Director, Legal Counsel - Trading Group
Posted Sep 29 Full TimeHybridWashington, District of Columbia Your opportunity
At Schwab, you’re empowered to make an impact on your career. Here, innovative thought meets creative problem solving, helping us “challenge the status quo” and transform the finance industry together. We are recruiting strong candidates to support our Trading, Markets and Operations legal group.
As a member of our team, you will report to the Managing Director, Legal – Trading group. In this role, you will partner with internal stakeholders within legal and throughout the company to help assess current developments in the regulatory landscape and drive legal strategy primarily in the retail trading space. You will also support navigating the complex federal financial regulation that impacts our trading business. Given the nature of trading, attorneys in this area are responsible for handling time-sensitive issues.
Responsibilities include:
- Provide legal support and advice for the trade desk, particularly regarding trading activities involving equity options.
- Review, analyze and interpret new legislative initiatives, including SEC, CFTC, FINRA, and NFA rulemaking, court decisions, and actions by SROs that may impact derivatives market structure.
- Assist and support members of the Trading, Markets, and Operations legal team and other leaders within legal and business in providing advice on difficult statutory or regulatory interpretation where gaps or ambiguities in the law exist and help draft comments on proposed legislation or regulation.
- Consult and coordinate with members of the legal services team to ensure efficient and consistent functioning.
- Develop and prepare guidance on complex legal issues, including options, that arise from changes to federal law that impact certain segments of retail trading.
- Identify legal issues, conduct legal research, provide legal analyses, prepare legal documents such as memorandum, and providing legal solutions and recommendations. This person has considerable and highly specialized background and experience regarding trading in U.S. derivatives products, including equity options.
*This is a hybrid position
What you have
To ensure that we fulfill our promise of “challenging the status quo,” this role has specific qualifications that successful candidates should have:
Required Qualifications:
- BA/BS and JD degree from an ABA accredited law school are required.
- State Bar membership in good standing in the state of residence or satisfaction of the applicable State Bar requirements (if any) for in-house counsel.
- A minimum of 7 years of relevant law firm or in-house counsel experience with a financial services company that includes broker-dealer matters, or experience with an industry regulator.
- Substantial background and experience with the regulations and guidance of the Financial Industry Regulatory Association (FINRA).
- Solid understanding of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, FINRA rules and other applicable regulations.
- Experience partnering with outside counsel.
- Experience supporting sales and trading of equity options.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Excellent verbal and written briefing skills.
- Ability to advise on day-to-day issues in a fast-paced environment with an eye on regulatory changes and risk management.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Creative thinker with strong problem-solving skills who is highly collaborative and able to stay calm under challenging circumstances.
In addition to the salary range, this role is also eligible for bonus or incentive opportunities.
What’s in it for you
At Schwab, we’re committed to empowering our employees’ personal and professional success. Our purpose-driven, supportive culture, and focus on your development means you’ll get the tools you need to make a positive difference in the finance industry. Our Hybrid Work and Flexibility approach balances our ongoing commitment to workplace flexibility, serving our clients, and our strong belief in the value of being together in person on a regular basis.
We offer a competitive benefits package that takes care of the whole you – both today and in the future:
- 401(k) with company match and Employee stock purchase plan
- Paid time for vacation, volunteering, and 28-day sabbatical after every 5 years of service for eligible positions
- Paid parental leave and family building benefits
- Tuition reimbursement
- Health, dental, and vision insurance