General Counsel

About Origence

With 30 years at the forefront of fintech innovation, we specialize in SaaS lending solutions that lead the industry. Our core mission is customer-centric, focusing on empowering Credit Unions across the United States with the tools to offer accessible, competitive lending services. We're deeply committed to enhancing the financial ecosystem for a broad network of credit unions, members and auto dealers. We invest in our greatest assets, our employees, and foster a culture of innovation and ownership through freedom and responsibility. We celebrate fiscal accountability, operational rigor and efficiency to create a sustainably healthy and robust business for the long term.

The General Counsel will be responsible for managing and advising regarding the legal, compliance, and risk activities of the organization.

What Youll Be Doing:

Legal Guidance/Administration

• Participates in the definition and development of corporate policies, procedures and programs and provides continuing counsel and guidance on legal matters and on legal implications of all matters.
• Work with all applicable internal stakeholders to draft and update legal notices, privacy, and terms of use for all product offerings, as applicable.
• Oversees the selection, retention, management and evaluation of all outside counsel.
• Serves as counsel of record with Board of Directors and Committees of the Board, including meeting participation, communications and matters related to the Board.
• Advises on legal aspects of the company's financing, including assessing and advising on current and future business structures and legal entities. Serves as key lawyer/legal advisor on all major business transactions, including acquisitions, mergers, asset purchases, divestitures and joint ventures.
• Ensure all standardized legal templates meet acceptable organizational risk limits.
• Advises on corporate governance, including the creation, dissolution, merger, or acquisition of any legal entity under company ownership, as well as shareholder concerns with the parent company.
• Advises and assists on stock related matters including but not limited to offerings, splits, classes, transfer agent of record, etc., and shareholder considerations and communications.
• Provide legal guidance and interpretation to senior management regarding contracts, state/federal and industry regulatory requirements, exams and audits, due diligence matters, intellectual property or trademark protection, and other business affairs, and specifically business development with various contract negotiations.

Contract Management

• Manage and continuously update a centralized and enterprise-wide contract process for both vendor and client contracts based on strategy discussions, senior management input, and organizational needs and expectations.
• Manage and update company standards for vendor and client contracts, including general terms and provisions, ensuring legal and regulatory compliance and protections.
• Review and approve contracts for accuracy and appropriateness of contract terms and conditions within approved risk parameters.
• Negotiate with outside parties (i.e., clients/vendors/business partners).
• Act as liaison between various departments for contracts that have exception items that exceed the organizational risk tolerance and remediate as appropriate.

Insurance Management

• Manage, update and negotiate annual corporate and subsidiary insurance policies. Interface with insurance broker and insurance company policy holders regarding adequacy of coverage to ensure alignment between contract language and organizational risk tolerance.
• Review annual renewal applications for accuracy and compliance.
• Assist as a liaison and work with internal business units to update insurance information, as needed.
• Provide information to the Board on at least an annual basis regarding risk and coverage.

Litigation

• Intake litigation matters, set up legal holds, and contact outside litigation counsel for assistance.
• Manage litigation/mediation/arbitration and judge the merits of major court cases filed against or on behalf of the company, work with the appropriate executive(s) to define a strategic defense and approve settlements of disputes where warranted.
• Manage internal discovery, litigation cost, assist with depositions and review all motions prior to filing.
• Advise Board on material litigation matters as needed.

Compliance

• Manage compliance department and budget.
• Provide oversight and legal advice to compliance department, reporting, and internal and board reporting.
• Review compliance bulletins, memorandums, and all remediation requirements.
• Assist with review of legislation, and regulatory, contractual, and guidance requirements as they apply to our business compliance
• Engage expert outside counsel as necessary

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)

• Oversight of ERM
• Provide legal advice to ERM SVP and act as liaison where needed with executives, board and business divisions
• Review Reports, Memorandum, decks provided for risk meetings, Risk Register and Risk Dashboard prior to and in conjunction with Executive and Board Committee Review
• Review all third party audits/exams prior to final sign off and dissemination

Vendor Management

• Oversees Vendor Management budget and operations including contract review, reporting, process implementation, and liaison with business units and information security regarding concerns.
• Reviews and advises on vendor risk assessments

Employee Relations

• Works with HR regarding employee relations issues including outside counsel inclusion.
• Reviews and advises on employee communications, terminations, severances, and related matters.

The Ideal Candidate:

Education:

• Graduate of an accredited law school (JD) in the U.S.
• Admission (and active license) to a state bar (California required)

Experience:

• Minimum of 10-15 years in-house counsel with a lender and/or software technology company, or as a law firm partner with similar subject areas
• Navigating executive management concerns as well as board, shareholder and senior leader concerns and issues.
• Experience reviewing and negotiating complex and critical contracts including SaaS, lending, mergers & acquisitions, asset purchases, and joint ventures.
• Experience working on matters of corporate governance and with a board of directors including stock and shareholder related matters, and creating and sunsetting subsidiaries.
• Experience managing other attorneys, business divisions, and supervising support staff in a corporation; experience with cost-effective management of outside legal resources.
• Contract administration, risk management, vendor management, and compliance experience.
• Ability to build strong relationships and collaborate with stakeholders at all levels, internally and externally.

Specialized Skills:

• Ability to work under minimal supervision and manage multiple tasks/projects simultaneously, while meeting demanding deadlines, and yet understand when to reach out for clarification.
• Business centric mindset balanced with legal and risk advice, with the ability to explain such risk to business leaders.
• Ability to lead cross-departmental project teams and develop a talented and highly motivated team.
• Strong leadership, management and people skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication ability.
• Strong client focus/customer service skills. Ability to build strong relationships and collaborate with stakeholders at all levels, internally and externally.
• Detail-oriented with strong problem-solving skills and the ability to identify, analyze, and resolve problems, driving solutions to completion.

Why you should apply:

• Flexible Working Environment
• Paid Time Off
• 401k (8% match)
• College Tuition Benefits/ Tuition Reimbursement
• Good Benefits options
• Company Culture! Cultural and Holiday celebrations, Theme days like Star Wars Day & Bring your Kids to Work Day, Monthly Townhalls and Quarterly Company Meetings that ensure awareness, inclusion, and transparency.

The starting salary range for this full-time position in Irvine, CA is $272200 - $340300 per year. This base pay will take into consideration internal equity, candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge and experience among other factors. Origence maintains a highly competitive compensation program. Under company guidelines, this position is eligible for an annual bonus to provide an incentive to achieve targeted goals. Bonuses are awarded at company's discretion on an individual basis.

Origence is an equal opportunity employer. All recruitment, hiring, training, compensation, benefits, discipline, and other terms and conditions of employment will be based upon an individuals' qualifications regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, military service, marital status, pregnancy, age, protected medical condition, genetic information, disability or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.