Legal Graduate Trainee - Trading & Prime Services Legal Team (fixed-term)

About the Team

The Legal Department in London provides legal support and advice across a wide range of investment banking and financial services activities.

This role sits within the Trading & Prime Services Legal team, which supports the bank's global markets businesses. The team helps ensure that trading relationships and services are documented appropriately, legal risks are managed effectively, and regulatory requirements are met.

The team works closely with colleagues across Legal, Compliance, Risk, Operations, Technology and Front Office functions, as well as legal teams in other international offices.

As a Trainee, you will have the opportunity to gain exposure to financial markets, legal project management, legal technology and the legal documentation that underpins trading and prime brokerage activities.

All roles at Société Générale CIB are expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to effective risk assessment and management, sound judgement, and speaking up when noticing behaviours or outcomes creating unintended risk. You will be expected to operate with integrity, manage risk proactively in day-to-day activities, log and escalate issues promptly and constructively, and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and self-accountability.

Purpose of the Role

This role provides an excellent opportunity for a law graduate or early-career legal professional to develop practical experience within an in-house legal team in a leading international financial institution.

You will support a variety of legal, operational and strategic initiatives, whilst gaining exposure to legal technology, project management, legal documentation and stakeholder engagement.

The role is designed to provide broad experience across the team's activities and offers opportunities to learn from experienced legal professionals.

Key Responsibilities

Project and Business Support

• Support a range of short and long-term projects across the Trading & Prime Services Legal team.
• Assist with the preparation of management information, presentations and reports for senior stakeholders.
• Provide project management support, including tracking actions, milestones and deadlines.
• Attend team meetings, workshops and training sessions.

Legal Research and Knowledge Management

• Conduct legal and regulatory research and present findings clearly.
• Assist with the preparation of training materials, workshops and presentations.
• Support initiatives designed to improve knowledge sharing and legal resources across the team.
• Assist in maintaining legal guidance materials and internal documentation.

Legal Technology and Process Improvement

• Support the legal technology tools used by the team and wider legal function.
• Help coordinate training and user support for legal systems.
• Gather feedback from users and help identify opportunities for process improvements.
• Assist with testing new system releases and technology enhancements.
• Support projects aimed at improving efficiency, data quality and reporting.

Legal Documentation and Administrative Support

• Provide support in relation to legal documentation processes, including document management and execution activities.
• Assist team members with administrative and organisational tasks where required.
• Help ensure records and information are maintained accurately and consistently.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Work collaboratively with colleagues across Legal, Compliance, Risk, Operations, Technology and business teams.
• Build effective working relationships with a broad range of internal stakeholders.
• Participate in internal and external meetings where appropriate.

Skills and Competencies

We are looking for candidates who demonstrate:

Essential

• An interest in financial markets, investment banking or financial services.
• An interest in legal technology, process improvement or project management.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• A proactive approach and willingness to take ownership of tasks.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative mindset.
• Good judgement and a professional approach to handling confidential information.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, PowerPoint and Word.

• Demonstrated risk mindset: proactive identification and escalation of risk, sound judgement under pressure, and willingness to speak up and challenge constructively

• Demonstrate a strong risk culture by balancing commercial objectives with sound judgment and client outcomes

Desirable

• Some familiarity with derivatives, securities or other financial market products.
• Experience gained through internships, work experience, university projects or extracurricular activities.

Experience

We welcome applications from candidates with a variety of backgrounds.

Any experience gained through internships, part-time work, university projects, student societies, volunteering or other activities will be considered. Candidates should be able to demonstrate how their experiences have helped them develop relevant transferable skills.

Experience involving project coordination, planning, research, data analysis or operational support would be particularly beneficial.

Education

• A degree or equivalent in Law is preferred.
• Graduates from other degree disciplines will also be considered where they can demonstrate relevant skills and a strong interest in financial services and legal work.
• Experience of managing projects or undertaking substantial research as part of academic study would be advantageous.

Languages

• Fluent English is required.
• Additional language skills are welcomed, particularly French, but are not essential.

What We're Looking For

The successful candidate will be curious, motivated and eager to learn. They will enjoy working in a collaborative environment, be comfortable managing multiple tasks and have a genuine interest in how legal teams support financial markets businesses.

This role provides a strong foundation for a career in financial services law, legal operations, legal project management or legal technology.

People join for the impact they can have on us. They stay for the impact we have on them. A flatter structure offers visibility and exposure beyond that of our competitors, so you know our names, and we know yours. It's personable, human, and inspires success through passion. By encouraging open mindedness and a willingness to share ideas, we have adapted to market changes and thrived through innovation. Bringing words like “hard work” and “dedication” together with “community” and “respect” has enabled us to work collaboratively and build our future together. We call this Team Spirit and it's what makes us different. It's what makes you different.

If you feel you have the required experience and qualifications, then please apply to the SG Resourcing Team, and we will manage your application. At Société Générale, we believe our people are our strength and are core to the success of our business. As such, we search for, recruit and appoint the best available person on the basis of aptitude and ability, regardless of sex, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, pregnancy, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, belief or gender identity.