Regulatory & Licensing Counsel (Trading & Derivatives)

The role

This role leads CFTC and NFA licensing work and acts as the firm's main legal expert on the Commodity Exchange Act and NFA rules. It covers OTC and cleared derivatives, margin lending, and regulatory examinations in the crypto space.

What you will do

• Serve as the primary legal expert on the Commodity Exchange Act and NFA Rules
• Lead end-to-end strategy for obtaining and maintaining regulatory licenses and managing the registration lifecycle
• Draft, review, and negotiate margin lending agreements with institutional counterparties
• Draft, review, and negotiate ISDA/CSA and other regulatory agreements and disclosure documents
• Partner with Trading, Operations, Risk, and Engineering to embed CFTC/NFA compliance into workflows
• Monitor CFTC mandates and NFA interpretive notices and advise the executive team
• Lead legal responses to regulatory inquiries and NFA examinations
• Develop internal Rules-to-Workflow frameworks to prevent regulatory breaches

Required qualifications

• J.D. degree with a focus on financial services, commodities, or corporate law
• 4+ years of experience practicing law, with at least 3+ years focused on CFTC and NFA regulatory matters
• Deep knowledge of the Commodity Exchange Act and the Dodd-Frank Act (Title VII)
• Technical proficiency in derivatives, including OTC products, margin lending, and the legal life cycle of futures and swaps
• Excellent communication, drafting, and negotiation skills, with experience handling ISDA/CSA documentation or clearing agreements
• Experience working with Trading, Engineering, and Risk teams to build financial products and solve jurisdictional issues
• Enthusiasm for crypto and a foundational understanding of digital assets and CFTC/NFA jurisdiction
• Close attention to detail and ability to manage licensing applications and regulatory audits simultaneously
• Ability to execute with moderate supervision while balancing commercial targets with legal compliance
• Previous in-house legal experience at a fintech, hedge fund, major financial institution, or top-tier law firm regulatory practice
• Familiarity with market infrastructure, including electronic trading platforms, central clearing, and margin and collateral management

Nice to have

• Emotionally moved by the soundtrack to Hamilton

Before you apply

• All new hires must complete an in-person onboarding process with no exceptions

About the company

Anchorage Digital is a crypto platform that enables institutions to participate in digital assets through custody, staking, trading, and settlement. It is home to Anchorage Digital Bank N.A., the first federally chartered crypto bank in the U.S.