Assistant General Counsel - Ag Lending

Compeer Financial; Bloomington (IL); Hybrid; USD 133,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model up to 50%

Up to 9% 401k match

Medical, dental, vision, HSA/FSA

Paid time off, holidays, parentalleave

Learning and development programs

Job summary

Compeer Financial is seeking a senior legal counsel to advise executives and guide complex matters across business units. You will draft and negotiate a wide range of contracts, including loans, leases, and insurance, while supporting agricultural lending teams with strategic legal input.

The role requires JD, bar admission in MN/WI/IL, and a track record in a regulated financial setting. This position offers a hybrid work model and opportunities for professional growth within Legal & Compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree plus JD from ABA-accredited law school.
• Bar admission in MN, WI or IL required.
• Experience in law firms, corporate legal, government, or regulated financial institutions.
• Experience in agricultural finance or Farm Credit preferred.
• Legal knowledge in accounting, finance, banking, or governance is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior legal counsel and strategic advice to executives and teams.
• Draft, negotiate and review complex contracts including loans and leases.
• Support agricultural lending teams with legal strategy and guidance.
• Oversee template documents and ensure consistency and quality.
• Advise on compliance matters and train teams on governance topics.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Analytical thinking

Contract drafting

Negotiation

Legal research

Interpersonal skills

MS Office

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Bar admission (MN/WI/IL)

Bachelor's degree

Tools

MS Office

Legal research sites

Job description

Empowered to live. Inspired to work.

Compeer Financial is a member-owned cooperative located in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. We bring together team members with a variety of backgrounds and experiences to help provide financial services to support agriculture and rural communities. Join us in a culture that not only promotes meaningful work and professional development, but provides a flexible, hybrid work environment and excellent benefits, which empower you to thrive both personally and professionally.

How we support you:

• Hybrid model - up to 50% work from home
• Flexible schedules including ample flexibility in the summer months
• Up to 9% towards 401k (3% fixed Compeer contribution plus up to 6% match)
• Benefits: medical, dental, vision, HSA/FSA, life & AD&D insurance, short-term and long-term disability, wellness program & EAP
• Vacation, sick leave, holidays/floating holidays, parental leave, and volunteer paid time off
• Learning and development programs
• Mentorship programs
• Cross-functional committee opportunities (i.e. Inclusion Council, emerging professional groups, etc.)
• Professional membership/certification reimbursement and more!

Casual/seasonal & intern team members are not eligible for benefits except for state-mandated programs.

Where you will work:

This position offers a hybrid work option up to 50% and is open to any Compeer office location in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The contributions you will make:

Provides senior legal counsel, advice, analysis and support on complex and significant matters affecting one or more assigned business units or functions. Independently manages legal matters across supported areas and serves as a strategic legal advisor to executives, leaders, and team members, tailoring recommendations to the individual line of business. Independently manages and resolves complex legal issues and provides guidance on matters with broader organizational impactDrafts, negotiates, and reviews a wide array of commercial contracts and advises the business units on the same.

Come join our growing legal and compliance team!

A typical day:

• Independently manages complex legal matters affecting one or more assigned business units, partnering with leaders to align legal advice with strategic priorities.
• Drafts internal documents, including memoranda outlining and analyzing the facts and legal issues involved in a matter, and provides legal opinions and recommendations on significant issues.
• Negotiates, drafts and interprets complex contracts and other legal documents between the organization and third parties, concerning loans, leases, insurance and other related matters in compliance with legal, regulatory and organizational policies.
• Provides primary legal support for the organization's agricultural lending teams, providing legal strategy and guidance on a broad array of matters relevant to the business units, including collateral matters, legal interpretation, loan structure, borrower eligibility, and servicing actions.
• Manages the organization's template lending and other contractual documents, maintaining consistency and quality control while maximizing effectiveness of our legal position.
• Provides primary legal support for related financial services offered by organization, including insurance, tax, accounting, appraisal, and consulting.
• Supports areas of the organizations' complex commercial markets and syndicated lending portfolio.
• Acts as senior legal and business advisor to executives, leaders, and assigned departments, providing counsel on complex matters, anticipating legal and compliance risks associated with business strategies and initiatives, and working with leaders to develop practical solutions that balance legal risk and business objectives.
• Monitors, researches, analyzes and provides advice on existing and proposed industry trends, regulatory compliance, new laws and policies and their impact on the broader organization, drafting legal opinions on complex areas of law pertinent to the organization.
• Provides guidance to executives, leaders, and team members on complex or sensitive legal and compliance matters and serves as a resource on matters requiring significant legal judgment or interpretation.
• Partners with business leaders and provides training and direction to team members on a range of related legal and compliance topics.
• Contributes to the development of the legal team's priorities and goals.

The skills and experience we prefer you have:

• Bachelor's degree, along with a JD from an American Bar Association accredited law school.
• Professional license to practice law in Minnesota, Wisconsin or Illinois.
• Expert-level experience in a law firm, corporate legal department, government agency, or regulated financial institution, or an equivalent combination of legal and directly relevant professional experience sufficient to perform the essential functions of the role, with substantial experience relevant to the assigned practice area.
• Experience with agricultural finance, the Farm Credit System, or another regulated financial institution, preferred.
• Relevant professional experience or credentials in an adjacent discipline aligned with the assigned practice area, such as accounting, finance, banking, credit, compliance, or governance, preferred.
• Knowledge of Federal, State and local laws and regulations affecting legal and compliance issues within the financial industry and relevant to Compeer Financial.
• Knowledge of agricultural and commercial lending, real estate, bankruptcy, contract, equipment leasing and/or corporate law.
• Skill in applying legal principles to individual cases and problems.
• Strong attention to detail and high level of accuracy.
• Analytical, critical thinking, and decision-making skills.
• High level of integrity.
• Flexibility in a fast-changing environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships and influence others through tact, sound judgment, and collaboration.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to effectively communicate complex topics to a variety of audiences, negotiate, and write legal contracts and documents.
• Strong computer skills, including MS Office applications, software programs to originate and service loans and leases, and legal research sites.
• Creative problem-solving ability.
• Ability to remain objective in balancing business needs and risk.
• Ability to prioritize assignments and work independently in a timely manner.

How we will take care of you:

Our job titles may span more than one career level (associate, senior, principal, etc.). The actual title and base pay offered is dependent upon many factors, such as: training, transferable skills, work experience, business needs and market demands. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. This role is eligible for variable compensation and other benefits.

Base Pay

$133,000 — $180,000 USD

Compeer Financial is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States. Compeer is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.