Melissa Basterfield
Croydon,City of London
Summary
A seasoned in-house legal professional with expertise in commercial contract drafting, negotiation, and structuring within FCA regulated business environments. Demonstrates proficiency in technology and software house agreements, supplier, referral and intermediary, and third-party contracts. Adept at governance, conduct risk, and regulatory alignment across cross-border and multi-jurisdictional settings. Skilled in stakeholder management across legal, compliance, risk, and business teams, providing business-embedded legal support in fast-paced environments. Committed to aligning legal strategies with organisational goals to drive success.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
6
6
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Contract Manager
Close Brothers Limited
Wimbledon, London
2014.05 - Current
- Provide commercial contract support within a regulated financial services environment in UK and RoI
- Draft and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements, including: intermediary contracts, commission arrangements, network contracts, security documents, terms of trade, NDAs, facility documents, MoU, multi-party running account credit agreements. novations, waivers and reservation of rights letters, previously drafted software house and technology service agreements and other ad hoc documentation
- Maintain a contract repository and clause library and own contractual governance procedures to manage contract lifecycles, including renewals, contract variations, amendments, accession agreements
- Support risk and regulatory alignment within contractual frameworks, working closely with compliance, governance, bank legal teams and external legal counsel (if required)
- Advise business and project stakeholders on contractual risk, governance requirements and commercial implications
- Lead and supervise the contract management team overseeing allocation of work, quality control, and consistency of contractual standards
- Facilitate cross-departmental collaboration as subject matter expert and represent contract management on various governance and project forums, providing input on commercial risk, conduct considerations and contractual strategy
Business Services Manager
Tech UK (previously Intellect)
London
2013.02 - 2014.04
- Advised on a wide range of commercial contracts within the technology sector including training and guest speaker agreements, fee structures, cancellation terms, confidentiality and liability allocation
- Managed onboarding of third party service providers in line with governance requirements
Paralegal
Dechert LLP
London
2012.11 - 2013.02
- Supported complex commercial litigation matters with a focus on anti-bribery and corruption and anti-money laundering investigations
- Assisted with documentation review, disclosure and evidentiary analysis in high- value, multi-jurisdictional disputes
- Supported internal investigations involving fraud, misconduct and regulatory risk exposure and worked alongside forensic teams in preparing materials for enforcement and litigation proceedings
In-house legal counsel
Monkoe Coal Investments (Pty) Ltd
Johannesburg, South Africa
2009.07 - 2012.09
- Delivered in hose legal support to a mining group establishing operations across South Africa and Madagascar
- Drafted and negotiated commercial complex contracts including facility agreements and associated security documents, project finance agreements, asset finance agreements, LMAs, confidentiality agreements, intermediary fee agreements, guarantees, supply agreements, offtake agreements, Letters of Intent, MoU and purchase / sale agreements and cross-border agreements
- Supported environmental, regulatory, and financing workstreams for complex multi-jurisdictional projector maintaining regulatory compliance and corporate integrity
- Regularly contracted with UK and international counterparties
- Conducted due diligence during mergers and acquisitions for risk mitigation
- Participated in senior management meetings providing sound legal guidance on strategic decisions
Associate
Tugendhaft Wapnick & Banchetti Attorneys
Johannesburg, South Africa
2008.02 - 2009.06
- Drafted structured finance agreements including senior and mezzanine facility agreements, consolidated loan agreements, preference share finance agreements, security documents, inter-group funding agreements, subscription agreements, inter-creditor agreements, trust deeds, shareholder agreements and sale / repurchase agreements
- Provided input and advised on securitisation structure and tax consequences of deal structuring
- Offered legal advice in relation to commercial law, mining law and environmental law matters / policy issues
Assistant Director: Climate Change
Department of Environment (National Government)
Pretoria, South Africa
2007.06 - 2008.02
- Provided legal input and drafting of national legislation, regulations and policy
- Monitored national and international legal developments
- Ensured compliance with international agreements and treaty obligations
- §Reviewed legislation and policy documents
- Undertook legal research and provided legal opinions in collaboration with external counsel
- Held involvement in stakeholder participation processes and public-private partnership negotiations
Candidate Attorney
Warbarton Attorneys
Johannesburg, South Africa
2006.06 - 2007.05
- Completed articles at a specialist mining and environmental law practice
- Advised on regulatory compliance, environmental permitting and litigation matters
Education
LLM (International Law) - Law
University of Pretoria
South Africa 2005.01 - 2006.06
LLB - Law
University of Pretoria
South Africa 2001.01 - 2004.12
Certificate in Legal Practice -
University of South Africa
South Africa 2007.01 - 2007.11
Admitted as Attorney to High Court of South Africa
2008 -
Advanced Training Course on Trade Policy - International Trade Law
World Trade Organisation
Skills
- Commercial contract drafting, negotiation and structuring FCA regulated business environments and intermediary models
- Broker and network commercial contracts, facility agreements and terms of trade
- Technology and software house agreements
- Supplier, referral and third party contracts
- Governance, conduct risk and regulatory alignment
- Cross-border and multi-jurisdictional alignment
- Stakeholder management across legal, compliance, risk and business teams
- Business embedded contractual and legal support in face paced environments
Languages
English
Native
Afrikaans
Fluent
Timeline
Contract Manager
Close Brothers Limited
2014.05 - Current
Business Services Manager
Tech UK (previously Intellect)
2013.02 - 2014.04
Paralegal
Dechert LLP
2012.11 - 2013.02
In-house legal counsel
Monkoe Coal Investments (Pty) Ltd
2009.07 - 2012.09
Associate
Tugendhaft Wapnick & Banchetti Attorneys
2008.02 - 2009.06
Assistant Director: Climate Change
Department of Environment (National Government)
2007.06 - 2008.02
Certificate in Legal Practice -
University of South Africa
2007.01 - 2007.11
Candidate Attorney
Warbarton Attorneys
2006.06 - 2007.05
LLM (International Law) - Law
University of Pretoria
2005.01 - 2006.06
LLB - Law
University of Pretoria
2001.01 - 2004.12
Admitted as Attorney to High Court of South Africa
2008 -
Advanced Training Course on Trade Policy - International Trade Law
World Trade Organisation