Legal Counsel, Capital Markets

Bank of Montreal•Chicago, NY

2d•Onsite

About The Position

This opportunity is ideal for a lawyer with experience in derivatives and capital markets who thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced financial services environment. As a member of BMO's Derivatives Legal Group within the Capital Markets Legal Team, you will provide strategic legal and regulatory advice on a broad range of derivatives, structured products, and trading-related matters. You will partner closely with trading, sales, risk, compliance, and operations teams to support business objectives while effectively managing legal and regulatory risk. The role offers exposure to complex transactions and regulatory developments, including margin requirements and evolving derivatives frameworks, and requires extensive experience drafting and negotiating key market documentation such as ISDA Master Agreements, CSAs, Control Agreements, Risk Participation Agreements, and related trading documentation. This is an excellent opportunity for a commercially minded legal professional who combines strong technical expertise, sound judgment, and exceptional negotiation skills with the ability to deliver practical, business-focused solutions in support of BMO's global capital markets franchise. Recommends and implements solutions based on analysis of issues and implications for the business. Identifies emerging issues and trends to inform decision-making. Exercises judgement on moderate to complex decisions falling within standard policies and regulatory requirements. Identifies and resolves routine issues. Determines courses of action within procedural and policy guidelines & standards. Delivers legal advice, instructs external counsel and ensures compliance with internal policies & procedures for a single or small number of function(s). Acts as a subject matter expert on relevant laws, regulations and policies. Resolves daily issues and/or escalates with appropriate analysis and/or recommendations. Identifies risks and implements appropriate actions to mitigate them. Implements areas of improvement to ensure consistency with market place. Builds effective relationships with internal/ external stakeholders. Geographic scope: up to global. Focus is primarily on business/group within BMO; may have broader, enterprise-wide focus. Provides specialized consulting, analytical and technical support. Exercises judgment to identify, diagnose, and solve problems within given rules. Works independently and regularly handles non-routine situations. Broader work or accountabilities may be assigned as needed.

Requirements

Less than 7 years of legal practice or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Degree in law (LLB or JD) and license to practice law in relevant jurisdiction.
Private practice, in-house experience or experience at regulatory body relating to the regulation of business/group activities may be required.
Responsible for advising on a variety of derivatives and other trading products related matters.
Experience drafting and negotiating derivatives documentation including ISDA’s, CSA’s, Control Agreements, Confidentiality Agreements, Risk Participation Agreements, Master Confirmation Agreements, Long-Form Confirmations, and other derivatives documentation ancillary thereto.
Responsible for advising the business on regulatory issues related to derivatives, including initial and variation margin.
Knowledge in legal field, typically with a functional or business line specialization.
Knowledge of business and regulatory environment in which BMO Financial Group operates.
Proficient knowledge of subject matter legal requirements and the operations of a single client group.
Negotiation skills - in depth.
Deep knowledge and technical proficiency gained through extensive education and business experience.
Verbal & written communication skills - In-depth.
Collaboration & team skills - In-depth.
Analytical and problem solving skills - In-depth.
Influence skills - In-depth.
Data driven decision making - In-depth.

Nice To Haves

Experience in derivatives and capital markets.
Experience in a dynamic, fast-paced financial services environment.
Experience with complex transactions and regulatory developments, including margin requirements and evolving derivatives frameworks.
Commercially minded legal professional.
Strong technical expertise.
Sound judgment.
Exceptional negotiation skills.
Ability to deliver practical, business-focused solutions.
Participate in project-related matters within Derivatives Legal Group (within the Capital Markets Legal Team) from time to time.

Responsibilities

Provides strategic legal and regulatory advice on a broad range of derivatives, structured products, and trading-related matters.
Partners closely with trading, sales, risk, compliance, and operations teams to support business objectives while effectively managing legal and regulatory risk.
Drafts and negotiates key market documentation such as ISDA Master Agreements, CSAs, Control Agreements, Risk Participation Agreements, and related trading documentation.
Recommends and implements solutions based on analysis of issues and implications for the business.
Identifies emerging issues and trends to inform decision-making.
Exercises judgement on moderate to complex decisions falling within standard policies and regulatory requirements.
Identifies and resolves routine issues.
Determines courses of action within procedural and policy guidelines & standards.
Delivers legal advice, instructs external counsel and ensures compliance with internal policies & procedures for a single or small number of function(s).
Acts as a subject matter expert on relevant laws, regulations and policies.
Resolves daily issues and/or escalates with appropriate analysis and/or recommendations.
Identifies risks and implements appropriate actions to mitigate them.
Implements areas of improvement to ensure consistency with market place.
Builds effective relationships with internal/ external stakeholders.
Provides specialized consulting, analytical and technical support.
Exercises judgment to identify, diagnose, and solve problems within given rules.
Works independently and regularly handles non-routine situations.
Broader work or accountabilities may be assigned as needed.