Associate Counsel

First Carolina Bank; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

First Carolina Bank, a regional community bank with a broad footprint, seeks an Associate Counsel to join its on-site legal team in Raleigh, NC. The role focuses on banking and technology law, regulatory compliance, and transactional matters.

Ideal candidates hold a JD and NC bar admission with experience in financial services, privacy, and licensing agreements. You will collaborate with colleagues across departments to manage risk and support strategic business goals.

Qualifications

• Licensed attorney with JD from an accredited law school and active NC bar admission or eligibility for admission in a reasonable timeline.
• Experience in banking, financial services, or technology law with knowledge of banking regulations, consumer protection laws, privacy laws, IP, and licensing agreements a plus.
• Strong legal research, analytical, and drafting skills, with attention to detail and risk assessment.
• Ability to translate complex legal concepts for non-legal stakeholders and collaborate across departments.
• Proficiency with standard office and legal research tools.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple matters, meet deadlines, and work independently.
• Commitment to ethical practice, confidentiality, and community-focused banking culture.
• Prior experience with financial institutions, fintech, or in-house counsel; SaaS agreements, gov contracting, and consumer privacy a plus.

Responsibilities

• Serve as strategic legal partner to business units across banking and technology matters.
• Advise on regulatory, transactional, and privacy issues and draft/ negotiate agreements.
• Collaborate with multiple departments to assess risk and ensure regulatory compliance.

Skills

Legal research

Analytical skills

Drafting skills

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Attention to detail

Risk assessment

Independent work

Ethical practice

Confidentiality

Education

JD and NC Bar

Tools

Microsoft Office

Westlaw

LexisNexis

Job description

Company Description.

First Carolina Bank is a high-touch community bank with a physical branch footprint in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia, as well as operating a nationwide financial services business offering commercial disbursement services and online deposit accounts.

Role Description.

The Associate Counsel role is a full-time, on-site position based in Raleigh, NC. The bank's legal team serves as a strategic business partner, helping the organization navigate complex legal, regulatory, operational, and transactional matters.

Qualifications

• Licensed attorney (JD from an accredited law school and active bar admission in North Carolina or eligibility for admission within a reasonable timeline).
• Experience in banking, financial services, or technology law, with knowledge of banking regulations, consumer financial protection laws, privacy regulations, intellectual property, and licensing agreements a plus.
• Strong legal research, analytical, and drafting skills, with attention to detail and sound judgment in assessing risk.
• Ability to communicate complex legal concepts clearly to non-legal stakeholders and collaborate effectively across departments.
• Proficiency with standard office and legal research tools.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple matters simultaneously, meet deadlines, and work independently.
• Commitment to ethical practice, confidentiality, and alignment with a community-focused, customer-centered banking culture.
• Prior work with financial institutions, financial technology businesses, and/or in-house counsel experience preferred; experience with SaaS agreements, government contracting, and consumer privacy a plus, but not required.