Legal Counsel (Merchant Services, Fintech)

Overview of the Opportunity

Accutrainee Limited, through its Accuflex service, is recruiting an in-house Legal Counsel (Merchant Services, Fintech) for a prominent global financial services and payments organisation. This is a full-time, 12-month contract position based in London, operating on a hybrid model requiring three days per week in the office. The contract is scheduled to commence in mid-July 2026.

This role offers an exceptional opportunity for a commercially minded lawyer to join a highly regarded in-house legal department. The successful candidate will support the organisation’s global merchant services business across the EMEA region, focusing on high-value, strategically significant commercial agreements.

Key Responsibilities

As Legal Counsel, your core duties will include:

• Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial agreements with strategic merchant partners, banks, intermediaries, and other key commercial counterparties.
• Leading negotiations on merchant and partnership agreements across domestic and international markets.
• Advising internal stakeholders on commercial risk, contract structures, and practical legal solutions.
• Collaborating closely with compliance and regulatory teams to address issues arising from commercial arrangements.
• Supporting large-scale commercial projects within the merchant services sector.
• Contributing to internal process improvements to enhance the efficiency of legal support.

Eligibility & Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate must meet the following criteria:

• Qualification: Must be a qualified solicitor in England & Wales.
• Experience: Ideally possesses 1 to 5 years of Post-Qualified Experience (PQE).
• Skills: Strong background in commercial contracts, including drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex agreements.
• Autonomy: Ability to manage negotiations independently or demonstrate readiness to do so after an initial onboarding period.
• Soft Skills: Excellent stakeholder management, pragmatic problem-solving abilities, and clear communication skills to explain complex legal issues to non-legal colleagues.

Preferred Experience

While not mandatory, prior experience in the following areas is highly advantageous:

• Payments, fintech, or regulated financial services.
• Merchant acquiring or banking.
• Strategic partnerships and international commercial contracts.
• Technology or platform agreements.

Why Apply?

This position provides exposure to a leading global payments platform, offering high-quality commercial work with a strong balance of autonomy and senior legal support. It is an ideal stepping stone for commercial lawyers looking to transition into or deepen their expertise within the fast-growing fintech and payments sector.