Assistant Counsel

About the role

This position will provide legal counsel for significant and strategic regulatory initiatives and ongoing operations, including complex, regulatory-related processes, policies, and procedures. The Assistant Counsel will review, monitor, and resolve related legal and regulatory issues as they pertain to assigned matters and other special projects/areas as determined by senior management.

Responsibilities

• Provides legal advice and support relating to MFS-advised pooled investment vehicles, including the MFS' U.S. 1940 Act registered mutual funds and exchange-traded funds and external 1940 Act registered mutual funds that MFS sub-advises.
• Affords legal advice to business clients for special projects, such as new funds, new classes, reorganizations, and other product initiatives, such as changes to the name or investment strategies of existing funds.
• Assists in the research, preparation, and/or review of a variety of legal documentation, board materials, and regulatory filings (including reviewing the Funds' registration statements and financial reports), and ensures compliance with applicable federal, state, local, or multi-jurisdictional laws.
• Monitor, review, and assess implications of new or amended laws, rules, and regulations related to assigned area/specialization and that impact MFS, its corporate subsidiaries, or fund complexes.
• Apprise others of developments, recommend, and, when appropriate, decide on courses of action including new or updated relevant policies and procedures.
• Monitor company, competitive, and regulatory developments and ensure best practices are developed and implemented within scope of position.
• Negotiate with internal and external parties on complex contracts, matters, and/or transactions to satisfy the business objectives and applicable regulatory requirements.
• As needed, coordinate and participate in related audits and examinations and ensure business unit or area is audit/exam ready.
• Liaise with other departments and maintain effective relationships with same.
• Respond or participate in preparing responses to federal/state/offshore governmental regulators on assigned issues and matters.
• Make recommendations on changes to policies, procedures, and manuals as well as standards and practices.
• Work with and oversee the work provided by outside counsel on a variety of legal matters ensuring that standards for service delivery and cost are met.
• Represent MFS at regulator and industry meetings and events.
• Collaborate with, and oversee certain work of, paralegals and other MFS Legal staff.
• Assume additional responsibilities as required.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree and Juris Doctorate Degree required.
• 4 to 6 years of work experience as an attorney in investment management, financial services, or industry-related firm, or at least 3 to 5 years of work experience at a law firm.
• Strong working knowledge of the 1940 Act as well as the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
• Must be a member in good standing of any State Bar, preferably Massachusetts, and maintain good standing for all necessary licenses and/or professional qualifications.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, communication, customer service, and problem-solving skills.
• Write effectively, and present research, analysis, and conclusions in a persuasive manner.
• Polished, professional, mature, well-mannered, and well-spoken.
• Proven ability to develop and foster strong interpersonal relationships and to maintain effective cross-functional teams throughout the organization.
• Understanding of business operations and practices, procedures, and controls specific to the business units supported is required as is the ability to apply same to dealings with the business units supported.
• Maintain awareness of best practices and evolving issues within the scope of the position, and able to relate same to MFS' operations and practices.
• Be able to present comfortably before groups and to educate and persuade audience with argument so as to gain acceptance and cooperation.
• May serve as a representative of MFS with regulators, at meetings, conferences, related industry events, etc.
• Proficient in MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Conduct on-line research and utilize applicable tools and employ and embrace the use of technology in performance of the job.

Qualifications

• Equivalent experience in a non-attorney role will also be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Skills

• Strong working knowledge of the 1940 Act as well as the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, communication, customer service, and problem-solving skills.
• Write effectively, and present research, analysis, and conclusions in a persuasive manner.
• Proficient in MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Conduct on-line research and utilize applicable tools and employ and embrace the use of technology in performance of the job.

Benefits

Base Salary Range: $110,000.00 - $158,500.00
This position is eligible for competitive incentive bonus.
Other components of our Total Rewards Package include:
- MFS contributes an amount equal to 15% of your base salary to your retirement account that is separate from the company -sponsored 401(k)
- Education Assistance: MFS contributes $100 monthly up to $10,000 lifetime maximum directly to loan provider
- Education Assistance: Tuition reimbursement up to $8,000 annually
- Education Assistance: Access to discounted tutors and college coaches
- Generous time off and fully paid leaves including 20-weeks for maternity, 12-weeks for parental and caregiver leaves
- Choice of medical and dental plans and an employer contribution into the Health Savings Account
- Tax deferred commuter benefits & flexible spending accounts (medical & dependent care)
- Wellness Programs: Robust wellness webinars, employee assistance program with a focus on mental health, subsidized fitness benefit via Wellhub (formerly Gympass), where you can workout at gyms, studios and boutique fitness locations near you, join virtual personal training sessions and access a wide variety of well-being apps