Associate General Counsel

The Associate General Counsel, serving as in-house counsel for the Credit Union and each of its subsidiaries, is responsible for analyzing, researching, and preparing legal documents to build accurate and effective contracts. The Associate General Counsel works closely with the General Counsel and Senior Leadership in reviewing and negotiating agreements, major vendor contracts, commercial leases and real estate sales and acquisitions, investment and sponsorship agreements. The Associate General Counsel serves as the first line contact on legal and risk matters, provide legal support and advice to Credit Union business units, and assist in implementing best practices to minimize legal risks and ensuring regulatory compliance with new and existing product offerings. The Associate General Counsel also oversees outside counsel on certain litigation, bankruptcy, and commercial real estate matters.
What you will do here:

• Provide legal, compliance, regulatory, and risk management advice and recommendations to the credit union and its subsidiaries on all areas of operations, including (a) reviewing, negotiating, and advising on higher risk vendor contracts, commercial real estate acquisitions and leases, construction agreements, sponsorship agreements, software and licensing agreements, and other transactions; (b) final review and filing of corporate formation and organization documents; (c) drafting board resolutions and providing advice on board governance; (d) establishing best practices and strategic recommendations related to regulatory compliance, vendor management, risk management, contracts, lending, collections, and human resources; (e) researching, developing, and periodically reviewing applicable policies and procedures to ensure legal compliance and best practices; (f) working closely with each line of business on the development and implementation of new product offerings to ensure compliance; (g) identify strategic efficiencies in legal services or other applicable lines of business.
• Oversee the Counsel and ensure appropriate and satisfactory work in the following tasks:
  
  • Reviewing, negotiating, and advising on vendor contracts, commercial real estate acquisitions and leases, construction agreements, sponsorship agreements, software and licensing agreements, and other transactions
  • Revision of corporate formation and organization documents
  • Researching and drafting policies and procedures to ensure legal compliance and best practices
  • Docketing deadlines, researching and drafting relevant documents and filings, and working with opposing counsel to resolve matters
  • Low and moderate risk vendor risk analysis and review
  • Member complaint response and reporting
  • Conducting internal employment, ethics, and compliance investigations and providing recommendations related to legal and strategic risk
  • Guiding each line of business through the RFP process and maintaining and updating standard forms for issuing RFPs.
• Lead a cross-functional analysis of the legal, regulatory, compliance, and financial risks associated with high risk or critical vendor relationships and agreements; advise the credit union and its subsidiaries on the risks associated with high risk or critical vendors; provide recommendations on proceeding with high risk or critical vendor relationships and how to minimize risks associated with those relationships.
• Serve as counsel for the credit union and its subsidiaries in court, administrative, bankruptcy and other proceedings, including investigative claims, drafting pleadings and briefs, arguing cases to the court, and representing the credit union at its subsidiaries at mediations; oversee the work of outside counsel.
• Manage and oversee the strategy and execution of the legal services program, including oversight of the Director of Legal Services, in the creation and execution of strategy to resolves member inquiries and support retail and back office operations related to special accounts, including but not limited to trust documents, powers of attorney, UTMAs, garnishments, signature guarantees and subpoenas; research the legal requirements and risks associated with the same; draft, review, and advise on associated forms and legal instruments; and resolve questions from applicable lines of business and members regarding complex issues related to same.
• Develop strategy around oversee internal employment, ethics, and compliance investigations, including anonymous employee complaint reporting; interview witnesses; final review and revision of memoranda and provide recommendations related to legal and strategic risk.
• Work with the line of business leaders in responding to and resolving the most difficult member complaints, and review and/or draft responses to regulatory agencies in response to such complaints.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What you will need:

• Juris Doctorate (JD) degree from an ABA accredited law school required.
• 5+ years of experience as a practicing attorney with a focus in litigation, financial institution law, and employment law required.
• 5+ years of leadership experience required.
• 2+ years of bankruptcy law experience required.
• 2+ years of experience in Business/Corporate Law, Regulatory Law preferred
• Law firm experience preferred
• Working knowledge of regulatory environments such as credit unions, banking, or other financial institutions required.
• Excellent organizational and logic skills required.
• Ability to multitask, focus, and prioritize multiple projects under pressure to meet deadlines required.
• Strong research, writing, negotiating, and communicating skills required.
• Ability to translate research into business solutions required.
• Ability to provide advice on risk management and mitigation required.
• Working knowledge of the business requirements and risks associated with marketing, lending, retail banking, commercial banking, consumer banking, information technology, information management, privacy, non-profit foundations, corporate formation, corporate acquisition, credit reporting, loss mitigation, facilities operations, finance, insurance, property ownership, real estate transactions, and vendor management required.
• Member of the Arizona Bar (in good standing) required.
• Admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the State of Arizona, and all other Arizona State Courts required.
• Admitted to practice in the District of Arizona required.
• Eligible to be admitted to practice pro hac vice in the federal and state courts of other jurisdictions required.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.
For additional information about our organization, careers, and benefits visit: http://www.desertfinancial.com/careers.