EVP, Deputy General Counsel

Customers Bank; Malvern (Chester County); On-site; USD 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

Customers Bank seeks an experienced Deputy General Counsel to lead the Legal Department and act as a strategic partner to executive leadership. The role oversees corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and both litigation and transactional matters across the bank’s business units.

You will coordinate with technology, product, and compliance teams to manage risk while supporting strategic initiatives and responsible growth.

Qualifications

• Minimum 12-15 years of legal experience, preferably in-house at a financial institution.
• Licensed to practice law in PA or NY; multi-state licensure a plus.
• Solid understanding of federal and PA banking laws and regulations.
• ABA-accredited law school; JD degree required.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership and governance oversight for the Legal Department and corporate secretary functions.
• Oversee litigation, legal process, outside counsel management, and regulatory disclosures.
• Advise on product, platform, and technology initiatives with attention to risk, privacy, and contract matters.
• Support employee relations and cross-functional collaboration with People, Experience & Talent (PXT).

Skills

Executive leadership

Corporate governance

Regulatory compliance

Litigation management

Contract negotiation

Education

Juris Doctor

Tools

Microsoft Office

Contract lifecycle management

e-discovery platforms

Job description

Malvern, PA

Full time

At Customers Bank, we believe in working hard, working smart, working together to deliver memorable customer experiences and having fun. Our vision, mission, and values guide us along our path to achieve excellence. Passion, attitude, creativity, integrity, alignment, and execution are cornerstones of our behaviors. They define who we are as an organization and as individuals. Everyone is encouraged to have personal development plans. By doing so, our team members are on their way to achieve their highest potential and be successful in their personal and professional lives.

Must be legally eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship, now or in the future, to be considered.

Who is Customers Bank?

Customers Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE:CUBI) is one of the nation’s top-performing banking companies with approximately $27 billion in assets making it one of the 80 largest bank holding companies in the U.S.

Customers Bank’s commercial and consumer clients benefit from a full suite of technology-enabled tailored product experiences delivered by best-in-class customer service distinguished by a Single Point of Contact approach. In addition to traditional lines such as C&I, commercial real estate, and residential and personal lending, Customers Bank also provides a number of national corporate banking services to clients in businesses including: fund finance, venture banking, healthcare, mortgage finance, and equipment finance.

Major accolades include:

• Named a Top Performing Bank by American Banker for six consecutive years (2021-2026), including the #1 spot in 2024 among midsize banks ($10B to $50B in assets)
• No. 45 out of the 100 largest publicly traded banks in 2026 Forbes Best Banks list
• Net Promoter Score of 81 compared to industry average of 41

What You’ll Do:

Customers Bank's Legal Department provides a high-end legal partnership that supports the Bank's culture, strategy, and growth while ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The EVP, Deputy General Counsel serves as the General Counsel's key deputy and second-in-command of the Legal Department, acting as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to the EVP, General Counsel and business unit leaders across the Bank. This role oversees a broad portfolio of legal matters, including strategic initiatives, litigation and legal process, employment and labor matters, and legal support for the Bank's Product & Platform initiatives, and will step in for the General Counsel as needed on Board, regulatory, and executive matters.

Key Responsibilities

Executive Leadership & Corporate Governance

• Serve as a key advisor and strategic partner to the EVP, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, and act in that capacity in their absence.
• Support oversight of corporate legal activities, policies, procedures, and programs, including those applicable to public companies.
• Assist with public company filings and disclosures as needed.

Litigation & Legal Process

• Ensure the timely and efficient management, tracking, and reporting of litigation matters instituted by or against the Bank.
• Manage outside counsel relationships and engagements throughout the litigation lifecycle, including providing strategic direction.
• Oversee discovery responses and supervise the preparation of pleadings, briefs, and other legal documents for factual accuracy.
• Supervise and assist with the handling of civil and criminal subpoenas, writs of execution, and levies.

General Legal Matters

• Provide leadership of strategic initiatives and new product development as designated by the General Counsel, including conducting legal risk assessments, providing legal and regulatory guidance and design support and drafting product-related agreements and disclosures.
• Provide support for regulatory matters, including drafting regulatory communications, providing regulatory advice to team members, business units, and management and engaging with regulators as designated by the General Counsel.
• Provide strategic and practical legal analysis, counsel, and support to Legal Department team members, business units, and management regarding a wide range of legal matters.
• Conduct legal research and analysis on complex issues impacting the Bank.
• Assist with the drafting and negotiation of non-disclosure agreements, customer agreements and disclosures; review and interpret contract provisions to advise on risk.
• Review and advise on press releases and marketing materials.
• Directly and indirectly supervise members of the Legal Department, including the Legal Process team, as assigned.

Product, Platform & Technology Legal Support

• Partner with Technology leadership to provide legal review and risk guidance for new products, platforms, and digital initiatives.
• Review and negotiate technology, software licensing, and vendor/platform agreements supporting the Bank's technology roadmap.
• Advise on legal and regulatory considerations related to data use, third-party technology partnerships, and emerging fintech and payments products.
• Partner with Technology, Compliance, and Third-Party Risk Management to identify and mitigate legal risk in product design and platform deployment.

Employee Relations (partnering with PXT)

• Partner with People, Experience & Talent (PXT) to provide legal guidance across the full employee life cycle, including hiring, performance management, leaves of absence, accommodations, discipline, and separations.
• Advise on employment-related risk, workplace investigations, and employee complaints, coordinating with PXT and outside employment counsel as needed.
• Support the Bank's response to employment-related claims, agency charges, and litigation in coordination with PXT and the Litigation team.

What Do You Need?

Demonstrated Experience:

• Minimum 12-15 years of experience in the practice of law, preferably at a law firm, large bank, or financial services company, with substantial in-house experience.
• Currently licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania or New York; multi-state licensure a plus.
• Solid understanding of federal and PA banking laws, rules, and regulations.
• Proven experience leading or co-leading a legal team, with strong people-management and mentoring skills.
• Substantive experience with corporate governance and public company matters.
• Substantive knowledge and experience in commercial litigation management and strategy, including the oversight of outside counsel.
• Experience negotiating and drafting non-disclosure agreements, product agreements, customer agreements and disclosures, complex vendor contracts, and software licensing agreements.
• Experience handling a variety of employment law and human resources matters across the employee life cycle.
• Experience providing legal support for technology, product, or platform initiatives, ideally within payments, financial services or fintech.
• Experience in handling, investigating, and responding to subpoenas, levies, writs of execution, and other court-issued documents.
• Strong judgment, executive presence, and the ability to serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and the Board.
• Exceptional project management, organizational, and prioritization skills, with the ability to manage multiple and competing priorities.
• The ability to communicate clearly, both verbally and in writing, at all levels within the organization, including the ability to make and communicate difficult decisions.
• Commitment to exemplifying the highest integrity and professional business standards, while exercising the utmost discretion in managing sensitive information.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Education:

• Juris Doctor from an ABA accredited law school.
• Strong academic credentials.

Technology Skills:

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
• Experience with board portal, contract lifecycle management, and/or e-discovery platforms preferred.

Customers Bank is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

We also provide “reasonable accommodations”, upon request, to qualified individuals with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state and local laws.

Diversity Statement:

At Customers Bank, we believe in working smart, working together, and having fun while delivering innovative solutions and memorable experiences for our customers. We are committed to the continual advancement of a culture which reflect the value we place on diversity, equity, and inclusion. We honor the diverse experiences, perspectives, and identities of our team members, and we recognize that it is their passion, creativity, and integrity that drives our success. Step into your future with us! Let’s take on tomorrow.

Founded in 2009, Customers Bank is a super-community bank with $20.3 billion in assets at June 30, 2022. We believe in dedicated personal service for the businesses, professionals, individuals and families we work with. We offer banking and loan services across Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Texas.

Customers Bank is a member of the Federal Reserve System with deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Customers Bank is an equal opportunity lender. Customers Bank takes pride in delivering extremely high levels of customer service while charging comparatively very low fees; service that makes our clients say, “Wow.”

Customers Bank, with its headquarters located in Malvern, Pennsylvania, is a subsidiary of Customers Bancorp, Inc., a bank holding company. The voting common shares of Customers Bancorp, Inc. are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CUBI.

Customer Service driven VEVRAA Federal Contractor, seeking priority referral of qualified protected veterans.

Customers Bank will provide consideration for employment to qualified applicants without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, sex/ gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status or disability.

Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

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