Job Description

The General Counsel’s Organization

The General Counsel’s Organization (GCO) of American Express is where great legal minds influence global business strategy. The GCO mission is to protect and strengthen American Express through legal expertise and strategic advice that helps business partners manage risk, identify opportunities, and deliver on the company’s promise of exceptional products and services.

U.S. Consumer Products Team

The U.S. Consumer Products team of the General Counsel’s Organization (GCO) is seeking a Manager & Counsel to support Consumer Lending, Pricing and Regulatory Initiatives. The position will work closely with business partners, legal professionals in the GCO, and stakeholders across the enterprise, to provide legal advice to the U.S. Consumer Lending Team.

How will you make an impact in this role?

• Participate as part of a team of seasoned attorneys serving as the primary business lawyers and strategic advisors to our consumer lending and pricing businesses.
• Advise on new product and feature development, issue resolution, customer marketing, and customer communications.
• Support the business in navigating an increasingly complex and evolving regulatory landscape.
• Provide legal advice and strategic support for a wide range of products and features including Consumer Credit Cards, Personal Loans, Pay Over Time and Plan It lending features, and the Servicemember Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and Military Lending Act (MLA) programs.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders including Compliance, Privacy, Control Management, and Government Affairs to drive business results and mitigate legal, operational, regulatory and reputational risks.
• Partner with GCO colleagues to share knowledge and best practices and participate in GCO-wide projects.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and J.D.
• Admission to practice law in New York in good standing
• 4+ years of relevant work experience in a law firm and/or in-house corporate legal environment

Preferred Qualifications:

• High-energy, self-starter with strong written and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to gain credibility, manage expectations and generate buy-in through relationship building and communication
• Capacity to be agile and pivot appropriately when challenged with new information or evolving circumstances
• Ability to handle multiple workstreams simultaneously, take on new responsibilities and prioritize work in a dynamic, deadline intensive environment
• Work well in cross-functional team settings and have a keen eye for initiating and driving end to end process improvements to enhance efficiency and productivity
• Capacity to operate independently and discern when matters require escalation
• Proven ability to act as a trusted advisor to business teams and distill complex matters into clear, actionable advice
• Desire and ability to develop creative solutions to novel issues as they arise, while ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and internal policies
• Familiarity with federal financial services regulations and regulatory environment
• Experience with consumer lending products