AVP Legal Services

AVP Legal Services Job Type: Full-Time- Remote

Exemption Type: Exempt

Wage Amount: $151,268 yearly minimum

Primary Functions

The Assistant Vice President, Legal Services (AVP Legal) serves as a senior in-house legal advisor and strategic business partner, responsible for providing trusted, risk-based legal counsel to executive leadership and key stakeholders. This role supports the credit union’s mission by protecting the organization, strengthening governance, enabling informed and member-focused decisions, and supporting responsible innovation. The AVP Legal advises on a wide range of legal, regulatory, and governance matters affecting a federally chartered credit union and contributes to advocacy and regulatory engagement efforts impacting the credit union system and its members.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Legal Advisory & Regulatory Counsel

a. Serve as primary legal advisor to executive leadership and key stakeholders on all matters impacting credit union operations, including consumer protection, lending, deposits, payments, privacy, vendor and third-party relationships, and governance.

b. Interpret and operationalize federal and state laws, regulations, and NCUA guidance to proactively identify and assess legal and regulatory risks; deliver risk-based, pragmatic counsel and mitigation strategies that enable sound business decisions, align with the credit union’s risk appetite, and support member-focused growth and innovation.

c. Develop and maintain legal playbooks, contract templates, and standardized workflows to improve efficiency, consistency, and scalability of legal services.

• Litigation & External Counsel Management

a. Oversee litigation, claims, and regulatory inquiries, including assessment of exposure, strategy development, and communication of status and recommendations to leadership.

b. Manage outside counsel, including engagement, performance, scope, and legal spend.

c. Partner with third-party insurance providers to report incidents and manage responses.

d. When requested by Human Resources or Executive Management, partner with employment counsel to resolve employee-related matters.

e. May represent the credit union in arbitration and court cases, appearing in person or virtually as required.

• Contracts & Third-Party Risk

a. Draft, review, and negotiate commercial and operational agreements, including vendor, technology, FinTech, confidentiality, and professional services contracts.

b. Provide legal support for third-party relationships and contract risk management aligned with regulatory expectations and institutional risk tolerance.

• Governance and Regulatory Interface

a. Advise on corporate governance practices and support Board and committee activities, including preparation and review of policies, resolutions, charters, and governance documentation.

b. Support regulatory examinations, audits, investigations, and supervisory communications.

c. Provide regular reporting to leadership and the Board on legal risks, regulatory developments, and emerging issues.

• Enterprise & Strategic Advisory

a. Align legal guidance with strategic objectives, growth initiatives, and innovation.

b. Monitor legal and regulatory developments and assess organizational impact.

c. Partner with Compliance, ERM, and Internal Audit to integrate legal risk into enterprise processes.

• Leadership & Organizational Influence

a. Serve as a senior leader and trusted advisor to leadership and key stakeholders.

b. Influence decision-making through clear, actionable legal guidance.

c. Provide mentorship and promote a culture of compliance and ethical conduct.

• Advocacy & Industry Engagement

a. Support advocacy efforts and regulatory engagement priorities, including regulatory comment letters, legislative analysis, and trade association engagement.

b. Represent the organization in industry and regulatory engagements, as appropriate.

• Policy, Training & Culture

a. Oversee policy governance to ensure legal sufficiency and regulatory alignment.

b. Develop and deliver training to promote compliance, legal and risk awareness, and sound decision-making.

Education and Experience

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Juris Doctor (JD) from an ABA-accredited law school required.

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Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction with ability to maintain good standing; eligible to practice as in-house counsel in Texas or ability to obtain such eligibility required.

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Five years of progressive legal experience, including experience with complex legal and regulatory matters required.

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Five years of demonstrated experience providing legal counsel within a financial institution, credit union, bank, fintech, or similarly regulated environment, or at a law firm serving such clients required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

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Strong working knowledge of federal and state laws governing financial institutions, including consumer protection, lending and deposit operations, payments, privacy/data security, vendor management, employment law, and corporate governance.

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Demonstrated expertise drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial agreements, including vendor, technology, professional services, and confidentiality contracts.

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Experience managing or supporting litigation, claims, regulatory inquiries, and examinations, including coordination with external counsel.

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Proven ability to evaluate complex legal and regulatory matters and deliver clear, practical, business-oriented guidance to the Board, executive leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders.

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Ability to convert complex legal requirements into actionable, risk-based business guidance.

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Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage executives, regulators, examiners, counsel, community members, officials, and internal stakeholders.

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High ethical standards, sound judgment, and ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion and confidentiality.

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Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail and the ability to think independently and act quickly.

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Ability to interpret and apply legal and regulatory requirements to operational scenarios.

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Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities, competing deadlines, and rapidly changing business needs.

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Ability to build trust, foster collaboration, and partner effectively with internal teams, external counsel, members, and key stakeholders.

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Capacity to lead initiatives, influence outcomes, and contribute to a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

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Ability to maintain composure and sound decision-making in high-pressure or adverse situations, including crisis or time-sensitive matters.

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Pleasant and professional appearance.

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Able to work flexible working hours and in emergency situations.

Cognitive & Physical Functions

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Must have the ability/stamina to work at least 40 hours a week.

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Will frequently reach, feel, bend, stoop, carry, finely manipulate, and key in data.

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Must be able to communicate effectively through telephone, e-mail, and in person.

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Must be able to engage in problem-solving skills to help identify and solve potential issues in the field.

Types of Decisions Made Independently

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Addressing legal, compliance, and risk-related issues in accordance with regulation, law, policy, and procedure.

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Executing on departmental strategic plan, staffing management, and resource management objectives that fall within established policy and/or procedure.

Types of Decisions Requiring Supervisory Approval

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Situations outside A+FCU policies and procedures.

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Judgments that apply broader aspects of established practices to situations which go beyond clear, concise guidelines.

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Decisions involving material legal risk, significant financial exposure, novel legal issues, regulatory enforcement actions, or matters requiring Board or executive approval.