Litigation Lawyer
Division: Legal Division
Department: Litigation & Legal Review (LLR)
Salary: National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £47,200 to £70,800
and London from £49,700 to £74,500 (salary offered will be based on skills and experience)
This role is graded as: Associate, Practising Legal
Your recruitment contact is Raimonda via Raimonda.Stankute@fca.org.uk Applications must be submitted through our online portal. Applications sent via social media or email will not be accepted.
About the FCA and team
We regulate financial services firms in the UK, to keep financial markets fair, thriving and effective. By joining us, you’ll play a key part in protecting consumers, driving economic growth and shaping the future of UK finance services.
The Legal Division provides advice and legal services across the full spectrum of FCA activities, whether regulatory, policy, enforcement or operational.
Sitting in the Legal Division, the Litigation & Legal Review (LLR) team handles all non-criminal contentious Enforcement and Authorisations legal work for the FCA. We are looking for an enthusiastic and talented contentious regulatory lawyer, whether newly qualified or with relevant PQE/post-pupillage experience of up to around 3 years, to join our team. You will have the opportunity to engage in a broad range of high-profile, complex regulatory matters, often at the forefront of financial services litigation, including proceedings before the RDC, Upper Tribunal and High Court.
We are a dynamic, inclusive and supportive team, offering both stimulating work and genuine work-life balance.
Role responsibilities
Conduct litigation and legal reviews of FCA investigations and cases for submission to decision makers including senior decision makers, the RDC, Upper Tribunal and the courts
Draft, review and advise on case papers including statutory notices, written submissions, statements of case and witness statements
Provide clear, practical legal advice to Enforcement, Authorisations and other FCA teams on points of law, and with regard to the exercise of FCA powers, and conduct any resulting regulatory proceedings
Instruct and manage external counsel, and, where necessary, draft written and/or make oral representations to an executive decision maker, RDC, Upper Tribunal and courts
Collaborate with colleagues across the Legal Division and Enforcement to share knowledge and promote best practice
Build and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders, including colleagues in Enforcement case teams, Authorisations and supervisory business units, the RDC and external law firms
Play an integral role in cases that protect consumers, maintain market integrity and uphold confidence in UK financial services
Skills required
Minimum:
Qualified solicitor or barrister with a valid practising certificate issued by the Solicitors Regulation Authority for England and Wales or the General Council of the Bar for England and Wales
Clear and demonstrable experience of conducting commercial litigation or contentious financial services proceedings/investigations
Essential:
Experience of conducting commercial litigation or contentious financial services proceedings/investigations
Good written and oral communication skills
Ability to deal with a considerable volume of evidence and exercise analytical skills to provide clear advice
Self-motivation with the ability to work independently and as part of a team
Capacity to manage competing priorities and perform under pressure to deadlines
Demonstration of strong intellectual ability and sound judgement
Benefits
25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
Hybrid model with up to 60% remote work
Non-contributory pension (8–12% depending on age) and life assurance at eight times your salary
Private healthcare with Bupa, income protection and 24/7 Employee Assistance
35 hours of paid volunteering annually
A flexible benefits scheme designed around your lifestyle
For a full list of our benefits and our recruitment process as a whole visit our benefits page.
Our values and culture
Our colleagues are the key to our success as a regulator. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture: one that’s free from discrimination and bias, celebrates difference and supports colleagues to deliver at their best. We believe that our differences and similarities enable us to be a better organisation – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation and delivers better regulation.
If you require any adjustments due to a disability or condition, your recruiter is here to help - reach out for tailored support.
We welcome diverse working styles and aim to find flexible solutions that suit both the role and individual needs, including options like part-time and job sharing where applicable.
Disability confident: our hiring approach
We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and therefore, people or individuals with disabilities and long-term conditions who best meet the minimum criteria for a role will go through to the next stage of the recruitment process. In cases of high application volumes we may progress applicants whose experience most closely matches the role’s key requirements.
Useful information and timelines
Timeline:
Advert Closing Date: 16th November 2025 (midnight)
CV Review/Shortlist: 18th November 2025
Video Interview: w/c 24th November 2025
Your recruiter will discuss the process in detail with you during screening for the role, therefore, please make them aware if you are going to be unavailable for any date during this time.
Please provide your CV and separate answer (max 300 words) to the following application question: Why do you consider that you are suitable for this role?
Please ensure that you clearly describe your relevant skills and experience and ability to meet the criteria set out above in these documents.
After your CV and suitability answer have been reviewed, and if you are successfully screened, it is envisaged you will be invited to an interview - which is likely to include a case study and technical, motivational and competency type questions.