and investment propositions. You will partner with Wealth/Investment, Trust Administration, Product, Compliance, Risk and Operations teams to structure, launch and maintain compliant products and services, safeguard the interests of beneficiaries and clients, and ensure the business operates within all applicable South African laws and regulatory standards. The ideal candidate is a commercially astute, solutions‑driven attorney with deep knowledge of trusts, investment products, financial advisory frameworks and conduct regulation.
Key Responsibilities
- Regulatory & statutory compliance: Interpret and apply relevant legislation (e.g., Trust Property Control Act, Companies Act, FAIS, FICA, POPIA, Income Tax Act, Collective Investment Schemes Control Act, FSCA Conduct Standards, King IV) to products, client documentation and processes.
- Product & proposition support: Advise on the legal design, documentation, marketing and governance of investment and fiduciary products, including trusts, wills, investment mandates, model portfolios and beneficiary funds.
- Contracts & documentation: Draft, review and negotiate trust deeds, investment mandates, service level agreements, adviser agreements, outsourcing/third‑party contracts, NDAs and client‑facing terms.
- Fiduciary governance: Provide legal oversight for trustee decision‑making, conflict management, distributions, letters of wishes, executor activities and estate planning solutions.
- Risk management: Identify legal risks, develop mitigation plans, maintain legal risk registers, and contribute to policy/standard updates.
- Advisory support: Guide advisers, product managers and operations on suitability, disclosure, TCF/COFI outcomes, complaints handling, data privacy and cross‑border matters.
- Dispute resolution: Manage and/or coordinate litigation, ombudsman complaints, recoveries and regulatory enquiries with external counsel when required.
- Training & awareness: Design and deliver legal/regulatory training to internal stakeholders (advisers, product, ops, trustees).
- Change management: Monitor regulatory developments, conduct impact assessments, drive implementation projects and keep stakeholders informed.
- Board & committee reporting: Prepare and present concise legal updates, opinions and risk reports to governance forums.
Required Skills and Qualifications
- LLB (mandatory); postgraduate qualification in Tax, Corporate/Commercial Law or Financial Services Law advantageous.
- Admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa (essential).
- Proven experience advising within a financial services / wealth / fiduciary / asset management environment.
- Strong drafting, negotiation and opinion‑writing capabilities.
- Demonstrated proficiency with South African financial sector regulation and fiduciary law.
- Comfortable working with multidisciplinary stakeholders and senior executives.
- High ethical standards and a client/beneficiary‑centric mindset.
Experience
- 5–8+ years’ post‑articles experience in a top law firm, bank, fiduciary services provider, asset manager, life insurer or advisory firm.
- Track record in trusts, estates, investment products, FAIS/COFI conduct regulation, AML/CFT (FICA) and data privacy (POPIA).
- Experience supporting product development, governance forums, and regulatory change projects is highly desirable.
- Exposure to cross‑border investments, exchange control and international trusts will be an advantage.
Working Hours
- Standard 40-hour work week, Monday to Friday.
- Hybrid working model with flexibility for in‑office presence as business needs dictate.
- Occasional after-hours or weekend work to meet regulatory deadlines, board/committee cycles, or urgent matters.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Knowledge
- Trust, estates and fiduciary law, including beneficiary rights and trustee duties.
- Investment and wealth management product structures (CIS, discretionary mandates, retirement products, living annuities, ETFs, structured products).
- Financial advisory conduct regimes (TCF/COFI), AML/KYC, data protection, and corporate governance.
- Tax considerations relevant to trusts, estates and investment vehicles.
Skills
- Advanced legal drafting, analysis and problem solving.
- Stakeholder engagement, influence and negotiation.
- Policy/framework design, legal risk assessment and remediation.
- Strong written and verbal communication tailored to legal and non‑legal audiences.
Abilities
- Translate complex regulation into pragmatic, commercially viable solutions.
- Prioritise and manage multiple matters with tight timelines.
- Operate autonomously while collaborating effectively in cross‑functional teams.
- Maintain confidentiality, integrity and professional independence.
Benefits
- Market-related compensation with performance-based bonus.
- Retirement, medical aid and risk benefits.
- Generous annual leave and additional study/exam leave where applicable.
- Professional development support (courses, conferences, certifications).
- Access to Absa’s Wellness and Employee Assistance programmes.
- Opportunities to work on high-impact, enterprise-wide initiatives.
Why Join
- Shape the legal and regulatory backbone of a leading African banking group’s trust and investment offerings.
- Work with seasoned fiduciary, investment and advisory professionals on complex, high-value client mandates.
- Influence strategic decisions through visible participation in governance forums and product committees.
- Be part of a culture that values accountability, agility, growth and doing the right thing for clients and beneficiaries.
How to Apply
- Prepare your CV, motivation letter, academic transcripts, and proof of admission as an attorney.
- Submit your application via the Absa Careers Portal (search for “Legal Counsel (Advice & Investments – Absa Trust Limited)”) or email the Talent Acquisition team as indicated in the posting.
- Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a multi-stage process that may include technical interviews, case studies/contract reviews, and competency assessments.