First Midwest is seeking a banking attorney with strong academic and professional credentials that include a minimum of 3 years of experience at a major law firm, an in-house legal department of a financial institution or a bank regulatory agency.  The ideal candidate will have bank regulatory experience and the ability to coordinate a variety of legal matters at a bank.  This position is not a loan documentation or workout position, though familiarity with loan documentation is desirable.

This position will be located at First Midwest’s headquarters in Chicago’s O’Hare corridor adjacent to the CTA’s blue line.  The individual will be part of a growing, collegial and dynamic organization and an expanding legal department, currently with six lawyers and four paralegals.  This position will have significant visibility to members of executive management.

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school and a licensed attorney in good standing with the Bar of the State of Illinois.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience at a major law firm, an in-house legal department of a financial institution or a bank regulatory agency.
• Working knowledge of federal and Illinois banking laws and regulations, especially consumer laws and regulations.
• Experience reviewing and negotiating bank contracts, especially vendor agreements.
• Managing strategic projects from inception through completion.
• Ability to respond to questions from bank branch network.
• Results-oriented self-starter with ability to actively engage, consult with and advise business lines and management at all levels.
• Ability to apply sound and practical business judgment to legal matters.
• Strong interpersonal and writing skills.
• Ability to work independently in a collaborative team environment.
• Experience working with banks is required.
• General working knowledge and experience with loan documents is desirable but not required.

                       #LI-DF1  #CB

Contract Management and Banking Operations

• Reviewing and negotiating bank contracts, such as, for example, vendor agreements, leases and confidentiality agreements.
• Serving as a strategic legal partner to First Midwest’s business teams.
• Responding to consumer legal support requests, including customer signature authority, powers of attorney, affidavits and other day-to-day client-related banking inquiries.

Regulatory and Compliance

• Advising management on federal and Illinois banking laws and regulations, especially consumer laws and regulations.
• Advising management on regulatory matters relating to general bank operations as well as existing and new bank products and services.
• Advising and working with the bank’s compliance personnel on regulatory and general bank matters.
• Interacting with federal and state bank regulatory agencies.

General/Other

• General working knowledge and experience with loan documents is desirable but not required.
• Coordinating and working on a broad range of legal projects based on organizational needs.
• Managing outside counsel relationships engaged to work on various bank projects.