Senior Regulatory & Commercial Lawyer (CY)

Smarter is a management company responsible for defining the overall strategy of investment activities and ensuring optimal management and development strategies for each business unit within the group. The main areas of activity and focus of our company include the international fintech community SFORS (https://sfors.com), the brokerage company Statok (https://statok.global), and the product company Pine Software (https://pinesoftware.com.cy)

We are looking for an experienced and business-oriented Senior Legal Counsel to serve as a trusted legal partner for our portfolio businesses across digital assets, algorithmic trading, brokerage, and SaaS technology.

In this role, you will lead our regulatory strategy across key global jurisdictions (particularly the EU and UAE), drive complex licensing projects, negotiate high-value commercial and technology contracts, and help build robust legal operations as the group expands.

1. Regulatory Strategy & Licensing Leadership

• Lead Licensing & Authorisations: Drive end-to-end regulatory projects under frameworks such as MiCA (EU) and VARA (UAE), collaborating with internal stakeholders and managing external counsel.

• Regulatory Horizon Scanning: Monitor emerging legal developments in the EU, UAE, US, and Switzerland (FINMA), translating regulatory shifts into actionable commercial advice.

• Product & Market Entry Advisory: Advise Product, Engineering, and Trading teams from day one to ensure new business models (spot, derivatives, prop trading, liquidity solutions) are compliant by design.
  

2. Commercial, SaaS & Tech Transactions

• Draft & Negotiate Commercial Deals: Review complex SaaS, enterprise software, white-label agreements, MSAs, SLAs, DPAs, and IP licensing contracts.

• Institutional Onboarding: Oversee the legal side of onboarding with major crypto exchanges, liquidity providers, custodians, institutional banks, and payment rails (including KYB reviews and counterparty agreements).

• Platform Documentation: Draft and maintain client-facing platform documents: Terms of Service/Use, Risk Disclosures, and Privacy Policies.
  

3. AI, Emerging Tech & Compliance Integration

• AI & Data Governance: Advise on legal risks and governance around AI development and deployment, including compliance with the EU AI Act, AI vendor contracting, IP ownership, and GDPR.

• Cross-functional Alignment: Partner closely with Compliance/AML, Finance, and Information Security on AML/CFT frameworks, sanctions compliance, and internal controls.
  

4. Legal Operations & Leadership

• Scalable Operations: Build internal legal playbooks, automated contract templates, and review workflows to accelerate business velocity.

• External Counsel Management: Select, manage, and coordinate outside law firms across multiple jurisdictions, controlling budgets and deliverable quality.

• Mentorship: Help build the group’s legal function and mentor junior legal specialists.
  

• Education & Experience: Master’s/Bachelor’s Degree in Law with 5+ years of total legal experience, including 3+ years dedicated to crypto/FinTech (in-house at an exchange, CASP, broker, proprietary trading firm, or leading FinTech law practice).

• Hands-on Licensing Track Record: Direct, practical experience working on a MiCA/CASP application or a VARA licensing process (theoretical knowledge alone is not sufficient).

• Deep Tech & Commercial Drafting: Exceptional drafting and negotiation skills for technology, SaaS, and IP agreements.

• Understanding of Trading Mechanics: Solid grasp of digital asset market infrastructure, spot vs. derivatives trading, liquidity provision, and market making.

• Business-First Mindset: Proven ability to operate autonomously across multiple jurisdictions, offering pragmatic solutions rather than just risk lists.

• Languages: Professional working proficiency in English; fluency in Ukrainian is required for internal group communication.
  

Core Competencies & Strong Assets:

• Prior exposure to CySEC, ADGM, DIFC, or other Tier-1/Tier-2 financial regulators.

• Practical understanding of the EU AI Act, GDPR, and IP commercialization.

• Strong working knowledge of AML/CFT standards (certifications like ACAMS or ICA are a major plus).
  

Nice-to-Have (Areas of Expertise):

• Broader EU Financial Services Regulation (MiFID II, MAR).

• Swiss Financial Regulations (FINMA / DLT Act).

• Cross-border corporate structuring and international tax fundamentals.
  

What We Offer

• High degree of autonomy and strategic influence on group-level decisions.

• Exposure to top-tier international projects at the intersection of Web3, algorithmic trading, and AI.

• Highly competitive compensation package based on qualifications and track record.

• Flexible working format (remote / hybrid options).

• Professional growth, conference attendance, and legal budget management authority

Company offers

• Care from Day One — medical insurance from your first day, including dental care, massage, and professional psychological support.

• Work-Life Balance — 21 days of paid vacation + 30 days of paid sick leave.

• Knowledge Library — office books and access to the Kuka online library. 

• Investment in Your Energy — partial reimbursement for sports and fitness activities.

• Modern Workspaces with full power-backup infrastructure in Larnaca, Cyprus.

• Island Relaxation — up to 14 days per year at the company villa in Cyprus. 

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Join the Smarter team, where your talents and aspirations will be recognized! We offer a dynamic work environment, opportunities for professional growth, and support at every step of your career path. Start your journey to success with us—apply today and take the first step towards your bright future.

Smarter is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Thank you for considering Smarter as your next career move!!