Assistant General Counsel, VP - Equity Derivatives

Wells Fargo Bank•New York, NY

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Wells Fargo is seeking an Equity Derivatives Attorney to join its legal team, providing expert legal support for corporate and institutional equity derivatives, complex financial products, and financing transactions. This role will serve as a legal advisor to front office sales and trading personnel, handling matters with significant impact on operations, strategy, and risk management across Equities. In this role, you will: Serve as a legal advisor to leaders in equities, including equity derivatives and strategic equity solutions. Advise on structuring, negotiation, and documentation of complex corporate equity derivative transactions, including issuer calls spreads, capped calls, accelerated share repurchase programs, qualified deferred compensation hedging transactions, and term margin loans. Advise on equity swap master confirmation agreements, exotic derivatives, and bespoke basket transactions with institutional clients such as hedge funds, asset managers, pensions, and insurance companies. Provide legal advice on the negotiation of OTC derivatives documentation, including options, forwards, swaps, collars, and risk-recycling transactions. Advise on U.S. legal and regulatory frameworks, including the Exchange Act, Securities Act, Dodd-Frank Act, Investment Advisers Act, ERISA, and Federal Reserve Board Regulations U, T, and X. Handle matters that have a significant impact on operations, strategies, or profitability. Participate in highly complex legal projects. Apply Enterprise and Legal Department policies and procedures, including to the management of outside counsel. Identify and recommend opportunities. Work with other leaders and subject matter experts in the Legal Department to provide comprehensive solutions to complex problems, including process improvement and risk control development. Determine appropriate strategy and actions to meet moderate to high-risk deliverables. Interpret and develop policies and procedures for functions with moderate complexity within scope of responsibility. Develop relationships with and provide guidance to more experienced leadership, including executive officers, on issues that may present legal, regulatory, compliance, or reputational risk to the Company. Collaborate with and influence all levels of professionals, including more experienced managers. Collaborate with business teams to structure and negotiate transactions providing exposure to proprietary QIS/investible indices and strategies, ETFs and digital assets. Engage and influence stakeholders, providing innovative, timely, and reliable legal advice.

Requirements

5+ years of Law experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, education
Active State Bar membership or the equivalent in a country outside the United States

Nice To Haves

5+ years of experience as a derivatives attorney, with significant exposure to equity derivatives, prime brokerage, and complex structured products
Demonstrated expertise in U.S. securities and derivatives regulations
Experience negotiating with institutional and corporate clients
Experience with Private bank transactions and complex hedging/monetization products
Significant knowledge and experience covering sales and trading activities, derivatives, and structured products in a major law firm or in-house legal department
Experience with U.S. laws, rules, and regulations relevant to equity derivatives, structured products, and private banking, including SEC, FINRA, OCC, and CFTC
Experience providing legal advice and support in connection with risk and regulatory issues within large, matrixed organizations
Understanding of complex business activities and operations
Strong process and project management skills
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability to adapt quickly to a changing environment while building relationships and negotiating for positive business outcomes while effectively managing legal risk
Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines

Responsibilities

Serve as a legal advisor to leaders in equities, including equity derivatives and strategic equity solutions
Advise on structuring, negotiation, and documentation of complex corporate equity derivative transactions, including issuer calls spreads, capped calls, accelerated share repurchase programs, qualified deferred compensation hedging transactions, and term margin loans
Advise on equity swap master confirmation agreements, exotic derivatives, and bespoke basket transactions with institutional clients such as hedge funds, asset managers, pensions, and insurance companies
Provide legal advice on the negotiation of OTC derivatives documentation, including options, forwards, swaps, collars, and risk-recycling transactions
Advise on U.S. legal and regulatory frameworks, including the Exchange Act, Securities Act, Dodd-Frank Act, Investment Advisers Act, ERISA, and Federal Reserve Board Regulations U, T, and X
Handle matters that have a significant impact on operations, strategies, or profitability
Participate in highly complex legal projects
Apply Enterprise and Legal Department policies and procedures, including to the management of outside counsel
Identify and recommend opportunities
Work with other leaders and subject matter experts in the Legal Department to provide comprehensive solutions to complex problems, including process improvement and risk control development
Determine appropriate strategy and actions to meet moderate to high-risk deliverables
Interpret and develop policies and procedures for functions with moderate complexity within scope of responsibility
Develop relationships with and provide guidance to more experienced leadership, including executive officers, on issues that may present legal, regulatory, compliance, or reputational risk to the Company
Collaborate with and influence all levels of professionals, including more experienced managers
Collaborate with business teams to structure and negotiate transactions providing exposure to proprietary QIS/investible indices and strategies, ETFs and digital assets
Engage and influence stakeholders, providing innovative, timely, and reliable legal advice