Senior Corporate Counsel

Position Summary

The Corporate Counsel, Mortgage Lending role serves as a trusted legal advisor to the Company’s Retail Sales, Production, Operations, Products, Compliance, Consumer Direct, and Correspondent Lending business lines. This role provides practical, business-focused legal counsel on mortgage origination, lending operations, product development, regulatory compliance, risk management, and strategic initiatives.

Essential Functions

• Serve as primary legal counsel supporting Retail Sales, Production, Operations, Products, Compliance, Consumer Direct, and Correspondent Lending business functions.
• Provide practical legal guidance regarding mortgage origination, lending operations, underwriting, loan fulfillment, documentation, and related business activities.
• Advise business partners and leadership on legal, regulatory, compliance, and operational risks affecting mortgage lending activities and strategic initiatives.
• Manage legal escalations and provide timely, practical solutions to support business objectives while appropriately managing legal risk.
• Partner with Compliance and business leaders to assess regulatory developments, implement legal requirements, and support enterprise risk management objectives.
• Support the development, enhancement, launch, and administration of mortgage products, including conventional, government, jumbo, non-QM, HELOC, and specialty lending programs.
• Counsel stakeholders regarding federal (including RESPA, TILA, ECOA, FCRA, HMDA, FACTA, GLBA, UDAAP/UDFAP) and state mortgage lending laws, regulations, agency requirements, investor guidelines, and industry best practices.
• Advises on correspondent lending relationships, investor requirements, repurchase matters, and related contractual agreements.
• Review, draft, negotiate, and interpret contracts, agreements, and related documents supporting mortgage lending operations.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal stakeholders, regulators, investors, and outside counsel, as applicable.
• Ensure compliance with legal requirements, company policies, and industry regulations.
• Support additional Legal Department initiatives, contract matters and special projects as assigned.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• J.D. and Bachelor's Degree or college courses/technical training related to Business, Finance, Legal or related field; A combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of the Bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum seven years experience in mortgage banking.
• Knowledge of overall mortgage lending process.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Very strong research skills.
• Able to analyze facts and data to determine issue and resolution.
• Work independently in a fast-paced environment to complete work following procedures.
• Strong detail orientation and highly organized.
• Manage multiple priorities and deadlines; strong sense of urgency and responsiveness.
• Prior experience using PDF/Adobe programs and Microsoft Suite.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Basic math skills.
• Comfortable in a paperless environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills required.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented; ability to work in a fast-paced, metrics-driven environment required.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Word, Excel, Wiki, collaborative cloud-based programs, and third-party software applications required.
• Commitment to company values:
• Customer Service - Proactive attention to each person.
• Integrity - Do and say what's right.
• Respect - Treat others with dignity.
• Collaboration - Listen and work together.
• Learning - Seek knowledge and strive for improvement.
• Excellence – Deliver the unexpected.

Requirements

• Work is primarily sedentary; mobility in an office setting.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment and keyboards.
• Ability to accurately interpret sounds and associated meanings at a volume consistent with interpersonal conversation.
• Regularly required to accurately perceive, distinguish and interpret information received visually and through audio; e.g., words, numbers and other data broadcasted aloud/viewed on a screen, as well as print and other media.
• Office environment – moderate noise, no substantial exposure to adverse environmental conditions.
• Learn new tasks, remember processes, maintain focus, complete tasks independently, and make timely decisions in the context of a workflow.
• Must be able to adhere to process protocol.
• Must be able to apply established protocols in a timely manner.
• Work is primarily performed during the business week, Monday - Friday.

Benefits: Competitive compensation and excellent benefits package; including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, LTD and 401(k) with employer match.

Equal Opportunity Employer.

REQ#: CORPO018304