SVP, Deputy General Counsel – Litigation

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Job Description:

SVP, Deputy General Counsel - Litigation

Reporting to the EVP, Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, the SVP, Deputy General Counsel will be a key member of the Legal Department leadership team, Discover’s Management Committee and will be responsible for overseeing multi-disciplinary areas of legal coverage including Company-wide consumer-related litigation, Consumer Debt Collections and Recovery, Third Party Contract Disputes, Intellectual Property, Privacy, and Legal Operations.

The Deputy General Counsel will manage a multi-functional team of senior-level attorneys and paralegals, as needed, who are responsible for the tactical execution of day-to-day litigation, Collections and Recovery, Intellectual Property, Privacy and Legal Operations matters. This person will be responsible for identifying and mitigating risks in the design of governance frameworks to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, enforcement actions, guidance, and company policies and procedures. Additionally, the Deputy General Counsel will create and foster a culture of effective risk management, accountability, and demonstration of risk awareness across the organization.

Responsibilities include

• Provide strong strategic legal advice to senior management on the full range of litigation matters including issues driving Discover’s consumer products and services-related litigation, collections and recovery, intellectual property rights, consumer privacy, and legal operations.
• Provide strong thought leadership and communicate changes in laws and regulations relevant to reducing exposure of legal risk for the company, including its Board of Directors and Shareholders.
• Support achieving business strategies and results through the delivery of strategic legal counsel that reflects an advanced ability to understand and evaluate legal and regulatory matters in the context of risk appetite and business objectives.
• Oversee and set strategy for all domestic and international consumer and governance-related litigation and appeals including those listed above and: consumer privacy actions, e-business, technology (including AI) and cybersecurity actions, derivative and executive compensation actions, and third-party relationships.
• Oversee and lead multiple complex projects concurrently, managing competing priorities, and facilitating alignment between diverse stakeholders.  
• Collaborate with Governance advisory subject matter experts on the creation and delivery of monthly, quarterly, annual and ad hoc reports for Board and Committees on putative or current litigation matters.
• Collaborate with cross-functional business unit subject matter experts to coordinate and implement all litigation defense strategies and matters. Partner with Corporate Compliance to assist with Compliance-related priorities and develop positions and strategies on regulatory policy matters, as needed.
• Receive and review lawsuits and represent the business through all phases of judicial or administrative proceedings (including discovery, negotiations and arbitration). Determine liability exposure, including coordination with coverage counsel as appropriate, and recommend appropriate strategy. Negotiate and authorize settlements as appropriate.
• Manage budgets, and technology. Oversee, manage, and develop a high performing team of attorneys, paralegals, specialists and other professionals.
• Partner with outside counsel as necessary on the above matters, with a shrewd eye towards cost, budget management and resource allocation.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will be a senior attorney with significant experience (20+ years) handling litigation matters for an organization in the consumer financial services industry, with experience managing litigation in the US and internationally, consumer debt collections and recovery, intellectual property, privacy and contract disputes. They will bring a proven track record of leading and managing a team of attorneys and other legal professionals and experience presenting to senior executives and regulators. This leader will be comfortable setting strategy at the top of the organization, while also being hands-on and operating in a fast-paced, sometimes ambiguous environment. The s