The Senior Legal Counsel will provide strategic legal guidance on regulatory frameworks across the UK, EU, and Middle East for stablecoin and payment products. They will also manage data privacy functions, negotiate commercial agreements, and engage with regulators to advocate for innovation-friendly policies.
Senior Legal Counsel (Regulatory)
Department: Legal & Compliance
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: London
Description
The EMEA Legal Counsel will provide strategic legal guidance across KAST's UK, EU and Middle East operations. You will work closely with Product, Compliance and GTM / Business teams to ensure compliance with across UK, EU, and Middle Eastern regulatory frameworks and support KAST's engagement with regulators and industry groups. This role is ideal for a lawyer who thrives in fast-moving environments and is passionate about building the legal foundations for the future of money. Location: flexible across the UK/Europe.
Responsibilities
Advising the business on compliance and legal issues related to structuring new and existing stablecoin, payments, and card products and features
Expanding KAST’s product offering in line with regulatory requirements
Drafting and maintaining customer-facing legal documents including Terms of Service, user agreements, and product-specific disclosures
Managing and advising UK, EU, Middle East, financial services, digital asset and privacy regulatory requirements
Monitoring and advising on developments from the FCA, EBA, ESMA, ECB, CBUAE, VARA, DFSA, FSRA and relevant national competent authorities — and their impact on KAST's regional business
Owning KAST’s global data privacy legal function
Collaborating with Product and Commercial teams to design compliant product structures for retail and institutional clients, including card program agreements
Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements with counterparties, including service providers, partners and institutional clients.
Supporting card programme compliance under Visa/Mastercard network rules and relevant EEA/UK issuing frameworks
Ensuring robust compliance with UK, EU, Middle East financial services regulation including AML/CTF, OFAC, sanctions and Travel Rule as applicable
Managing and overseeing outside counsel relationships, including firm selection, matter scoping, and legal spend
Engaging proactively with regions regulators and industry associations to advocate for clear, innovation-friendly frameworks
Qualifications & Skills
5+ years of PQE - qualification in England & Wales or EU Member State; dual qualification (e.g. UK + EU jurisdiction) an advantage
Experience advising on digital assets (and payments), including time at a top law firm or in-house
Strong knowledge of the FCA regulatory framework and UK financial services law; working knowledge of EU financial services regulation (MiCA, PSD2, EMD2, MLD5/6) and at least one MENA regulatory framework
Hands-on data privacy expertise — UK GDPR and/or EU GDPR advisory experience
Familiarity with AML/CTF, sanctions compliance, and Travel Rule obligations in a EMEA context
Excellent communicator and stakeholder manager, with the ability to take decisions where there is ambiguity and translate complex regulation into practical business guidance
Comfortable working across multiple jurisdictions simultaneously in a fast-paced, high-growth environment
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