Job Title:
Senior Counsel, Corporate
This position will be located at Rate’s offices at 3940 N. Ravenswood, Chicago, IL 60613.
About Rate:
Rate is the 2nd-largest retail mortgage lender in the U.S. By offering industry-leading tools, low-rate mortgages, and unparalleled customer service, we’ve become the Home Purchase Experts®. At Rate, we think big – pushing beyond what most people believe is possible. We strive to work with the best of the best, building business with the best referral partners and hiring the best employees – allowing us to deliver world-class customer service. Our goal is to make sure every customer has a great experience. Headquartered in Chicago with 5,000+ employees in 300+ offices across the U.S. and licensed in all 50 states, we’ve helped thousands of homeowners with more than $37 billion in home purchase loans and refinances in just the past year alone.
Job Description:
Guaranteed Rate is building a winning team to reinvent the mortgage experience through innovation, technology and a relentless focus on providing industry-leading mortgage products and superlative customer service. The Senior Counsel will embrace and support these efforts by assisting with corporate transactions, corporate governance, and other corporate legal and commercial contract matters. The ideal candidate will be able to work independently, solve problems creatively, prioritize relentlessly, exercise business judgment soundly, and operate with a sense of urgency to get things done. The Senior Counsel must be sufficiently experienced and ready to quickly assume responsibility for corporate matters on day 1. The Senior Counsel will report to the General Counsel and work closely with leadership and support all levels of management.
Job Responsibilities:
- Support critical corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and strategic investments and initiatives.
- Draft, negotiate and interpret non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), letters of intent (LOIs), investor rights agreements, stock purchase agreements, asset purchase agreements and operating agreements.
- Provide corporate secretarial support, including taking and drafting Board meeting minutes, preparing written consents and resolutions, and otherwise assisting in managing the corporate books and records for the Company and its subsidiaries.
- Support the Company’s subsidiary formation and management.
- Manage cap table and advise on various corporate law and shareholder matters
- Draft employment agreements and assist with equity compensation plans and matters.
- Work closely with Assistant General Counsel, Transactions in drafting and negotiating warehouse lines and other debt facilities, mortgage servicing rights (MSR) sales agreements, mortgage loan correspondent and broker agreements, and other capital markets agreements, and other types of commercial contracts.
- Regularly advise business stakeholders and members of the legal, finance and compliance departments on matters related to areas of responsibility and the Company’s obligations under various agreements.
- Flag and escalate appropriate matters to other subject matter experts, including the litigation, commercial transactions and regulatory compliance teams.
- Provide training to internal clients on contracts and other key legal matters.
Pay Range : $150,000 - $175,000 ( base + quarterly bonus)
Experience/Qualifications/Skills:
- At least 5 years of relevant corporate law experience.
- Experience supporting and leading aspects of corporate transactions, including drafting and negotiating NDAs and LOIs, conducting and facilitating due diligence, advising on deal structure, drafting and negotiating deal agreements, and managing deal execution and integration.
- Experience working with and supporting Boards of Directors, managing corporate documents, books and records, advising on corporate law matters, and forming and maintaining various types of legal entities.
- Private equity, executive compensation, tax, and/or commercial contract experience is preferred.
- Prior financial services industry experience, especially mortgage transactions and regulatory experience, a significant advantage; proven success in supporting fast-growing, highly entrepreneurial companies is highly desired.
- Strong project management skills and ability to complete projects with minimal supervision under tight timelines.
- Strong drafting and negotiation skills.
- Can-do “roll up your sleeves” mindset.
- Sound business judgment and ability to strike right balance between legal risks and business goals.
- Willingness to learn the business and build strong relationships with internal stakeholders.
- Detail-oriented with excellent organizational skills.
- Self-motivated with strong work ethic.
- Clear, concise and persuasive oral and written communication skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively and cross functionally with a customer service mindset.
- Proven track record of multi-tasking and working under a heavy workload with changing priorities.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Resilient with a sense of humor.
- Prior in-house counsel experience a plus.
Minimum Requirements:
- J.D. degree from an ABA-approved law school.
- Licensed to practice law in at least one state and must be or be able to become licensed in Illinois. Illinois bar members preferred.
- Rate is an Equal Opportunity Employer that welcomes and encourages all applicants to apply regardless of age, race, sex, religion, color, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital or parental status, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy or other reason protected by law.
- The company offers a comprehensive benefits program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; critical care insurance; personal accidental insurance; commuter benefits; pet insurance; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program); and other supplemental benefits (e.g. legal planning assistance; identity theft protection; pet insurance; wellness resources).
- Applications are being accepted on an ongoing basis.