Member of Legal (Trading & Licensing)

Role Overview

Join Anchorage Digital’s Legal team as a Regulatory Licensing Attorney (Member of Legal) working on Trading & Licensing. You will be the firm’s primary subject-matter expert for CFTC and NFA firm-level licensing, advising the business through the end-to-end registration lifecycle and evolving regulatory requirements under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA).

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary CFTC/NFA firm-level licensing SME, guiding regulatory matters across the registration lifecycle.
• Lead the strategy to obtain and maintain regulatory licenses, including managing registrations and navigating complex exemption frameworks.
• Draft, review, and negotiate complex margin lending agreements with institutional counterparties and related regulatory agreements.
• Provide legal counsel on regulatory considerations for OTC and cleared derivatives, margin lending, and privacy for new business lines.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams (e.g., Trading, Engineering, Risk) to address jurisdictional issues and support product scale.

Requirements

• 4+ years of legal practice; 3+ years focused on CFTC and NFA regulatory matters.
• Deep, practical knowledge of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and Dodd-Frank Act (Title VII).
• Strong technical understanding of derivatives, including OTC products, margin lending, and the legal lifecycle of futures and swaps.
• Experience managing complex licensing applications and regulatory audits with strong attention to detail.
• Strong communication, drafting, and negotiation skills, including experience with ISDA/CSA documentation and/or clearing agreements.
• Prior in-house experience at a fintech firm, hedge fund, major financial institution, or a specialist practice at a top-tier law firm.
• J.D. degree with focus on financial services, commodities, or corporate law.
• Ability to execute with moderate supervision while balancing commercial growth with rigorous compliance.
• Enthusiasm for crypto and foundational understanding of how digital assets intersect with CFTC/NFA jurisdiction.
• Familiarity with market infrastructure (electronic trading platforms, central clearing, and margin/collateral operational complexities).

Nice to Have

• Practical experience supporting new financial product launches involving derivatives and licensing strategy.
• Demonstrated cross-functional partnership building with technology and risk stakeholders.