About the Position:
Our client, a leading employee-owned investment bank based in Chicago, is seeking a General Counsel to lead its legal function and serve as a strategic advisor to executive leadership. The ideal candidate for this role is an experienced leader in financial services, specifically in broker-dealer or investment management businesses, with a generalist orientation. This is a high-impact opportunity for an experienced financial services attorney who enjoys building teams, enhancing processes, and partnering closely with business leaders in a sophisticated, growth-oriented environment.

Highlights:
• Strategic leadership position with significant visibility across the organization
• Highly collaborative, business-facing culture
• Employee-owned firm with strong financial performance and long-term stability
• Hybrid work arrangement in Chicago
• Comprehensive benefits package, including ESOP participation

Responsibilities:
• Provide legal oversight for broker-dealer activities and advise on regulatory and financial services matters
• Serve as the principal legal advisor to executive leadership on strategic, operational, regulatory, and governance matters
• Lead and develop the Legal Department, including attorneys, paralegals, and outside counsel
• Partner with Compliance, Risk, Operations, Finance, HR, and business leaders to support firm initiatives
• Develop practical legal frameworks, templates, policies, and workflows that enable business growth while managing risk
• Advise senior leadership regarding legal and regulatory developments impacting the organization
• Support corporate governance matters and board-level initiatives

Required Experience:
• 15-25 years of experience advising financial institutions or other regulated financial services organizations
• Significant broker-dealer legal and regulatory experience
• Experience advising on complex financial products, structured transactions, and the acquisition and integration of FINRA-regulated entities
• Proven track record leading legal teams and managing attorneys, paralegals, and outside counsel, as well as experience advising senior executives and boards of directors
• Experience building processes, improving legal operations, and supporting organizational growth

Compensation:
The anticipated salary range for this position is $700,000+.

Location:
Chicago, IL (Hybrid)