Senior Principal Counsel

Discover. A brighter future.

With us, you’ll do meaningful work from Day 1. Our collaborative culture is built on three core behaviors: We Play to Win, We Get Better Every Day & We Succeed Together. And we mean it — we want you to grow and make a difference at one of the world's leading digital banking and payments companies. We value what makes you unique so that you have an opportunity to shine.

Come build your future, while being the reason millions of people find a brighter financial future with Discover.

Job Description:

What You’ll Do

• This individual specializes in supporting operations, issues, remediation, and related risks, with a focus on drafting and negotiating complex agreements; supporting key business initiatives, operational processes, and controls; providing legal advice related to complex disputes; managing complex disputes; and communicating with senior leadership.

• This individual must be able to dig into complex legal issues; provide creative, risk-informed guidance that supports effective risk management; identify, assess, and communicate risks and legal and regulatory requirements; and collaborate effectively to help develop creative solutions.

• This individual will need to work efficiently as an individual contributor, work well as a part of a close-knit team, and collaborate closely with remote teams and stakeholders across the business, with a strong emphasis on creative solutions, proactive risk governance, and sound decision making.

• This individual will need to work with and manage outside counsel.

• This individual will need to be able to prioritize multiple competing demands and priorities in an environment that is fast-paced, interesting, challenging, supportive, and friendly.

How You’ll Do It

• Exercises prudent discretion and decision-making capabilities to provide advice, direction and support to internal business clients, including risk, compliance, governance, government relations, and/or legal advice, as applicable to role, on new initiatives, business processes, contract review and analysis, training, corrective actions, compliance with laws, regulations, policies and procedures, litigation risk and issues raised in governance committees.

• Identifies, assesses, communicates information to business clients related to emerging regulatory topics and best practices, and provides oversight and strategic guidance on new or proposed legal and regulatory requirements, emerging legal and regulatory risks and trends.

• Communicates effectively with clients, customers, leadership, committees, regulators and counterparties as applicable.

• Manages resources, if assigned, including overhead, outside counsel and other budgets to achieve Law’s financial goals.

• Develops and supports others by communicating, fostering respect, providing coaching and feedback, recognizing achievements, and effectively managing employee concerns.

• Continuously improves and adheres to required standards and processes to promote a risk-aware culture and ensure efficient and effective risk management.

• Provides advice, counseling, and training on moderately complex legal topics which may include one or more of the following coverage areas: Regulatory, Consumer Finance Advisory, Transactional, Anti-Trust, Privacy/Security, Technology, Employment/Benefits, Litigation, Collections, Public Company, Payments, and Intellectual Property.  

​Qualifications You’ll Need

The Basics

• J.D. in Law

• 3+ years legal experience supporting consumer financial services products and services, or job related, with experience to include drafting and negotiating complex agreements and/or handling complex disputes.

• Active law license in good standing

Physical and Cognitive Requirements

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable a qualified individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position as required by federal, state, and local laws:

• Primarily remain in a stationary position.

• Occasionally move about the work environment to complete the major responsibilities of the job. 

• Primarily performed indoors in an office setting.

• Ability to operate office equipment such as but not limited to computer, telephone, printer, and calculator.

• Ability to communicate verbally.; Ability to communicate in written form.