Lending Counsel, Specialized Finance - Vice President

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation•Charlotte, NC

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Vice President and Counsel for Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation will work within the Legal Department and report to the Head of the Specialized Finance Practice Group. Primary responsibilities include reviewing, drafting, and negotiating documentation for credit transactions, such as bilateral and syndicated credit agreements, reimbursement agreements, guarantees, security agreements, engagement letters, mandate letters, commitment letters, fee letters and term sheets, primarily in connection with domestic and cross-border corporate and/or project finance originations and restructurings. This role involves working closely with the front office and other internal stakeholders to assist with the structuring and coordination of credit transactions, providing support for innovative capital solutions and structured transactions, such as synthetic risk transfers, credit intermediation transactions and portfolio sales. The position also requires supervising and managing external counsel, identifying and analyzing U.S. and cross-border legal, regulatory, and market issues affecting commercial lending businesses, including the legal risk associated with new products and activities. Additionally, the role includes maintaining and updating form documents, providing periodic advice to other SMBC offices on matters of New York law and U.S. market practice, and participating in continuing legal education seminars of relevance to the commercial lending businesses and participating in relevant industry groups (e.g., LSTA) in order to maintain current knowledge of developing law and market practice. Collaboration and coordination with attorneys in SMBC Legal and other internal partners are essential to ensure adherence to institutional standards and policies. Material issues and developments must be escalated to senior attorneys and members of management.

Requirements

Admission to the New York or North Carolina bar and a member of good standing of such bar.
5 years’ minimum experience at a law firm or in-house legal department advising financial institutions on bilateral and syndicated commercial lending transactions with a focus on corporate and/or project finance transactions.
Excellent legal and analytical skills.
Proven skills in legal risk management.
Ability to see past the question and understand the bigger picture.
Ability to balance competing demands and protect institutional interests.
Ability to articulate complex concepts and ideas and apply them at a practical level to real-world situations.
Excellent communication skills, technical drafting skills, and issue-spotting skills.
Ability to work under pressure, operate comfortably in a fast-paced, demanding environment, and manage a significant workload with minimal supervision.
Ability to think creatively and propose solutions.
Must be a team player.

Nice To Haves

Broad experience in general credit transactions, including secured and unsecured lending transactions, project finance, structured finance, leveraged and acquisition finance, insolvency and bankruptcy, and cross-border financing is preferred.

Responsibilities

Reviewing, drafting, and negotiating documentation for credit transactions, such as bilateral and syndicated credit agreements, reimbursement agreements, guarantees, security agreements, engagement letters, mandate letters, commitment letters, fee letters and term sheets, primarily in connection with domestic and cross-border corporate and/or project finance originations and restructurings.
Working closely with the front office and other internal stakeholders to assist with the structuring and coordination of credit transactions.
Providing support for innovative capital solutions and structured transactions, such as synthetic risk transfers, credit intermediation transactions and portfolio sales.
Supervising and managing external counsel.
Identifying and analyzing U.S. and cross-border legal, regulatory, and market issues affecting commercial lending businesses, including the legal risk associated with new products and activities.
Maintaining and updating form documents.
Providing periodic advice to other SMBC offices on matters of New York law and U.S. market practice.
Participating in continuing legal education seminars of relevance to the commercial lending businesses and participating in relevant industry groups (e.g., LSTA) in order to maintain current knowledge of developing law and market practice.
Collaborate and coordinate with attorneys in SMBC Legal and other internal partners to ensure adherence to institutional standards and policies.
Escalate material issues and developments to senior attorneys and members of management.