Senior Legal Counsel

In compliance with applicable laws, HSBC is committed to employing only those who are authorized to work in the US. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. as HSBC will not engage in immigration sponsorship for this position.

Our purpose — Opening up a world of opportunity — explains why we exist. At HSBC, we use our unique expertise, capabilities, breadth and perspectives to open up new kinds of opportunity for our more than 40 million customers. We bring together people, ideas and capital that nurture progress and growth, helping to create a better world — for our customers, our people, our investors, our communities and the planet we all share.

As Senior Legal Counsel, Corporate and Institutional Banking (CIB) Infrastructure & Project Finance, you will primarily provide legal advice, guidance and support to HSBC's infrastructure and project finance business in the United States. The role encompasses the full lifecycle of project finance transactions, including advising on the development, construction, and financing of large-scale infrastructure, energy, transport, and public-private partnership (PPP) projects across multiple sectors and jurisdictions.

As Senior Legal Counsel, Infrastructure & Project Finance, you will:

• Provide day-to-day legal advice to the CIB Infrastructure & Project Finance team on all aspects of project finance and infrastructure lending transactions
• Provide timely counsel and legal support on the end-to-end cycle of project finance transactions (e.g., strategy, structuring, due diligence, drafting, negotiation, execution, and implementation) in a cost-effective manner
• Advise on a range of project finance structures, including limited and non-recourse financings, public-private partnerships, concession agreements, export credit agency (ECA)-backed facilities, and multilateral development bank co-financings
• Support CIB business and relationship management teams in structuring and negotiating complex financing arrangements for infrastructure, energy, transportation, and natural resources projects
• Advise business teams and legal colleagues in HSBC affiliate jurisdictions with respect to cross-border project finance transactions, multi-sourced funding arrangements, intercreditor and security arrangements, and relevant regulatory frameworks
• Advise the Infrastructure & Project Finance team and Risk, as necessary, with respect to legal and regulatory issues and risks arising in connection with project financings
• Review and negotiate key project finance documentation, including facility agreements, security packages, direct agreements, sponsor support agreements, hedging arrangements, and common terms agreements
• Ensure senior management within legal and business teams is fully briefed on material legal issues arising in infrastructure and project finance matters
• Work independently and escalate to legal management unusual situations, highly complex issues, and matters that may pose significant legal, financial, and/or reputational risk to the Bank
• Manage (and instruct) panel law firms and legal spend
• Provide legal coverage and support to other teams within the wider CIB legal group as needed, demonstrating a willingness to learn and advise on other lending products and business lines
• Collaborate proactively with other legal team members across CIB, pitching in on matters outside of core responsibilities when workload or business needs require
• Maintain and develop positive and professional working relationships within the wider HSBC legal department and CIB legal teams in the U.S. and globally.

Qualifications

You’ll likely have the following qualifications to succeed in this role:

• A license to practice law in New York State or another acceptable U.S. state
• Solid experience an international law firm or financial institution in one or more of the following areas: project finance, infrastructure finance, energy finance, public-private partnerships, complex structured lending, project bonds and capital markets in the US market
• Experience in Latin American infrastructure and project finance transactions would be a plus
• Demonstrated expertise in negotiating and advising on limited and non-recourse financing structures, concession frameworks, and multi-party intercreditor arrangements
• Curiosity, flexibility, growth mindset, and a genuine desire to contribute to a growing and dynamic team, including an openness to learning new lending products and providing coverage across other CIB legal teams
• A commercial and pragmatic approach to providing legal and risk advice to the Risk function and Wholesale businesses
• Excellent collaboration skills, a team-oriented mindset, willingness to pitch in across matters, and ability to work effectively with varied stakeholders and to drive results
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and drafting skills and demonstrated ability to take initiative and apply good commercial and legal judgement
• High level of academic achievement and solid law firm experience, ideally with a leading project finance or banking practice

As an HSBC employee, you will have access to tailored professional development opportunities to ensure you have the right skills for today and tomorrow. We offer a competitive pay and benefits package including a robust Wellness Hub, all in a welcoming and inclusive work environment. You will be empowered to drive HSBC’s engagement with the communities we serve through an industry-leading volunteerism policy, a generous matching gift program, and a comprehensive program of immersive Sustainability and Climate Change Initiatives. You’ll want to join our Employee Resource Groups as they play a central part in life at HSBC, including the development of our employees and networking inside and outside of HSBC. We value difference. We succeed together. We take responsibility. We get it done. And we want you to help us build the bank of the future!

The final fixed pay offer will depend on the candidate and a number of variables, including but not limited to, role responsibilities, skill set, depth of experience and education, licensing/certification requirements, internal relativity, and specific work location.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, race, national origin, ethnicity, disability or medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran service, religion, creed, sex, gender, pregnancy, childbirth, caregiver status, marital status, citizenship or immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other trait protected by applicable law.