Legal Counsel

We are seeking a hands-on generalist attorney to strengthen the Latin America and Caribbean Legal team in support of an increasingly complex and regulated regional footprint. This role is designed for a lawyer who can independently lead projects end-to-end, operate comfortably across jurisdictions, and combine regulatory execution, corporate governance, and transactional work with pragmatic, business-oriented legal judgment.
The position will play a critical role in enabling growth, supporting regulated operations, and maintaining strong governance standards across multiple Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) jurisdictions. The individual must be prepared to roll up their sleeves, manage parallel projects at different stages of maturity, and take full ownership from strategy through execution.
Key Responsibilities
Regulatory Licensing & Market EnablementThe role will be responsible for supporting and executing regulatory and licensing processes across multiple LAC jurisdictions, including both new market entry and expansion of existing regulated activities. The successful candidate must have proven experience working with multiple, distinct financial regulatory regimes and authorities.
Responsibilities include:Ownership of applications, authorizations, registrations, regulatory approvals, and supervisory interactions with financial authorities.Coordinating licensing and scope-expansion efforts related to money transmission, payment services and systems, electronic payments, wallets, correspondent/agent frameworks, and related regulated financial activities.Preparing and coordinating complete regulatory application packages, including business plans, governance structures, internal policies and procedures, AML/CFT frameworks in coordination with Compliance, operational flows, and IT, security and privacy descriptions tailored to applicable legal and regulatory requirements.Managing regulatory feedback cycles, observations, remediation plans and post-authorization commitments.Coordinating closely with Compliance, Finance, Operations, Technology, Privacy and external counsel while retaining internal legal ownership and accountability.Supporting ongoing supervisory obligations, renewals, notifications, scope extensions, and regulatory audits.
Cross-Functional & Operational Legal SupportActing as a trusted legal advisor to Business Development, Compliance, Finance, Operations, Technology, and Treasury.Anticipating legal and regulatory risk and delivering clear, actionable, business-oriented advice.Negotiating complex financial services, technology, correspondent, outsourcing, and commercial agreements.Actively improving legal processes, templates, documentation standards, and project-tracking discipline.
Corporate Governance & Entity FormationThe attorney will assist with regional governance structures, ensuring consistent and enforceable standards across LAC entities.Responsibilities include:Incorporation and registration of new entities. Capitalization processes, equity injections in coordination with Treasury and Finance, intercompany structuring and corporate reorganizations.Supporting boards of directors, managers, and senior officers, including preparation of agendas, resolutions, minutes, annual approvals, and extraordinary governance actions.Drafting, reviewing, and maintaining bylaws, shareholders’ agreements, board charters, governance policies, powers of attorney, and delegated authority frameworks.Implementing and enforcing Group governance controls, coordinating director/officer appointments and resignations.Ensuring governance alignment for newly incorporated or recently acquired entities and supporting post-integration governance stabilization.
Mergers & Acquisitions / Strategic TransactionsThe role will be involved in regional M&A, strategic investments, and minority participations, including regulated-target transactions.Responsibilities include:Coordinating legal and regulatory due diligence, with specific focus on licensing, compliance, governance, and regulatory risk.Legal support across the full transaction lifecycle for acquisitions, minority investments, joint ventures, and strategic alliances.Drafting, negotiating, and reviewing SPAs, SHAs, side letters, governance arrangements, and ancillary documentation.Supporting internal approval processes, transaction closings, and post-closing covenants, governance rights, and integration actions.
Employment & Labor Law AdvisoryGiven the concentration of employees in regional hubs, the role will provide hands-on employment and labor law support.Responsibilities include:Advising HR teams on employment contracts, terminations, disciplinary actions, internal investigations, and workforce policies.Supporting HR and management on labor inspections, disputes, and risk mitigation.Coordinating with external labor counsel while maintaining strategic control and internal alignment.
Required Qualifications | Professional CredentialsActive license to practice law in at least one LAC jurisdiction, with ability to provide a valid certificate of good standing.Preferred experience working in multinational organizations or familiarity with U.S. legal and regulatory concepts. An LL.M. in U.S. or U.K. law would be considered a plus.Full professional fluency in English and Spanish (written and spoken) – mandatory.
ExperienceMinimum 5–7 years of post-qualification experience in complex legal environments.Proven track record of personally leading regulatory licensing processes in the financial services, payments, fintech, or similarly regulated sectors.Demonstrated experience managing corporate governance across multiple entities and jurisdictions.Meaningful involvement in M&A and investment transactions, ideally involving regulated entities.Practical experience advising on employment and labor law matters.Previous experience in a regional or international in-house legal department strongly preferred.
Profile & Core CompetenciesTrue hands-on generalist, comfortable operating outside narrow practice silos.Strong sense of ownership and accountability — sees projects through to completion.Able to manage high volumes of parallel, long running workstreams.Confident communicator with senior management, regulators, and external counsel.Highly organized, strong judgment and integrity.
TravelAvailability to travel within LAC and occasionally to the United States (approximately 10–20%).