Legal Counsel Litigation & Regulatory

About Betterment

Betterment is a leading technology-driven financial services company that offers investing savings and retirement solutions for retail investors and investment advisors as well as financial wellness solutions including a 401(k) for small and medium-sized businesses. Our team is passionate about our mission to empower people to build wealth with confidence and ease. Were headquartered in NYC and offer hybrid NY-based positions (four days/ week in-office with no required office days during the summer and winter holidays).

About the Role

Were looking for a versatile lawyer to join Betterments high-impact legal team. Betterment is making investing smarter easier and more accessible for everyone and this role sits at the center of the action with responsibilities covering disputes and arbitration regulatory inquiries and policy advocacy. The ideal candidate is a talented litigator looking to expand their focus and expertise.

You are:

• A sharp problem-solver with excellent legal judgment and outstanding attention to detail
• Strategic and practical with a honed sense for which claims call for resolution and which should be contested vigorously
• A clear and persuasive communicator to legal and non-legal audiences with varying degrees of sophistication
• Able to thrive in a fast-paced technology-driven environment
• Comfortable making decisions in the face of ambiguity
• Eager to own projects end-to-end manage competing priorities and build scalable processes that drive efficiencies for a lean team charged with covering a considerable amount of ground

In this role you will build and own legal processes to manage and respond to claims and threatened claims. You will help to identify and mitigate legal risk; defend Betterment in litigations arbitrations and regulatory proceedings (both directly and by managing outside counsel); analyze legislative and regulatory changes relevant to Betterments business; and advise business partners to improve Betterments products and services. You will report directly to Betterments Head of Regulatory and Policy and sit alongside Betterments product counseling team.

This role is based out of our NYC office. Below weve reflected the base salary range for this position. Actual salaries may vary depending on factors including but not limited to location experience and performance. The range listed is just one component of Betterments total compensation package for employees.

• New York City: $170000 - $185000

This job may also be eligible for variable compensation in the form of a company incentive bonus.

A Day in the Life

• Serve as trusted legal partner to business triaging and investigating escalated concerns
• Resolve and avoid potential disputes driving pre-litigation strategy
• Represent Betterment in litigation arbitrations and regulatory proceedings
• Manage and collaborate with outside counsel
• Coordinate responses to third-party subpoenas
• Navigate legal and regulatory requirements to address operational issues and enhance Betterments products and services
• Support Betterments policy advocacy efforts by analyzing proposed legislation and rule-makings relevant to Betterments business

What Were Looking For

• A JD admission to the NY bar and at least 4 years of relevant in-house or firm litigation experience
• An adaptable mindset and innate curiosity
• A bias toward action and solving problems not just issue spotting
• The ability to take ownership over your work and manage projects independently
• Excellent writing ability
• Comfort navigating complexity and creating simplicity
• Passion for Betterments products and mission

Bonus Points If You Have:

• Knowledge of financial services regulation especially the Advisers Act ERISA securities and/or banking law and related regulations
• Arbitration experience especially FINRA or AAA proceedings
• Familiarity with privacy and/or information security issues
• Experience in retail financial services or representing financial services clients
• In-house experience at a startup or high growth company

Join a team built on these core values

We change lives

Be a part of a community of innovators working to transform financial outcomes for real people. Your work will make an impact always laddering up to our mission; to empower people to build wealth with confidence and ease.

We set audacious goals

We set them for the company our customers and ourselves and we wont stop until we reach them. We dont just show up; we give our all then celebrate our wins.

We value all perspectives

When we collaborate were at our best. We believe diverse perspectives lead to better outcomes and strive to uphold our supportive and inclusive community.

We simplify financial services

Were financial services pioneers always finding new ways to improve optimize and enhance. Constant improvement is in our DNA.

Our Commitment to Your Total Well-being:

• We offer a competitive suite of benefits including medical dental and vision coverage; life and AD&D insurance; short- and long-term disability; infertility support and WPATH-aligned transgender health benefits; an Employee Assistance Program (EAP); transit benefits and FSA and HSA options
• Ownership: Equity for all employees including new hire and refresher grants.
• Time: Flexible paid time off paid parental leave and a fully paid four-week sabbatical in your sixth year.
• Growth: Company-paid professional coaching for all employees.
• Wealth: Day-one 401(k) match plus matching on qualified student loan payments.

What happens next

Well take a few weeks to review all applications. If wed like to spend more time with you well reach out to arrange next steps which will include 3-4 sets of meetings with your future colleagues.

In the interview process well look to learn more about your skills experiences capabilities and motivators. Many of our questions will be aimed at understanding how you might operate here at Betterment. Depending on the role we may ask you to complete a case study exercise or technical assessments as we want to collect a robust set of data points to better inform our decisions.

On average it takes us around 3-5 weeks to make a hiring decision depending on your availability and sense of urgency. As a best practice we aim to interview at least 2-3 final round candidates before making a hiring decision. Please note that as we usually receive an overwhelming number of applications for open positions were unable to offer individual feedback during the interview process.

We recognize that interviewing for a new role is a big deal. We appreciate you considering Betterment as the next step in your career and our Recruiting Team is here to support and advocate for you through the interview process!

Betterment is dedicated to providing accommodations to candidates upon request. If you need accommodations at any point throughout the interview process please reach out to your recruiter.

Please note that in any materials you submit you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age date of birth or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Come join us!

Were an equal opportunity employer and comply with all applicable federal state and local fair employment practices laws. We strictly prohibit and do not tolerate discrimination against employees applicants or any other covered persons because of race color religion creed national origin or ancestry ethnicity sex gender (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender or transsexual individual) sexual orientation marital status age physical or mental disability citizenship past current or prospective service in the uniformed services predisposing genetic characteristic domestic violence victim status arrest records or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal state or local law.