Senior Counsel

CompanyFederal Reserve Bank of ChicagoThe Federal Reserve Banks collectively provide financial services to customers through an organization known as Federal Reserve Financial Services (FRFS). The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago provides support to this group in a variety of areas, including legal support, and has an opening for a Senior Counsel position in its Legal Department. As a Senior Counsel attorney you will primarily provide guidance and direction regarding legal and policy matters for FRFS. You will ensure (i) useful, dependable legal services to leadership using a practical understanding of FRFS and its operations, (ii) quality and timely performance of legal work, and (iii) proper and effective coordination of legal issues across the Reserve Banks.

Your Job Responsibilities: 

• Provides guidance in support of initiatives including new product development and feature enhancements
• Provides legal advice to FRFS leadership and staff regarding issues of policy or strategic or operational importance
• Advises FRFS business leaders on significant legal developments impacting FRFS
• Reviews customer-facing communications, guidance, training, and forms affecting the rights and obligations of FRFS
• Conducts contract negotiations with strategic partners
• Provides intellectual property (patent, trademark and copyright) legal advice and manages outside IP legal counsel
• Works closely with other FRFS counsel at other Federal Reserve Banks and the Federal Reserve Board of Governors’ Legal staff on matters affecting financial services

Your Knowledge and Skills:

• Strong communication skills, presentation and persuasion capabilities, and management presence that elicits confidence and credibility. Ability to effectively convey complex issues and communicate to a variety of audiences including technical staff, peers, senior management, and oversight bodies
• Working industry knowledge required in the area of payments law and bank financial services. Ability to provide broad perspective and thought leadership to help develop and implement key strategies and critical business priorities. 
• Demonstrated ability to adjust to changing work requirements and priorities, demanding deadlines, and operational crisis situations, as well as the ability to keep pace with multiple concurrent initiatives
• Demonstrated ability to deal effectively and decisively with organizational issues. Skilled listener and observer who can also exert influence and build trust
• Deep understanding of legal and business risk issues
• Ability to work well in a small legal team environment; exceptional relationship building and collaboration skills are essential

Your Education and Experience:

• A Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from a nationally recognized, accredited institution is required
• Must be licensed to practice law by the State of Illinois or commit to obtaining such a license
• Seasoned attorney with at least five (5) or more years of corporate legal experience, either in-house or at a law firm, who has a strong record of achievement providing legal counsel in a business environment
• Working knowledge of information technology and security in the area of payments systems is required
• Knowledge of at least several of the following areas is highly desirable: financial services and payments law, internet-related agreements and policies, e-commerce, APIs, intellectual property, privacy law/data protection, and the Federal Reserve System 

What we offer: 

• Comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, 401k savings plan, retirement plan, paid time off, transit benefit, onsite gym, and subsidized cafeteria. 
• A continuous learning environment with opportunities to gain new skills and grow your career 

Location:

• This is a hybrid position requiring a minimum of two days per week in office at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

Additional Requirements: 

• Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or in the future. 
• This position has additional screening requirements due to the information accessed while performing the job. These additional screenings would be initiated at the time of offer acceptance and can take approximately two months to be completed. The screening covers areas such as education/employment verification, criminal history, credit history, and reaches out to your references and people that know you well. 
• As a condition of employment, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago employees must comply with the Bank’s ethics rules, which generally prohibit employees, their spouses/domestic partners, and minor children from owning securities, such as stock, of banks or savings associations or their affiliates, such as bank holding companies and savings and loan holding companies. If you or your spouse/domestic partner or minor child own such securities and would not be willing or able to divest them if you accepted an offer of Bank employment, you should raise this issue with the recruiter for this posting, who can provide you contact information for our ethics official if necessary. 
• This document indicates the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this position. It is not a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. An employee's responsibilities, tasks, and duties might differ from those outlined in the job description, and other duties, as assigned, are a part of the job. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reserves the right to modify the elements of this job description, as business needs require. 

The Chicago Fed offers benefits to support overall health and financial security. Learn more about our benefits here: https://www.chicagofed.org/careers/thebenefits 

Full Time / Part TimeFull timeRegular / TemporaryRegularJob Exempt (Yes / No)YesJob CategoryWork ShiftFirst (United States of America)

The Federal Reserve Banks believe that diversity and inclusion among our employees is critical to our success as an organization, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. The Federal Reserve Banks are committed to equal employment opportunity for employees and job applicants in compliance with applicable law and to an environment where employees are valued for their differences.

Always verify and apply to jobs on Federal Reserve System Careers (https://rb.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/FRS) or through verified Federal Reserve Bank social media channels.

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