Senior Counsel

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This Senior Counsel, based in our Chicago or Omaha office, presents a unique opportunity for an experienced, high-performing lawyer to take on significant responsibility supporting BMO's U.S. Personal & Business Banking businesses.

The Personal & Business Banking team provides legal and regulatory advice across a broad range of retail and business banking activities, including consumer and small business banking strategies, strategic initiatives, client and vendor agreements, and products and services, with a particular focus on deposits and lending across branch and digital channels. The team also advises on related marketing, communications, and day-to-day operational matters.

This role will focus primarily on transactional matters, with significant responsibility for drafting, reviewing, and negotiating vendor contracts and other third-party agreements, including agreements related to loan purchases and sales and other strategic business transactions. The Senior Counsel will provide practical legal advice throughout the transaction lifecycle, working closely with business partners to structure and negotiate arrangements that advance business objectives while appropriately managing legal and regulatory risk.

Responsibilities may include drafting and negotiating vendor, customer, acquisition, service, marketing, and other third-party agreements, as well as advising on regulatory requirements and risk. The Senior Counsel will work closely with business leaders and other stakeholders to help achieve business objectives while identifying, managing, and mitigating legal and regulatory risk.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will bring:

• A strong background in one or more of the following areas: banking or consumer financial services regulation, lending, or M&A and other commercial transactions, together with strong drafting and negotiation skills.
• Familiarity with laws and regulations applicable to the banking and financial services industry, particularly federal and state consumer financial services laws.
• Strong interest in learning BMO's consumer and small business banking businesses and developing a deep understanding of their products, operations, strategies, and objectives.
• A practical, hands-on approach and willingness to step into both unfamiliar and routine matters to support the broader legal team and its business partners.
• The confidence and judgment to advise senior leaders regarding legal and regulatory requirements, risk, and best practices.
• Strong ownership of matters and the ability to manage multiple high-risk or time-sensitive matters independently, effectively, and with integrity.
• Creative problem-solving skills and the ability to develop practical, customer-focused solutions to complex or ambiguous issues.
• The ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced environment and respond to changing business, legal, regulatory, and industry developments.

Candidates with strong relevant legal experience who demonstrate the ability and enthusiasm to learn the consumer and small business banking businesses may be considered even without specific banking industry experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide and manage the delivery of legal and regulatory advice regarding business strategies, products, services, initiatives, policies, operations, and transactions.
• Develop a strong understanding of the business and use that knowledge to provide practical, risk-based legal advice that supports business objectives.
• Advise on applicable federal and state laws, regulations, regulatory expectations, and internal policies and procedures.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and trusted legal advisor to senior leaders and other internal stakeholders.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal and regulatory risks, including recommending appropriate solutions within BMO's risk appetite.
• Analyze complex, confidential, sensitive, or novel legal and regulatory matters and exercise sound judgment in developing practical solutions.
• Advise on and negotiate commercial arrangements, including vendor, service, marketing, customer, acquisition, and other third-party agreements, as applicable.
• Influence and negotiate effectively to achieve business objectives while appropriately managing legal and regulatory risk.
• Identify emerging legal, regulatory, industry, and marketplace developments and advise the business regarding their potential impact.
• Recommend and support changes to business practices, policies, products, services, and processes in response to legal, regulatory, and industry developments.
• Identify root causes of legal and operational issues and work with stakeholders to develop and implement appropriate resolutions.
• Provide timely advice on day-to-day business and operational matters, escalating significant issues with appropriate analysis and recommendations when necessary.
• Develop and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with business partners, compliance, risk, other control functions, and internal and external stakeholders.
• Retain, instruct, and manage external counsel.
• Contribute to the development of broader legal strategies and approaches designed to support business objectives and minimize legal risk.
• Apply legal expertise and creative thinking to novel, ambiguous, complex, and non-routine business issues.
• Operate across business and functional lines and serve as a legal resource to senior leaders and stakeholders across the organization.
• Perform other responsibilities and accountabilities as needed.

Qualifications

• J.D. or equivalent law degree and admission to practice law in an applicable U.S. jurisdiction.
• Typically at least seven years of legal practice, with substantial experience relevant to the responsibilities of this role.
• Relevant experience in private practice, an in-house legal department, a financial services regulatory agency, or a combination of these settings.
• Experience with banking, consumer financial services, lending, commercial transactions, M&A, or other areas relevant to the role.
• Strong legal research, analysis, drafting, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex legal and regulatory issues clearly and effectively to business leaders.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment and manage multiple matters and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong influencing, relationship-management, and collaboration skills, including the ability to work effectively across business and functional groups.
• Ability to manage ambiguity and provide practical advice in areas where legal or regulatory requirements may be evolving.
• Sound business judgment and the ability to balance legal risk with business objectives.
• Knowledge of the business and regulatory environment in which BMO operates is an asset.

Salary:

Pay Type:

The above represents BMO Financial Group’s pay range and type.

Salaries will vary based on factors such as location, skills, experience, education, and qualifications for the role, and may include a commission structure. Salaries for part-time roles will be pro-rated based on number of hours regularly worked. For commission roles, the salary listed above represents BMO Financial Group’s expected target for the first year in this position.

BMO Financial Group’s total compensation package will vary based on the pay type of the position and may include performance-based incentives, discretionary bonuses, as well as other perks and rewards. BMO also offers health insurance, tuition reimbursement, accident and life insurance, and retirement savings plans. To view more details of our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.bmo.com/global/en/Total-Rewards

About Us

At BMO we are driven by a shared Purpose: Boldly Grow the Good in business and life. It calls on us to create lasting, positive change for our customers, our communities and our people. By working together, innovating and pushing boundaries, we transform lives and businesses, and power economic growth around the world.

As a member of the BMO team you are valued, respected and heard, and you have more ways to grow and make an impact.  We strive to help you make an impact from day one – for yourself and our customers.  We’ll support you with the tools and resources you need to reach new milestones, as you help our customers reach theirs. From in-depth training and coaching, to manager support and network-building opportunities, we’ll help you gain valuable experience, and broaden your skillset.

To find out more visit us at http://jobs.bmo.com/us/en

BMO is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. We evaluate applicants without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or any other legally protected characteristics. We also consider applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.

BMO is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to [email protected] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

Note to Recruiters: BMO does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. Any unsolicited resumes sent to BMO, directly or indirectly, will be considered BMO property. BMO will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. A recruiting agency must first have a valid, written and fully executed agency agreement contract for service to submit resumes.