Associate Counsel - Commercial Lending (Hybrid)

Closing Date: 29th July, 2024

Description:

A Regional Bank is seeking an experienced attorney to support all aspects of commercial lending for the Small Business and Business Banking teams. Additionally, the position assists as needed with supporting commercial lending as a whole at A Regional Bank. The position requires strong partnership with the various operational, compliance, risk and sales teams that work together to provide commercial lending services to the borrower from the initial sales activity through every stage until payoff. This position is located at Key's headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, but open to a hybrid-remote mixture with the ideal mix being 2-3 days/week in the Cleveland office and the remainder of the week remote. This unique opportunity offers candidates coming from a law firm and/or in-house environment an excellent opportunity to work at a super-regional financial services institution, while allowing for work/life balance.

Essential Duties:

• Review, analyze and provide advice relative to a wide range of commercial transaction documents and legal agreements that support and enable A Regional Bank's business operations (e.g. term sheets, LOI's, loan and security agreements, guarantees, subordination agreements, participation agreements, letters of credit, NDA's, vendor contracts and related SOWs, marketing and sales agreements, etc.)
• Address banker and relationship manager legal inquiries regarding deal structure and business forms, collateral and lien positioning, covenant interpretation and borrower defaults, among other things.
• Provide advice to operational groups that support commercial lending such as the document preparation and closing teams, the booking and loans systems teams and the collateral management and release teams.
• Assist with projects that enhance the customer experience, especially in the realm of digitizing the experience, from electronic applications and portals to electronic signatures and electronic vaulting.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders in operations, compliance, operational risk, and the small business and business banking line of business, among other departments, in developing loan products, processes and delivery systems.
• Keep abreast of new laws and regulations, especially those emanating from the CFPB relative to small business lending in the areas of ECOA, FCRA and UDAAP.
• Provide legal advice to ensure activities, policies, business practices, and transactions comply with all relevant laws and regulations.
• Identify risk related issues needing escalation to management. Understand and adhere to the company's risk and regulatory standards, policies and controls in accordance with the company's risk appetite.
• Work with internal stakeholders to address issues relating to remediation of complaints, findings, and improvements to processes.
• Help develop and implement new processes, policies and training as needed, based on legal requirements, industry standards and best practices.
• Assist with developing, maintaining, and improving various loan and security documents and template provisions and forms.

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school and membership at a State Bar.
• A minimum of 3-5 years' experience as a commercial lending, corporate, workout, or debt capital markets attorney comfortable drafting and reviewing commercial loan documentation.
• An ability to handle responsibilities with some supervision including the ability to make sound decisions independently and quickly.
• Strong research skills coupled with strong problem-solving skills and analytical skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with team members at all levels across the institution.
• A willingness to learn new areas of law, acquire new skills, and take on additional/new responsibilities within the team on an as needed basis.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including ability to draft well written reports, memoranda, general business correspondence, and policies and procedures.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Microsoft Excel and Adobe Acrobat
• Strategic thinking with an ability to leverage business sense, creative problem-solving skills and sense of prioritization when resolving issues.

• In-house experience at a financial institution, or external law firm experience representing financial institutions strongly preferred.
• Working knowledge of the regulatory regime applicable to national banks as well as familiarity with generally applicable banking regulations.
• Experience with Small Business Administration lending program and rules.
• Experience with a wide range of financing arrangements a plus (e.g., asset-based lending, bridge loans, revolving credit facilities, portfolio sales, purchase money financing, etc.)

---