Senior Counsel Mergers and Acquisitions

The Senior Counsel -- Mergers and Acquisitions (SC - MA) supports the Company’s and its affiliates’ mergers and acquisitions activities, including the acquisition of wealth management and investment adviser practices through the Company’s Bluespring Wealth Partners acquisition arm.  The ideal candidate will have 7 or more years of large law firm corporate legal experience, or equivalent in-house experience, and must have substantial hands-on M&A drafting and negotiation experience.  The candidate should be capable of working independently with key business stakeholders and both external and internal counsel in related disciplines (regulatory, employment, tax, etc.) as necessary.  The SC – MA will be responsible for advising on all phases of acquisitions from non-disclosure agreements, to term sheets, to due-diligence, to transaction documents.  In addition, the SC - MA will work closely with the company’s corporate secretary and private equity sponsor to ensure equity consideration is properly documented and recorded.  This position will also support the Company’s general corporate legal needs by assisting with corporate record-keeping, and general contract negotiation and review needed to support the operations of the Company and its subsidiaries. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as the primary legal resource for all phases of mergers and acquisitions with a primary focus on the acquisition of investment advisers and wealth management practices by the Company’s Bluespring Wealth Partners subsidiary.  Negotiate and draft NDAs, term sheets, acquisition documents, employment agreements and related transaction documents.


• Advise on competition issues and the use of restrictive covenants associated with transactions.


• Effectively work with business leaders, legal peers, human resources and compliance personnel on legal issues associated with acquisitions


• Work closely with the corporate secretary and private equity sponsor with respect to equity issued in transactions and otherwise


• Provide proactive counsel on new and emerging risks impacting the acquisition of wealth management and investment adviser businesses


• Assist with corporate secretarial function and general corporate legal matters of the company and its subsidiaries


• Other legal duties as assigned from time to time

Qualifications & Experience

• J.D. from an accredited law school; active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction


• At least 7 years of direct hands-on experience in mergers and acquisitions with a strong background in financial services, wealth management, and, preferably, with private equity portfolio companies


• Exceptional leadership, communication, and business acumen, with the ability to partner effectively with senior executives and investors


• Strong communication and negotiation skills and the ability to manage complex transactions and contractual arrangements

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong working knowledge of SEC, FINRA and other regulatory issues associated with the acquisition of investment advisers and wealth management practices. 


• Experience in a high-growth, private equity-backed company in financial services


• Strong network within the legal, wealth management and regulatory communities.