Legal & Business Compliance Lawyer
Location: Remote (UK/International)
Contract Duration: 3-6 Months (with potential for extension)
About Astute App
Astute is an AI-powered investment brand facilitating startup investment deals through its community-based tech platform, connecting fund seekers, investors, investment firms, lenders, and brokers. Our platform provides an active intelligence layer for qualification, compliance, and explainable matching, committed to ensuring transparent and compliant investment decisions.
The Opportunity
Astute App is seeking an experienced, high-calibre Legal & Business Compliance Lawyer in the Fin-Tech industry. This is a remote, 3-month contract role. This is a critical position focused on establishing and hardening the core UK compliance, data protection, and regulatory frameworks for our innovative fintech platform. You will be instrumental in ensuring Astute App operates legally and securely, protecting both the company and its users from regulatory risk and financial crime.
Key Roles & Responsibilities1. Compliance and Regulatory Hardening
- Provide expert legal advice, guidance, and support on all legal and regulatory matters affecting the company, particularly those pertaining to UK financial services and data protection laws (e.g., FCA, AML Regulations 2017, UK GDPR).
- Lead the development and documentation of corporate management framework documents, including the comprehensive Compliance Framework.
- Research and provide definitive legal opinions on risks associated with local laws, especially concerning the development of new products and services.
- Verify the company’s regulatory context, specifically confirming the platform's distinction as a "technology facilitator" and its requirements, if any, for FCA authorisation.
2. Policy and Document Drafting
- Draft, review, advise, and revise all core compliance policies and internal procedures, ensuring alignment with current domestic and foreign laws.
- Develop robust platform documents, including the Privacy Policy, End User License Agreement (EULA), and internal Data Protection Policies.
- Formulate/amend company policies to ensure compliance with applicable laws, including those relating to user verification (KYC/KYB/AML) and sanctions screening.
3. Contractual Drafting and Management
- Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of business-related contracts, including IT/IP, data processing agreements, and privacy-related terms.
- Ensure legal compliance in the development of in-platform deal documentation (e.g., term sheets, NDAs, heads of terms for e-signature workflows in Phase 2).
- Ensure proper custody is kept of all business instruments and executed contracts.
4. Risk and Partnership Support
- Work closely with the risk, partnerships, regulatory, compliance, product, and engineering teams to appropriately resolve legal, regulatory, and partnership risks, especially concerning API integrations with external verification and registry data partners.
- Relate with and assist external solicitors in handling matters for the company as well as engaging with regulatory authorities where necessary.
5. Events of Default & Enforcement
- 2.1 Non-Payment: Failure to pay any sum due under the finance documents.
- 2.2 Insolvency: Commencement of insolvency proceedings against the borrower.
- 2.3 Late Payment Penalty: The penalty for late payment shall be structured as an increased Default Interest Rate, set at [Interest Rate + 5]% per annum applied to the overdue principal balance. (Note: This rate is selected to be commercially justifiable and scalable for loan agreements governed by English law, providing a deterrent without being deemed a penalty clause).
6. Contractual Documents:
- Standard business-related contracts (IT/IP, privacy).
- Platform-specific deal documents (e.g., standard Non-Disclosure Agreements, Heads of Terms, Term Sheets for e-signature workflow in Phase 2).
- Controller-Processor contracts with all external verification and integration vendors (Must comply with GDPR requirements, e.g., written instructions, duty of confidence, security measures).
7. Foundational Legal Compliance and Corporate Administration:
The role encompasses a broad range of foundational legal and administrative responsibilities, starting with managing company incorporation and all subsequent Companies House matters. You will be responsible for preparing shareholder documentation and overseeing the client onboarding process to ensure seamless integration. Additionally, you will establish robust governance structuring and execute rigorous compliance checks. The position also involves compiling comprehensive loan and funding readiness documents and handling all necessary regulatory correspondence to maintain the platform's standing.
Skills, Abilities, and Experience Required
The following skills, abilities, and experience are required for the Corporate Finance Lawyer function:
- Legal Expertise: In-depth knowledge, education, and skill in international and UK business law and best practices within the financial service and fintech industry.
- Broad Knowledge Base: Broad legal knowledge enabling the spotting and resolution of a variety of legal issues, including regulatory, contract, IP, privacy, data protection/policies, employment, consumer protection, and risk.
- Communication & Drafting: Effective communication, research, and legal drafting skills.
- Strategic & Analytical Abilities: Strategic thinking and creative problem-solving abilities, along with a demonstrated ability to distill legal complexity and clearly communicate practical, risk-based solutions.
- Adaptability: Willingness to engage with the details of novel and complex business models and solutions.
- Guidance & Compliance: Legal prowess, support, and guidance.
Pay: From £13.00 per hour
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Birmingham B1 2JB
