Counsel, Wealth Management & Advisor Growth(HYBRID)

Equitable; Charlotte (NC); Hybrid; USD 220,000 - 274,000; Full time

Job summary

Equitable is seeking a highly skilled Counsel for Wealth Management & Advisor Growth. You will serve as the primary legal partner supporting recruitment, onboarding, and acquisitions of books of business for our wealth management platform.

This role requires deep experience with sophisticated transactions and strong collaboration with senior leaders. The position offers a flexible hybrid work schedule with 2–3 days on-site and opportunities to influence strategic initiatives across the wealth

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing.
• 5+ years of legal experience in a law firm and/or in-house environment, with significant wealth management/broker-dealer/RIA experience.
• Demonstrated success advising business leaders on complex transactional, commercial, and strategic matters.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, and deal-structuring expertise with high-value transactions.
• Experience advising on restrictive covenant matters including non-solicitation and non-compete.
• Strong business judgment balancing legal risk with business objectives.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and transactions in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong executive presence and communication across legal, compliance and business teams.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the lead legal advisor to Equitable's Wealth Management business on strategic growth initiatives and advisor recruitment transactions.
• Structure, draft, and negotiate complex agreements (Asset Purchase, Asset Retention, Loan, Promissory Notes, Recruiting and transition agreements).
• Provide guidance on recruitment/onboarding of experienced financial professionals and advisor groups; advise on acquisitions of books of business.
• Advise on restrictive covenants and transition-related provisions; review candidate applications and onboarding documentation.
• Lead engagements with outside counsel and manage complex matters including debt recovery.
• Partner with Compliance, Litigation, Risk and business leaders on regulatory considerations.
• Identify legal and regulatory risks and deliver practical, business-focused solutions.
• Help develop scalable legal processes to support growth in Wealth Management.

Skills

Juris Doctor (JD)

Active bar membership

5+ years legal experience

Wealth management experience

Experience with broker-dealers/RIA

Drafting and negotiation

Deal structuring

Regulatory/compliance knowledge

Executive presence & communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

About The Role

At Equitable, we help clients secure their financial well-being so they can pursue long and fulfilling lives, a mission we've proudly advanced since 1859.

About The Role

At Equitable, we help clients secure their financial well-being so they can pursue long and fulfilling lives, a mission we've proudly advanced since 1859.

Join a collaborative legal team where your expertise will directly influence the growth of one of the nation's leading wealth management organizations. At Equitable, you'll have the opportunity to advise on sophisticated transactions, partner with senior business leaders, and play a key role in expanding our advisor network and wealth management platform. If you're looking for a role that combines meaningful legal work, strategic partnership, and tangible business impact, we encourage you to apply.

Equitable is seeking a highly motivated and business-oriented attorney, experienced in advising wealth management firms to serve as Counsel, Wealth Management & Advisor Growth. In this high-visibility role, you will be the primary legal partner supporting transactions related to the recruitment and onboarding of experienced financial professionals, acquisitions of books of business, and other initiatives that drive the continued success and expansion of our Wealth Management business.

This is a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of law, business strategy, and financial services while partnering with senior leaders to shape key initiatives, solve complex challenges, and contribute to the long-term success of Equitable's Wealth Management business.

This position offers a flexible hybrid work schedule, with an on-site presence of 2-3 days per week, providing the opportunity for meaningful collaboration while maintaining flexibility.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Serve as the lead legal advisor to Equitable's Wealth Management business, partnering with leadership on strategic growth initiatives, advisor recruitment transactions, and acquisitions of books of business.
• Structure, draft, and negotiate complex transactional arrangements that support the continued growth and expansion of our advisor platform, including:
  • Asset Purchase Agreements
  • Asset Retention Agreements
  • Loan Agreements
  • Promissory Notes
  • Recruiting and transition agreements
  • Other transaction-related and ancillary documentation

• Provide legal guidance and support for:
• Recruitment and onboarding of experienced financial professionals and advisor groups
• Acquisitions of books of business by Equitable
• Acquisitions of books of business by existing Equitable financial professionals
• Advise on restrictive covenant matters, including non-solicitation, non-compete, and transition-related provisions.
• Review and provide guidance on financial professional candidate applications, hiring agreements, and onboarding documentation.
• Lead engagements with outside counsel and manage complex legal matters, including debt recovery and enforcement actions involving financial professionals.
• Partner closely with Compliance, Litigation, Risk, and business leaders to address regulatory, operational, and transactional considerations.
• Identify legal and regulatory risks while delivering practical, business-focused solutions that support growth objectives.
• Drive continuous improvement by helping develop and refine scalable legal processes that enhance efficiency and support an evolving Wealth Management business.

The total targeted compensation range for this position is $220,000 - $274,000. Total compensation varies based on skills, experience, geographical location and other factors. Equitable provides compensation to reward performance with base salary increases, spot bonuses, and short-term incentive compensation opportunities. Eligibility for these programs depends on level and functional area of responsibility.

For eligible employees, Equitable provides a full range of benefits. This includes medical, dental, vision, a 401(k) plan, and paid time off. For detailed descriptions of these benefits, please reference the link below.

Equitable Pay and Benefits: Equitable Total Rewards Program

What You Will Bring

Required Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing.
• 5+ years of legal experience in a law firm and/or in-house legal environment, with significant experience supporting wealth management firms, broker-dealers, RIAs, or financial advisor platforms.
• Demonstrated success advising business leaders on complex transactional, commercial, and strategic matters.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, and deal-structuring expertise, with experience managing sophisticated agreements and high-value transactions.
• Experience advising on restrictive covenant matters, including non-solicitation, non-compete, and advisor transition arrangements.
• Exceptional business judgment and the ability to balance legal risk with business objectives while delivering practical, solution-oriented advice.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, stakeholders, and transactions in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Strong executive presence, communication skills, and the ability to build trusted relationships across legal, compliance, and business teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• In-house legal experience within a financial services, wealth management, broker-dealer, or RIA organization.
• Experience supporting financial advisor recruiting, onboarding, succession planning, or acquisitions of books of business.
• Familiarity with the legal and regulatory landscape impacting financial professionals and advisory businesses.
• Experience partnering with senior executives on strategic initiatives, growth opportunities, and business transformation efforts.
• Collaborative mindset with a passion for solving complex business challenges and driving meaningful outcomes.

Why Join Us

• Shape the future of a leading wealth management organization through strategic growth initiatives, advisor recruiting, and acquisitions.
• Partner with senior business and legal leaders on high-impact transactions and business-critical decisions.
• Work at the intersection of law, business strategy, and growth while driving meaningful business outcomes.
• Join a collaborative, high-performing team that values innovation, partnership, flexibility, and practical problem-solving.

The Equitable Law Department's mission is to serve as Equitable's trusted counsel, empowering the organization to pursue its noble purpose by upholding the highest standards, fostering collaborative relationships, and delivering innovative, business-focused solutions.

Skills

Accuracy and Attention to Detail: Understanding the necessity and value of accuracy; ability to complete tasks with high levels of precision.

Communicating Complex Concepts: Knowledge of effective presentation tools and techniques to ensure clear understanding; ability to use summarization and simplification techniques to explain complex technical concepts in simple, clear language appropriate to the audience.

Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.

Influencing: Knowledge of effective influencing tactics and strategies; ability to impact decisions within and outside own organization.

Legal Analysis: Knowledge of methods and tools used in legal analysis; ability to read, interpret and draw accurate conclusions from both legal and factual information.

Negotiation and Settlement: Knowledge of the principles, techniques and practices of negotiation and settlement of claims; ability to formulate and reach prompt and fair negotiating settlements for various claims.

About Equitable

At Equitable, we’re a team committed to helping our clients secure their financial well‑being so that they can pursue long and fulfilling lives.

We turn challenges into opportunities by thinking, working, and leading differently – where everyone is a leader. We encourage every employee to leverage their unique talents to become a force for good at Equitable and in their local communities.

We are continuously investing in our people by offering growth, internal mobility, comprehensive compensation and benefits to support overall well‑being, flexibility, and a culture of collaboration and teamwork.

We are looking for talented, dedicated, purposeful people who want to make an impact. Join Equitable and pursue a career with purpose. Click Careers at Equitable to learn more.

Equitable is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to our employees, applicants and candidates based on individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity and expression, age, national origin, mental or physical disabilities, sexual orientation, veteran status, genetic information or any other class protected by federal, state and local laws.

NOTE: Equitable participates in the E-Verify program.

If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process or to perform the essential job functions of this position, please contact Human Resources at [phone] or email us at [e-mail].

Primary Location

UNITED STATES-NC-Charlotte

Schedule

Full-time