VP/Counsel - Private Wealth Management

About the role

AB Global's Legal and Compliance Department advises business units on legal and regulatory requirements, protects the firm from regulatory and reputational risk and runs global monitoring and training. As VP/Counsel for Private Wealth Management, you will give practical, business-oriented legal advice to the Private Wealth Management business, working closely with the SVP Head of Private Wealth Management Legal, the PWM Legal team and AB's legal, compliance, business and operations professionals. The role covers investment adviser and broker-dealer activities.

Key responsibilities

• Provide legal support for PWM operations, including product development, custody arrangements, credit and lending arrangements, alternative and complex investments, and 401(k) and cash balance plans.
• Review escalated client communications to assess whether they are complaints and what obligations arise.
• Work with the compliance team to ensure adherence to laws and regulations (SEC, FINRA, state regulators).
• Draft and negotiate client, vendor and other material agreements.
• Advise and support account opening and operations personnel.
• Periodically review client documentation and agreements.
• Help develop and maintain internal policies and procedures, and take on special projects as assigned.

Required profile

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school and admission to at least one U.S. state bar.
• 5+ years of legal experience, including in-house or law firm experience focused on investment management, private wealth, trusts and estates, and/or financial services.
• Ability to balance legal risks with commercial considerations, strong communication and attention to detail, and high integrity.

Required skills

• Contract drafting and negotiation (vendor agreements, investment management agreements, client agreements).
• Preferred: exposure to investment adviser and broker-dealer regulations (SEC, FINRA), private wealth management, client complaint handling, trusts and estates, ERISA, IRS regulations, alternative investments, cross-border issues, and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.