Corporate Counsel

FIRST INTERNATIONAL BANK & TRUST; Bismarck (ND); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K Retirement Plan with Employer Mat

Life and Disability Insurance

Generous PTO and Holiday pay

Job summary

First International Bank and Trust in Bismarck seeks a Corporate Counsel to partner across the organization, advising on banking and corporate matters and supporting strategic initiatives.

The role collaborates with General Counsel and leadership, handles vendor management, risk assessment, and regulatory compliance, and offers opportunities to influence operations and drive practical solutions.

Qualifications

• JD required and licensed to practice law in ND, MN, SD, or AZ.
• Banking law experience or in-house counsel preferred.
• Ability to translate complex legal concepts into actionable guidance.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal support across banking functions including payments, retail, mortgage, compliance, and vendor management.
• Lead contract review and negotiation with internal teams and outside counsel.
• Coordinate work with outside counsel and regulators as needed.
• Advise leadership on legal risk and strategic initiatives.
• Interpret federal and state banking laws and apply them to business decisions.
• Support training for leadership on key legal topics.
• Assist with credit workouts, litigation, HR, IT, and information security as needed.
• Engage with regulators and industry groups to support advocacy.

Skills

Legal analysis

Negotiation

Communication

Cross-functional work

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

Bismarck, 1601 12th St N, Bismarck, North Dakota, United States of America

Job Description

We are seeking a Corporate Counsel to serve as a trusted legal partner across the organization, providing practical, risk-balanced guidance on a wide range of banking and corporate matters. This role offers broad exposure across the bank and will work closely with the General Counsel and leadership team to support strategic initiatives, manage legal risk, and advise on day-to-day operations. While this position will engage with key areas such as payments, retail, mortgage, compliance, and vendor management, responsibilities will be aligned based on the experience and strengths of the individual.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide legal support across a range of banking functions, which may include Payments/Kotapay, Retail, Mortgage, Compliance/Risk, and Deposit Operations.
• Lead contract review and negotiation efforts in partnership with Vendor Management.
• Oversee and coordinate work with outside counsel as needed.
• Provide clear, actionable legal guidance to business leaders to support operations and strategic initiatives.
• Interpret and apply federal and state banking laws and regulations.
• Identify and assess legal risk tied to business decisions; recommend practical solutions.
• Support training and education efforts for leadership on key legal topics.
• Provide support on credit workouts, collections, litigation, HR, IT, Information Security, and other areas as needed.
• Engage with regulators, external counsel, and industry groups; support advocacy and external affairs efforts.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree from four-year college or university and Juris Doctor (JD) required.
• Active license to practice law in at least one state where the bank operates (ND, MN, SD, or AZ).
• Prior experience in banking law, financial services, or an in-house corporate counsel role preferred.
• Strong judgment with the ability to balance legal risk and business objectives.
• Effective communicator who can translate complex legal concepts into clear, practical guidance.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work across diverse business units.

First International Bank and Trust is a family-owned full-service Community Bank with locations in ND, MN, SD, and AZ. We show our employees we care by providing competitive benefits and training and growth opportunities. Here are the things we offer within our full-time benefits package:

• 401K Retirement Plan with Employer Match
• Life and Disability Insurance
• Generous PTO and Holiday pay

Bismarck, 1601 12th St N, Bismarck, North Dakota, United States of America