Counsel (51)

Empower Counsel Position

Empower is seeking a Counsel to join the Advisory & Broker-Dealer legal team, which provides legal advice and guidance to Empower and its affiliated companies. The Advisory & Broker-Dealer legal team handles a broad range of complex legal matters relating to Empower's full-service recordkeeping and administration of corporate, not-for-profit and governmental defined contribution and defined benefit employee benefit plans and Empower's retail product and service offerings, including IRAs, brokerage accounts, and managed accounts advisory services under the "Empower Personal Wealth" brand.

What you will do:

• Advise on matters pertaining to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ("Advisers Act"), including registration requirements, disclosure obligations, and fiduciary duties;
• Advise on matters concerning the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act"), such as Regulation Best Interest, reporting and disclosure obligations, trading regulations, and corporate governance requirements;
• Advise on compliance with Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) rules and regulations, including broker-dealer conduct, advertising, and recordkeeping requirements;
• Monitor, research, review, and analyze new state and federal laws and regulations impacting Empower's broker-dealer and investment advisory business;
• Partner with Empower business groups and leaders to identify and address legal issues, including product development, sales, operations, client service, call center, marketing and education teams;
• Support the negotiation of Empower contractual arrangements with plan sponsors and individual clients related to brokerage and/or advisory services;
• Provide legal counsel on corporate governance matters related to the Advisers Act, Exchange Act, and FINRA rules;
• Advise on legal and regulatory issues related to stock plan services, including equity compensation plan administration, participant-facing brokerage and advisory service considerations, disclosures, client agreements, operations, and related product or service initiatives;
• Advise on political contributions, pay-to-play, and political law compliance matters, including related policies, monitoring, disclosures, public sector client considerations, and applicable federal, state, and local requirements; and
• Interact with representatives from the FINRA, SEC, and state regulatory agencies and assist with responses to various regulatory inquiries.

The position requires the following skills and expertise:

• Ability to efficiently identify and analyze the legal aspects of a business problem and provide practical, actionable legal advice;
• Willingness to engage and build relationships with business clients at all levels of seniority as a trusted legal partner;
• Ability to communicate complex legal concepts clearly and efficiently verbally and in writing to non-lawyers and provide risk-based compliance approaches;
• Ability to work as a team member, both within the Workplace Solutions & Empower Personal Wealth legal team and with other legal department colleagues; and
• Ability to work independently to manage multiple, competing priorities and attain results by exercising appropriate judgment to manage matters through ambiguity and to completion.

What you will bring:

• Juris Doctor / Law Degree from an accredited law school
• Current admission to at least one state bar and a license to practice law in the United State
• 2 or more years of relevant legal experience
• Ability to efficiently identify and analyze the legal aspects of a business problem and provide practical, actionable legal advice
• Ability to communicate complex legal concepts clearly and efficiently verbally and in writing to non-lawyers and provide risk-based compliance approaches
• Ability to work as a team member, both within the Empower Workplace Solutions and Empower Personal Wealth legal team and with other legal department colleagues
• Ability to engage and build relationships with business clients at all levels of seniority as a trusted legal advisor

What will set you apart:

• In-house experience at a broker-dealer firm, investment adviser, insurance company, retirement recordkeeper, or other financial services company with experience in advising on broker-dealer matters, investment products and/or investment advisory services strongly preferred
• Familiarity with the Advisers Act, Exchange Act, and/or FINRA rules
• Experience advising on stock plan services, equity compensation plan administration, or related brokerage, advisory, and participant-service matters
• Experience with political contributions, pay-to-play, and political law compliance for regulated financial services firms, including related policies, monitoring, disclosure, and public sector client issues
• Previous experience related to corporate governance matters for a large organization