Morgan Stanley - Legal (Asia Litigation, Regulatory Enforcement & Investigations) Vice President | Hong Kong 1. Company Profile Morgan Stanley is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, investment management and wealth management services. The Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments and individuals from more than 40 countries.
As a market leader, the talent and passion of our people is critical to our success. Together, we share a common set of values rooted in integrity, excellence and strong team ethics. Morgan Stanley can provide a strong foundation for building a professional career - a place for people to learn, to achieve and grow. A philosophy that balances personal lifestyles, perspectives and needs is an important part of our culture.
2. Department Profile - Legal & Compliance Professionals within the Legal and Compliance Division provide a wide range of services to our business. They might help to structure a complex and sensitive cross-border transaction; advise on a new product introduction; develop a training program or help resolve an investor dispute. They preserve the Firm's reputation for integrity and help protect the Firm from sanctions with policies and procedures that meet regulatory requirements around the world. They also strive to maintain cooperative relationships with governmental policy makers and the regulatory and self-regulatory agencies that govern the Firm's businesses.
3. About the Role Based in Hong Kong, the Asia Litigation, Regulatory Enforcement & Investigations team is seeking a high-caliber legal professional to support and advise all business units across Asia (including Japan) on a broad range of contentious and investigatory matters.
Why join this team You will join a small, specialist APAC disputes/regulatory enforcement & investigations team based in Hong Kong, advising across multiple business lines and jurisdictions across Asia. The role offers high visibility, close partnership with senior stakeholders, and hands-on ownership of sensitive matters from early issue-spotting through resolution.
4. Key Responsibilities The successful candidate will have a broad remit, including the following:
A. Disputes, arbitration & regulatory enforcement strategy - Provide pragmatic advice to help prevent disputes and manage litigation, arbitration and regulatory enforcement matters, including early-stage / pre litigation / pre investigation assessments.
- Help develop and execute strategy, including risk evaluation, resolution options and recommendations to mitigate legal and reputational exposure.
B. Internal investigations & regulatory inquiries - Coordinate and/or conduct internal investigations and enquiries, including scoping, fact development through interviews and analysis, stakeholder coordination, and documenting outcomes appropriately.
- Act as a key point-of-contact for internal stakeholders and regulators on sensitive internal and/or regulatory investigations and proceedings.
C. Stakeholder management & communications - Work closely with internal stakeholders (e.g., senior management, Compliance, Risk, HR, Technology, Operations and other control partners) to drive timely, well governed outcomes.
- Where appropriate, ensure coordination with Corporate Communications and other relevant functions to support consistent messaging to media and effective issue management.
D. External counsel management - Instruct, manage and oversee external counsel, including strategy, workstreams, quality control and overall case management.
E. Advisory support & risk prevention - Provide advice on contracts and transactions to ensure the Firm has necessary and appropriate protection from a dispute resolution perspective.
- Advise on relevant Firm policies and procedures and deliver training or guidance to help mitigate future legal, regulatory and franchise risks.
5) Qualifications, Skills & Requirements Required - HK / UK / US qualified lawyer with 7-10 years' post qualification experience, with relevant litigation, arbitration, investigations and/or regulatory enforcement experience gained in a well regarded private practice and/or in house role (financial services experience preferred).
- Strong drafting and communication skills in English (written and oral).
- Confident, collaborative and solutions oriented; able to work effectively in a fast paced environment while adhering to Firm policies and practices.
- Calm under pressure; strong analytical skills and sound judgment on sensitive issues; able to manage multiple matters and stakeholders simultaneously.
Preferred / Advantageous - Familiarity with the Asia regulatory enforcement landscape.
- Fluency in Cantonese and/or Mandarin is a distinct advantage.
Additional notes - Candidates with more experience will also be considered.
- Position title and remuneration will be commensurate with the successful candidate's experience and qualifications.
6) Location Hong Kong, with responsibilities covering Asia (including Japan).
7) Equal Opportunity Morgan Stanley is an equal opportunities employer. We work to provide a supportive and inclusive environment where all individuals can maximize their full potential. Our skilled and creative workforce is comprised of individuals drawn from a broad cross section of the global communities in which we operate and who reflect a variety of backgrounds, talents, perspectives, and experiences. Our strong commitment to a culture of inclusion is evident through our constant focus on recruiting, developing, and advancing individuals based on their skills and talents.
8) How to Apply Please apply with your CV and a brief cover note summarizing your most relevant experience in disputes / investigations / enforcement matters, including jurisdictional exposure across Asia (including Japan).
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM MORGAN STANLEY: At Morgan Stanley, we raise, manage and allocate capital for our clients - helping them reach their goals. We do it in a way that's differentiated - and we've done that for 90 years. Our values - putting clients first, doing the right thing, leading with exceptional ideas, committing to diversity and inclusion, and giving back - aren't just beliefs, they guide the decisions we make every day to do what's best for our clients, communities and more than 80,000 employees in 1,200 offices across 42 countries. At Morgan Stanley, you'll find an opportunity to work alongside the best and the brightest, in an environment where you are supported and empowered. Our teams are relentless collaborators and creative thinkers, fueled by their diverse backgrounds and experiences. We are proud to support our employees and their families at every point along their work-life journey, offering some of the most attractive and comprehensive employee benefits and perks in the industry. There's also ample opportunity to move about the business for those who show passion and grit in their work.
To learn more about our offices across the globe, please copy and paste https://www.morganstanley.com/about-us/global-offices into your browser.
Morgan Stanley is an equal opportunities employer. We work to provide a supportive and inclusive environment where all individuals can maximize their full potential. Our skilled and creative workforce is comprised of individuals drawn from a broad cross section of the global communities in which we operate and who reflect a variety of backgrounds, talents, perspectives, and experiences. Our strong commitment to a culture of inclusion is evident through our constant focus on recruiting, developing, and advancing individuals based on their skills and talents.