Director, Legal Commodities

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce; New York (NY); On-site; USD 140,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401(k) retirement plan

Paid time off

Wellbeing support

Job summary

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) seeks a Commodities Counsel to provide legal and regulatory advice for physical and financial commodities trading. Based in New York, you will support the Commodities team across energy, metals, power and environmental products, with emphasis on transaction structure and risk mitigation.

You will review master agreements (ISDA/NAESB/EEI), manage external counsel as needed, and advise on FERC/ISO licensing and relevant regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited US law school.
• New York State Bar admission in good standing.
• 5–7 years of counsel experience in a top law firm, financial institution, commodity trading firm, or US regulatory/self-regulatory org.
• Understanding of US regulatory landscape for coverage area.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, drafting and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day legal coverage for physical and financial commodities trading.
• Draft, review, and negotiate financing and hedging agreements, including loans, leases, prepays, repos, forwards, options and swaps, and related security documents.
• Support amendments to existing credit agreements as needed.
• Review commodity storage and transportation agreements as needed.
• Advise on enforceability risks associated with these agreements.
• Advise on CFTC, FERC, and other regulations with Compliance and Risk teams.
• Provide time-sensitive legal advice to sales and trading personnel.
• Analyze licensing and non-disclosure agreements for the commodities business.
• Support new trading initiatives in a rapid-paced environment.

Skills

Legal drafting

Regulatory compliance

Contract negotiation

Risk assessment

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Education

JD (US law)

Job description

We’re building a relationship-oriented bank for the modern world. We need talented, passionate professionals who are dedicated to doing what’s right for our clients.

At CIBC, we embrace your strengths and your ambitions, so you are empowered at work. Our team members have what they need to make a meaningful impact and are truly valued for who they are and what they contribute.

To learn more about CIBC, please visit CIBC.com

What You’ll Be Doing

We're seeking Commodities Counsel to join our team to provide legal and regulatory advice for CIBC’s physical and financial commodities trading activities. The role supports CIBC’s Commodities team across energy, metals, power and environmental products, with a strong focus on transaction structure, regulatory analysis and risk identification.

You will be expected to demonstrate a solid foundation in the documentation of physical commodity transactions. You will review collateral packages to identify key terms and advise on the structuring of transactions to mitigate risk associated with debtor insolvency, commodity title claims, security interest perfection, and other risks related to CIBC’s secured creditor status.

You are expected to have knowledge of relevant US commodity derivatives regulatory requirements and US bankruptcy principles and must demonstrate the capacity to engage and manage external counsel as and when needed based on business requirements and transaction complexity. You should have experience dealing with major physical commodity classes relevant for CIBC, including, but not limited to, metal, natural gas and power, and environmental commodities.

Ideal candidates will have experience advising on U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) and ISO/RTO licensing and/or membership requirements and their applicability to commodity transactions. You are expected to advise the business and relevant compliance teams on the implementation of relevant requirements and processes.

You should have a strong working knowledge of standard Master Agreements under which physical commodities are transacted, including the ISDA, NAESB, EEI, and associated physical annexes and credit documentation. Ideal candidates will have a working knowledge of emissions trading schemes and the documentation of transactions relating to environmental products. Ideal applicants will demonstrate an understanding of the trading book and the use of hedging tools, including listed futures contracts, to mitigate risks associated with CIBC’s hedging and financing activity for clients.

The successful candidate must coordinate the foregoing legal advice across a range of internal stakeholders across North America and London, including our compliance teams, trading desks, sales personnel, credit risk teams, and senior business management. The position is based in New York and reports directly to Senior Counsel, Commodity Finance (US) in CIBC’s US Capital Markets division.

How You’ll Succeed

• Provide day-to-day legal coverage for physical and financial commodities trading
• Draft, review, and negotiate a range of commodity financing and hedging agreements, including loans, leases, consignments, prepays, repos, forwards, options, and swaps, as well as security agreements, intercreditor agreements, and guarantee agreements supporting the foregoing
• Support the business with amendments to existing credit agreements as needed
• Review and advise on commodity storage and transportation agreements as needed
• Advise on enforceability risks associated with these agreements
• Advise on CFTC, FERC, and other regulations applicable to commodities trading in partnership with Compliance and Risk teams
• Provide time-sensitive legal advice to sales and trading personnel within CIBC’s US Capital Markets commodities business unit
• Analyze licensing and non-disclosure agreements that may be needed in support of the commodities business
• Support new commodity trading related initiatives advanced by CIBC’s US Capital Markets commodities business unit in a rapid-paced environment

Who You Are

• JD from an accredited US law school
• NY State Bar admission in good standing
• 5 to 7 years experience as counsel in a top law firm, financial institution, commodity trading firm or US regulatory or self‑regulatory organization in financial services
• Understanding of U.S. regulatory landscape for coverage area
• Strong interpersonal skills in order to maintain working relationships
• Excellent communication, drafting and negotiation skills

Values matter to you. You bring your real self to work and you live our values – trust, teamwork, and accountability.

California residents — your privacy rights regarding your actual or prospective employment

At CIBC, we offer a competitive total rewards package. This role has an expected salary range of $140,000-$185,000 for the New York, NY market based on experience, qualifications, and location of the position. The successful candidate may be eligible to participate in the relevant business unit’s incentive compensation plan, which also may include a discretionary bonus component. CIBC offers a full range of benefits and programs to meet our employee’s needs; including Medical, Dental, Vision, Health Savings Account, Life Insurance, Disability, and Other Insurance Plans, Paid Time Off (including Sick Leave, Parental Leave, and Vacation), Holidays, and 401(k), in addition to other special perks reserved for our team members.

Candidates hired to work in other locations will be subject to the pay range associated with that location. Additional total compensation and benefits details will be provided during the hiring process.

What CIBC Offers

At CIBC, your goals are a priority. We start with your strengths and ambitions as an employee and strive to create opportunities to tap into your potential. We aspire to give you a career, rather than just a paycheck.

• We work to recognize you in meaningful, personalized ways including a competitive salary, incentive pay, banking benefits, a benefits program*, a vacation offering, wellbeing support, and MomentMakers, our social, points-based recognition program.
• Our spaces and technological toolkit will make it simple to bring together great minds to create innovative solutions that make a difference for our clients.
• We cultivate a culture where you can express your ambition through initiatives like Purpose Day; a paid day off dedicated for you to use to invest in your growth and development.

*Subject to plan and program terms and conditions

What you need to know

• CIBC is committed to creating an inclusive environment where all team members and clients feel like they belong. We seek applicants with a wide range of abilities and we provide an accessible candidate experience. If you need accommodation, please contact [e-mail]
• You need to be legally eligible to work at the location(s) specified above and, where applicable, must have a valid work or study permit.
• We may ask you to complete an attribute-based assessment and other skills tests (such as simulation, coding, MS Office). Our goal for the application process is to get to know more about you, all that you have to offer, and give you the opportunity to learn more about us.

Job Location

NY-New York, 300 Madison Ave Fl 6

Employment Type

Regular

Weekly Hours

40

Skills

Business, Business Contracts, Business Transactions, Communication, Contract Negotiations, Critical Thinking, Decision Making, Documentations, Legal Consulting, Litigation, Strategic Advice