Senior Legal Counsel

Job Overview

We are partnered with a Global Commercial Lender seeking an experienced and commercially focused Senior Legal Counsel to serve as the senior legal advisor to our U.S. leadership team. This individual will oversee a broad range of legal, regulatory, transactional, and governance matters associated with a rapidly growing financial technology and commercial finance business.

This is a highly visible leadership role that combines strategic influence with hands-on execution. The successful candidate will partner closely with executive leadership, business stakeholders, and cross-functional teams to support growth initiatives, structure complex transactions, manage legal risk, and build scalable legal frameworks that enable long-term expansion.

The position offers significant autonomy, direct interaction with senior decision-makers, and the opportunity to shape the legal strategy of a fast-moving organization operating at the intersection of technology, commercial finance, payments, and financial services.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the lead legal advisor for the U.S. business, providing practical and strategic guidance to executive leadership on legal, regulatory, and commercial matters.
• Develop and execute legal strategies that support business growth, operational scalability, and evolving corporate objectives.
• Advise stakeholders on risk management, regulatory developments, governance matters, and business initiatives across multiple functions.
• Establish and enhance legal processes, templates, policies, and governance frameworks to support a growing organization.
• Manage external counsel relationships, legal budgets, and internal legal resources as needed.

Commercial Transactions & Strategic Partnerships

• Lead the drafting, negotiation, and execution of complex commercial agreements, strategic partnerships, financing arrangements, and service provider relationships.
• Partner with business, finance, product, and operations teams to structure and close significant commercial transactions.
• Provide legal support for new business opportunities, strategic initiatives, restructurings, and other high-impact projects.
• Negotiate critical agreements while balancing legal protection with practical business objectives.
• Support enterprise-level partnerships involving technology providers, financial institutions, distribution partners, and other strategic counterparties.

Product, Regulatory & Financing Matters

• Advise on the development, launch, and expansion of innovative financial products and services.
• Partner with product and commercial teams to assess legal and regulatory requirements related to new offerings and market expansion efforts.
• Provide guidance on federal and state laws impacting commercial finance, lending, payments, fintech, and related financial services activities.
• Counsel the business on regulatory compliance, licensing considerations, partnership structures, and evolving legal requirements.
• Assist in designing scalable operating and funding structures that align with business goals while mitigating legal and regulatory risks.

Corporate Governance & Risk Management

• Oversee corporate governance activities, entity management, board-related matters, and organizational structuring projects.
• Advise senior leadership on material contractual, operational, regulatory, and litigation risks.
• Manage disputes, investigations, and other sensitive legal matters when they arise.
• Maintain effective governance and compliance frameworks appropriate for a high-growth organization.
• Support corporate transactions, investment activities, and other strategic business initiatives.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school and active membership in at least one U.S. state bar.
• Approximately 8+ years of legal experience, including a combination of top-tier law firm and/or sophisticated in-house experience.
• Strong background in one or more of the following areas:
  • Commercial finance
  • Fintech
  • Financial services
  • Corporate transactions
  • Capital markets
  • Commercial contracting
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Strategic partnerships
• Demonstrated success leading complex transactions and negotiations involving multiple stakeholders.
• Experience advising executive leadership and serving as a trusted business partner in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong knowledge of legal and regulatory issues affecting financial technology, lending, payments, or other regulated financial services businesses.
• Ability to evaluate risk pragmatically and provide solution-oriented advice that supports commercial objectives.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Comfortable operating independently while managing a diverse and evolving workload.
• Strong business judgment, executive presence, and the ability to influence decisions across an organization.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a willingness to build processes, solve problems creatively, and thrive in a growth-oriented environment.
• Interest or experience within fintech, alternative finance, embedded finance, commercial lending, payments, or related sectors is strongly preferred.