Associate General Counsel, Broker-Dealer/Investment Advisor Group

This position is primarily responsible for working with the Vice President, Broker-Dealer/Investment Adviser Group, to develop and direct OGC’s program with respect to regulatory matters requiring specialized expertise in the regulation of broker-dealer/investment advisers (BD/IAs), including rendering independent expert advice in this area. The incumbent demonstrates expertise with respect to the Exchange Act and Investment Advisers Act, their rules, and related SEC interpretative guidance, as well as knowledge concerning state BD/IA regulation. The incumbent also demonstrates expertise regarding the BD/IA industry and various business models therein. <br> <br> The incumbent is responsible for providing high quality and timely legal and advisory support to FINRA’s business units, including Member Supervision and Enforcement, and serves as a point of escalation for legal policy issues involving BD/IA regulation. The incumbent advises senior management and other internal and external stakeholders on legal policy issues involving novel and complex issues and coordinates with business units on legal policy statements. The incumbent provides expert knowledge to the Board of Governors and senior management, advising them on high-impact, legally and politically complex, and sensitive regulatory matters and rule changes. This position also is recognized by FINRA and the industry as a top/primary expert in BD/IA regulation as well as other areas, rendering independent expert advice in these areas. <br> <br> The incumbent must have demonstrated ability to perform these functions with minimal or no supervision, as well as consistent demonstration of high-level independent judgment with the ability to take responsibility for the exercise of that judgment. Essential Job Functions: <ul> <li> Coordinate closely with FINRA business units and other regulators as appropriate in the development and communication of legal policy statements.</li> <li> Serve as a key source of legal expertise on BD/IA regulation within FINRA and provide independent expert advice on questions presented.</li> <li> Conduct legal analysis and necessary research with respect to regulation of cross-BD/IA activities.</li> <li> Provide expert-level legal counsel and assistance to projects and initiatives of Regulatory Operations and other departments and support them in achieving their goals, including supporting FINRA’s examination and enforcement programs to further reflect a holistic approach to member firms’ business operations.</li> <li> Keep abreast of and analyze SEC, industry, state, and other self-regulatory organization initiatives concerning BD/IA regulation and develop and maintain strong and cooperative working relationships with other regulators and stakeholders.</li> <li> Advise the Board of Governors and FINRA advisory committees on dual BD/IA regulation with respect to high-impact, legally and politically complex, and sensitive regulatory matters and rule changes under consideration by the Board.</li> <li> Brief and communicate complex and sensitive regulatory matters to senior FINRA executives. Must be able to provide such analysis under urgent deadlines.</li> <li> Prepare legal policy statements and Board materials that contain sophisticated analyses and discussions of competing policy or political considerations necessary for the informed judgment of the issues by senior management and the Board, as appropriate, including insights from investment adviser regulation.</li> <li> Partner in the drafting and review of new rule proposals; gather and incorporate views of industry participants, other regulators, and senior staff; and partner in the preparation of Regulatory Notices and rule filings to the SEC.</li> <li> Prepare comments on regulatory proposals in the area from other regulators.</li> <li> Prepare rule guidance and other correspondence with member firms and their outside counsel.</li> <li> Working closely with the Office of the Chief Economist, develop economic impact assessments of rulemakings and conduct the retrospective review of rules on behalf of OGC, as assigned.</li> <li> Represent FINRA before industry and regulatory groups and organizations; serve as speaker at regulatory policy public conferences and meetings of FINRA committees on areas of subject matter expertise.</li> </ul> Other Responsibilities: <ul> <li> Lead or participate in ad hoc special projects and initiatives as requested.</li> <li> Provide status reports of assigned matters or projects.</li> <li> Develop communications as needed for Chief Legal Officer and other senior management.</li> <li> Provide and implement suggestions to increase efficiency and effectiveness of procedures.</li> <li> Train and mentor other attorneys, regulatory analysts, legal assistants, and administrative assistants in OGC.</li> </ul> Education/Experience Requirements: <ul> <li> Law degree from an accredited law school, admission to a bar, and a minimum of eight (8) years of directly related legal experience.</li> <li> Expert knowledge of laws, rules, and regulations governing the securities industry, with a focus on the Exchange Act, Investment Advisers Act, their rules, and related SEC interpretive guidance, as well as knowledge concerning state BD/IA regulation. Knowledge of Investment Company Act and fund regulatory experience preferred but not required.</li> <li> Strong organizational skills. Excellent oral and written communication skills.</li> <li> Excellent judgment, analytical, and interpersonal skills.</li> </ul> Working Conditions: <ul> <li> Normal office conditions.</li> <li> Occasional travel and extended hours may be required.</li> </ul> For work that is performed in CA, Washington, DC, CO, HI, New York, NY and WA, the chart below outlines the proposed salary range for the corresponding location. In addition to location, actual compensation is based on various factors, including but not limited to, the candidate’s skill set, level of experience, education, and internal peer compensation comparisons. California: Minimum Salary $171,900, Maximum Salary $351,200 Washington, DC: Minimum Salary $171,900 Maximum Salary $336,600 Colorado/Hawaii: Minimum Salary $149,600, Maximum Salary $292,600 New York, NY: Minimum Salary $179,600, Maximum Salary $351,200 Washington State: Minimum Salary $149,600, Maximum Salary $336,600 #LI-Hybrid To be considered for this position, please submit an application. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. The information provided above has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work of the position. It is not a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required. Please note: If the “Apply Now” button on a job board posting does not take you directly to the FINRA Careers site, enter www.finra.org/careers into your browser to reach our site directly. FINRA strives to make our career site accessible to all users. If you need a disability-related accommodation for completing the application process, please contact FINRA's Employee Relations team at 240.386.4865 or by email at EmployeeRelations@finra.org. Please note that this process is exclusively for inquiries regarding application accommodations. Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. FINRA provides comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance. Additional insurance includes basic life, accidental death and dismemberment, supplemental life, spouse/domestic partner and dependent life, and spouse/domestic partner and dependent accidental death and dismemberment, short- and long-term disability, long-term care, business travel accident, disability and legal. FINRA offers immediate participation and vesting in a 401(k) plan with company match and eligibility for participation in an additional FINRA-funded retirement contribution, tuition reimbursement and many other benefits. Time Off and Paid Leave* FINRA encourages its employees to focus on their health and wellness in many ways, including through a generous time-off program of 15 days of paid time off, 5 personal days and 9 sick days (all pro-rated in the first year). Additionally, we are proud to support our communities by providing two volunteer service days (based on full-time schedule). Other paid leave includes military leave, jury duty leave, bereavement leave, voting and election official leave for federal, state or local primary and general elections, care of a family member leave (available after 90 days of employment); and childbirth and parental leave (available after 90 days of employment). Full-time employees receive nine paid holidays. <ul> <li>Based on full-time schedule</li> </ul> Important Information FINRA’s Code of Conduct imposes restrictions on employees’ investments and requires financial disclosures that are uniquely related to our role as a securities regulator. FINRA employees are required to disclose to FINRA all brokerage accounts that they maintain, and those in which they control trading or have a financial interest (including any trust account of which they are a trustee or beneficiary and all accounts of a spouse, domestic partner or minor child who lives with the employee) and to authorize their broker-dealers to provide FINRA with duplicate statements for all of those accounts. All of those accounts are subject to the Code’s investment and securities account restrictions, and new employees must comply with those investment restrictions—including disposing of any security issued by a company on FINRA’s Prohibited Company List or obtaining a written waiver from their Executive Vice President—by the date they begin employment with FINRA. Employees may only maintain securities accounts that must be disclosed to FINRA at one or more securities firms that provide an electronic feed (e-feed) of data to FINRA, and must move securities accounts from other securities firms to a firm that provides an e-feed within three months of beginning employment. <br> As standard practice, employees must also execute FINRA’s Employee Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreement without qualification or modification and comply with the company’s policy on nepotism. Search Firm Representatives Please be advised that FINRA is not seeking assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this employment opportunity. Regardless of past practice, a valid written agreement and task order must be in place before any resumes are submitted to FINRA. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at FINRA without a valid written agreement and task order in place will be deemed the sole property of FINRA and no fee will be paid in the event that person is hired by FINRA. FINRA is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, citizenship status, color, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status or any other classification protected by federal state or local laws as appropriate, or upon the protected status of the person’s relatives, friends or associates. FINRA abides by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-741.5(a). This regulation prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of disability, and requires affirmative action by covered prime contractors and subcontractors to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities. FINRA abides by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-300.5(a). This regulation prohibits discrimination against qualified protected veterans, and requires affirmative action by covered prime contractors and subcontractors to employ and advance in employment qualified protected veterans.