General Counsel

CO-OP Financial Services provides technically superior products and services to financial institutions across the nation. We are seeking a talented General Counsel to be responsible for managing the legal activities of the organization. This includes providing executive and senior management with effective advice on company strategies and their implementation, managing the legal team and function, and obtaining and overseeing the work of outside counsel. This role manages the enterprise wide vendor and client contract process, and is directly involved in complex business transactions in negotiating critical contracts. Responsibilities:Serves as key lawyer/legal advisor on all major business transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures.Provide legal guidance and interpretation to senior management regarding contracts, state/federal and industry regulatory requirements, intellectual property or trademark protection, and other business affairs, specifically Business Development with various contract negotiations.Manage litigation and judge the merits of major court cases filed against or on behalf of the company, works with the appropriate executive(s) to define a strategic defense and approves settlements of disputes where warranted.Structures and manages the company’s internal legal function and staff.Oversees the selection, retention, management and evaluation of all outside counsel. Advises on legal aspects of the company’s financing, including assessing and advising on current and future business structures and legal entities.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. Additionally, work with all applicable internal stakeholders to draft and update legal policies, notices, and terms of use for all product offerings, as applicable.Manage enterprise-wide Contract Management Database System and associated processes to improve the archival rational and tracking of contractual obligations, deadlines, and expirations.Develop standards for vendor and client contracts, including general language and provisions.Develop a centralized and enterprise-wide contract process for both vendor and client contracts.Create, update, and modify standardized templates for legal documents that meet acceptable organizational risk limits.Draft contractual provisions based on strategy discussions, senior management input, and organizational needs and expectations.Review and approve contracts to assure accuracy and appropriateness of contract language and attachments.Manage and negotiate annual corporate insurance policy. Interface with insurance companies regarding adequacy of coverage to ensure alignment between contract language and organizational risk tolerance. Act as liaison between various departments for contracts that have exception items that exceed the organizational risk tolerance, and remediate as appropriate.Collaborate with appropriate stakeholders to develop formal privacy program.

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Graduate of an accredited law school (JD) with 7-10 years of legal practice or corporate in-house work. Admission (and active license) to a state bar (California preferred). Experience reviewing and negotiating complex and critical contracts.Experience working on matters of corporate governance and with a board of directors.Experience managing other attorneys and supervising support staff in a corporation; experience with cost-effective management of outside legal resources. Experience in the EFT industry, with ATM or POS knowledge. Credit Union industry experience/knowledge.Proficient PC knowledge and the use of standard software packages, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. 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. Ability to work under minimal supervision and manage multiple tasks/projects simultaneously, while meeting demanding deadlines. Ability to lead cross-departmental project teams and develop a talented and highly motivated team.Strong leadership, management and people skills.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. Ability to work under minimal supervision and manage multiple tasks/projects simultaneously, while meeting demanding deadlines. Ability to lead cross-departmental project teams and develop a talented and highly motivated team.Strong leadership, management and people skills.Strong Client Focus/customer service skills.Manage and oversee enterprise with Legal team.Effective mentor and coach employees.Show enthusiasm for helping others improve or develop new skills.Ensure that people share information and have access to information they need to perform their tasks effectively.Direct his/her actions and the actions of others toward achieving goals that are critical to the success of the operation.Contract administration experience.Familiarity with a variety of the field's concepts, practices, and procedures.Thorough understanding of general insurance provisions and associated risks.

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CO-OP Financial Services is the technology engine that provides access and convenience for credit unions. With over 35 years of credit union service, CO-OP connects credit union members to their accounts through Debit, Credit, ATM, Shared Branching, Member Interaction Services, Mobile, Virtual, and Bill Pay services. CO-OP serves a total of 3,500 member credit unions, 50 million cardholders, 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs, and more than 5,500 shared branches. Handling three billion-plus annual transactions, CO-OP is the nation’s largest credit union service organization—offering resources that enable deeper member engagement to help credit unions prosper.