Corporate Counsel

FIRST INTERNATIONAL BANK & TRUST; Fargo (ND); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; 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 Fargo seeks an experienced Corporate Counsel to serve as a trusted legal partner across the organization, providing practical, risk-balanced guidance on banking and corporate matters. You will work with the General Counsel and leadership to support strategic initiatives and day-to-day operations.

The role spans payments, retail, mortgage, compliance, and vendor management, with responsibilities including contract review, coordination with outside counsel,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree from four-year college and 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 balancing legal risk and business objectives.
• Effective communicator who can translate complex legal concepts into clear guidance.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities across diverse business units.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal support across banking functions (Payments/Risk, Retail, Mortgage, Compliance, and more).
• Lead contract review and negotiation with Vendor Management.
• Coordinate work with outside counsel as needed.
• Offer actionable legal guidance to leadership for operations and strategy.
• Interpret and apply federal/state banking laws and regulations.
• Identify legal risks in business decisions and propose solutions.
• Support training for leadership on key legal topics.
• Assist with credit workouts, collections, litigation, HR, IT, and InfoSec as needed.
• Engage regulators, external counsel, and industry groups; support advocacy.

Skills

Legal knowledge

Regulatory compliance

Contract negotiation

Communication

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

Fargo Ops Center, 3247 47th St S, Fargo, North Dakota, United States of America

Job Description

Posted Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at 6:00 AM

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

Fargo Ops Center, 3247 47th St S, Fargo, North Dakota, United States of America