Senior Legal Counsel Opportunities

• Two newly created roles
• Senior Legal Counsel (Regulatory) and Senior Legal Counsel (Projects)
• High performing investment management firm
• Auckland CBD

Two exceptional opportunities have arisen for senior lawyers with financial services expertise to join a high-performing, award-winning investment management firm at a pivotal stage of growth.

About the company

Milford Asset Management Limited ('Milford') is a proudly staff-owned investment management business with over $30bn in funds under management and an aspiration to become New Zealand's most iconic investment firm. Known for delivering exceptional outcomes for clients, Milford fosters a collaborative, ambitious and forward-thinking culture.

Milford is experiencing strong, sustained expansion and has set its sights on ambitious future growth. To support this phase of growth and maturity, two Senior Legal Counsel roles have been created within its highly regarded Risk, Compliance and Legal team.

About the roles

Reporting to the Head of Legal, both roles will provide strategic legal advice and help navigate complex regulatory obligations, enabling innovation and growth while managing legal risk.

Senior Legal Counsel (Regulatory)

This role will serve as Milford's subject matter expert in financial services law, providing authoritative legal advice and leadership on regulatory matters. You'll support compliance strategy and ensure adherence to applicable laws and best practices across jurisdictions.

The scope of this role involves advising on regulatory obligations including licensing, disclosure, governance and conduct requirements in both New Zealand and Australia; providing legal input into regulatory change and compliance programmes; supporting senior stakeholders with regulatory engagement and submissions; advising on the legal design of financial products and services; conducting legal risk assessments; and keeping abreast of regional and global regulatory trends.

This role will suit a senior lawyer with specialist expertise in financial services regulation. Knowledge of FMCA, AML/CFT, FATCA/CRS and privacy will be critical, along with superior influencing skills and the ability to translate complex law into practical, risk-based business solutions.

Senior Legal Counsel (Projects)

This role provides real-time legal and regulatory guidance to cross-functional teams, enabling innovation while managing risk across product launches, technology implementations and strategic initiatives.

This is a fast-paced role that calls for active engagement across the full project lifecycle, ensuring products and services comply with applicable laws and regulations. Responsibilities include participating in project steering committees and embedding legal perspectives into key decisions; drafting and reviewing contracts and project documentation; identifying legal risks and supporting issue resolution; and coordinating internal approvals in line with Milford's legal framework.

This role will suit a senior lawyer with proven experience in financial services law, including regulatory matters, and ideally exposure to technology or data law. It's an excellent opportunity for someone who thrives in fast-paced environments, can translate complex legal concepts into actionable advice, and is passionate about embedding legal and regulatory thinking into agile workflows.

What we are seeking for both roles

• Qualified lawyer with NZ practising certificate (or eligibility to hold one)
• 7-10+ PQE in financial services law gained in high-quality law firm or in-house environments
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Excellent attention to detail, time management and organisation skills
• Ability to balance legal risk with business goals
• A positive, approachable and collaborative style

These are rare and compelling in-house opportunities to join a talented legal team that values collaboration, respect and shared success. With a superb working culture, stimulating legal work and a competitive remuneration package that includes a suite of attractive benefits, this is your chance to contribute meaningfully to a business shaping the future of investment in New Zealand.

For a confidential discussion about this opportunity and to obtain a copy of the position description, please contact Jennifer Williams at Williams Legal Recruitment Limited on or