Staff Counsel

Citizens; New York (NY); On-site; USD 100,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

Retirement benefits

Maternity/paternity leave

Flexible work arrangements

Education reimbursement

Wellness programs

Paid time off policy exceeding mandatory requirements

Job summary

A major financial institution in New York seeks a Junior Staff Counsel to provide legal advice and counsel. The role supports senior legal staff by drafting legal documents and assisting with vendor contracts and litigation support. Candidates should have a Juris Doctor (JD), admission to practice in a U.S. jurisdiction, and 1-3 years of legal experience. The position offers competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a structured work schedule.

Qualifications

• 1–3 years of legal experience.
• Ability to work effectively under supervision in a fast‑paced environment.
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Draft legal assessments and recommendations related to laws.
• Support vendor contracting activities including document review.
• Provide litigation support including legal research and document management.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Analytical skills

Collaboration

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school

Admission to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction

Job description

The Staff Counsel is a junior level role working closely with senior staff to provide legal advice and counsel within the business or a specialty area within Legal at an enterprise level. The role works under direct supervision and supports smaller or less‑complex issues, clients, and projects while developing foundational in‑house legal experience.

Primary Responsibilities

• Draft legal assessments, interpretations, recommendations, and analyses related to laws, policies, contracts, and regulatory issues
• Work closely with senior legal staff to counsel business units on legal issues related to ongoing operational matters and new initiatives
• Support vendor contracting activities, including document review, drafting, and issue identification
• Assist with real estate‑related legal matters through document review and coordination
• Provide litigation support, including legal research, document management, discovery assistance, and matter tracking
• Conduct legal research and prepare summaries or draft materials under attorney supervision
• Partner with internal stakeholders to gather information and support legal inquiries
• Help influence and support business line or functional strategy through legal analysis and guidance
• Maintain organized files and tracking for legal matters and projects

Required Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school
• Admission to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
• 1–3 years of legal experience
• Strong legal research, writing, and analytical skills
• Ability to work effectively under supervision in a fast‑paced, collaborative environment
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality

Preferred Qualifications

• Exposure to vendor contracts, litigation support, compliance, or real estate matters
• Experience supporting an in‑house legal team

Hours & Work Schedule

Hours per Week: 40
Work Schedule: Full‑time, Monday through Friday

Pay Transparency

The salary range for this position is $100,000 - $115,000 per year, plus an opportunity to earn an annual discretionary bonus. Actual pay is based on various factors including but not limited to the work location, and relevant skills and experience.

We offer competitive pay, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, maternity/paternity leave, flexible work arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs and more. Note, Citizens’ paid time off policy exceeds the mandatory, paid sick or paid time‑away policy of every local and state jurisdiction in the United States. For an overview of our benefits, visit https://jobs.citizensbank.com/benefits.

Some job boards have started using jobseeker-reported data to estimate salary ranges for roles. If you apply and qualify for this role, a recruiter will discuss accurate pay guidance.

Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family status/parenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague’s or a dependent’s reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws. At Citizens, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that enables all colleagues to bring their best selves to work every day and everyone is expected to be treated with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, performance and capability.

Why Work for Us

At Citizens, you'll find a customer‑centric culture built around helping our customers and giving back to our local communities. When you join our team, you are part of a supportive and collaborative workforce, with access to training and tools to accelerate your potential and maximize your career growth.