Associate General Counsel

Farm Credit Services of America•Austin, TX

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate General Counsel provides practical, business-focused legal advice supporting the Bank's lending, credit, and transactional activities. This role serves as a trusted legal advisor to lending, credit, capital markets, and executive leadership teams, helping structure, negotiate, document, and manage a broad range of sophisticated financing transactions and regulatory matters. Working as part of the Legal department, the Associate General Counsel partners closely with the VP, Associate General Counsel and business stakeholders across the organization to support commercial lending activities while helping identify, assess, and manage legal, regulatory, operational, and reputational risk. The role combines deep legal knowledge with practical business judgment to facilitate successful transaction execution and strategic decision-making. The position focuses on supporting bilateral and syndicated lending transactions, loan participations, agribusiness financing, capital markets activities, portfolio management matters, and other legal issues impacting the Bank's operations. The Associate General Counsel works collaboratively across the organization to ensure legal solutions align with business objectives while maintaining compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and organizational standards. Operating with a high degree of professionalism and independence, the Associate General Counsel helps advance the Bank's strategic priorities through proactive legal counsel, risk management, and partnership with internal stakeholders.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; Texas licensure or the ability to obtain Texas licensure is strongly desired.
Five (5) or more years of legal experience supporting commercial lending, finance, banking, or related transactional matters.
Experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex commercial lending and finance documentation.
Strong understanding of commercial lending laws and regulations, secured transactions, real estate finance, bankruptcy, and creditor rights matters.
Experience advising on multi-lender transactions, syndicated loans, participations, revolving credit facilities, term loans, acquisition financing, equipment financing, and loan restructurings.
Strong legal research, analytical, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
Ability to translate complex legal concepts into practical business advice for both legal and non-legal audiences.
Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Sound judgment, professionalism, and the ability to effectively balance legal risk with business objectives.
Ability to work onsite in the Bank's Austin, Texas office.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting asset securitization, leveraged finance, mezzanine financing, subordinated debt transactions, or structured finance activities.
Experience with workouts, debt restructurings, bankruptcy matters, debtor-in-possession financing, and recovery strategies.
Familiarity with agricultural lending, agribusiness finance, or rural infrastructure financing.
Experience working within the Farm Credit System or another highly regulated financial services environment.
Experience advising financial institutions, commercial lenders, or capital markets organizations.
Texas law license.

Responsibilities

Draft, review, negotiate, and advise on commercial lending and transactional documents, including credit agreements, participation agreements, collateral documents, guaranties, intercreditor agreements, and other financing-related documentation.
Provide legal counsel on the structuring, negotiation, and execution of bilateral loans, syndicated credit facilities, loan participations, agribusiness transactions, and capital markets activities.
Advise lending and credit teams on secured transactions, collateral structures, lien perfection, intercreditor arrangements, subordination agreements, and priority issues.
Provide guidance regarding portfolio management matters, challenged credits, loan restructurings, workouts, collateral enforcement, and recovery strategies.
Partner with business leaders to identify and manage legal, regulatory, reputational, and credit-related risks associated with lending and operational activities.
Advise stakeholders regarding the Farm Credit Act, Farm Credit Administration regulations, lending authorities, eligibility requirements, and other laws and regulations affecting Bank operations.
Support regulatory and operational legal matters, including tax exemption questions, lien and easement matters, mineral interest requests, subpoena responses, legal holds, due diligence reviews, and Know Your Customer (KYC) requests.
Collaborate with business units, outside counsel, regulators, and third parties to support transaction execution and legal risk management.
Participate in strategic initiatives and cross-functional projects involving regulatory compliance, operational matters, corporate governance, and business operations.
Provide legal analysis and recommendations to leadership regarding emerging legal issues, regulatory developments, and industry trends.
Support the Legal department's commitment to delivering practical, timely, and solutions-oriented legal advice across the organization.

Benefits

Flexible health-and-wellness benefits, including medical insurance, prescription drug coverage, dental insurance, vision care, flexible spending accounts, and more.
401(k) plan that includes immediate vesting of a generous employer match and additional employer contribution.
Long-term disability and life insurance.
Vacation leave, sick leave, and paid holidays.
Fertility benefit and parental leave plan.
Up to two days per year to volunteer in local community organizations, services, or events.
Ongoing professional-development opportunities.
Generous tuition-reimbursement program.
Physical fitness incentive plan.
Employer matching gifts program.