Job Description

About Us

Live Oak Bank is a digital bank that serves small business owners across the country. Our groundbreaking spin on service and technology has fueled our mission to be America’s Small Business Bank. Our products help customers buy, build, and expand their business, and our high-yield savings and CD products help them grow their hard-earned money. At Live Oak, we never lose sight of the well-being of our people. We believe our employees are the heart of our company. Our commitment to our customers and culture is intertwined, and we seek those who embody and embrace what it takes to empower the American dream.

How This Role Impacts Live Oak and Its People 

The Senior Counsel, Lending and Operations provideshands‑onlegal advice and operational guidance focused on transaction execution within the Bank’s lending and operations functions. This role partners closely with lending, closing, and operations teams to support efficient, consistent, and compliant loan execution. The Senior Counsel serves as a trusted legal resource for complex,transaction levelmatters and contributes to reducing legal friction while supportingtimelyandhigh-qualityoutcomes for the Bank and its clients.

What You'll Do at Live Oak 

• Serve as lead counsel forin-houseSBA 7(a) loan closings and other assigned lending transactions.

• Provide legal support to the Bank and advise business and operational leaders on legal matters related to lending andday-to-dayoperational activities.

• Define issues, perform legal research, analyzetransaction levellegal questions, evaluate alternatives, andprovidepractical legal guidance that supportstimelyexecution and risk management.

• Serve as an operationally embedded legal partner by working closely with lending, closing, and operations teams on loan execution, documentation, exceptions, and modifications.

• Assist loan closing and loan modification teams with questions related to closings, loan documentation, loan exceptions, compliance, and loan modifications.

• Prepare, review, and negotiate legal documents to document and close lending transactions, including promissory notes, guarantees, mortgages or deeds of trust, assignments, security agreements, real estate closing statements, and modification agreements.

• Review, analyze, prepare, and negotiate due diligence items as applicable, including title commitments and exceptions, surveys, searches, purchase agreements,noncompetitionagreements, leases, organizational documents, andinter‑creditoragreements.

• Oversee the filing of applicable security documents to perfect liens in real and personal property collateral.

• Coordinate with the Closing team to clearpost-closingexceptions.

• Work closely with lending teams to support the development and execution of loan products byproviding practical legal input tied to transaction structure and documentation.

• Interact regularly withcross functionalpartners, including Closing, Operations, and Finance, to address operational issues, process questions, and documentation requirements.

• Providesubject‑matterexpertiseand guidance to legal colleagues andcross functionalpartners and contribute to knowledge sharing and professional development within the Legal team.

• Escalate complex,high risk, ornon‑standardlegal issues to theManaging Counsel, Lending and Operationsasappropriate toensure sound outcomes for the Bank and its clients.

• Maintain a high standard of regulatory awareness including BSA, AML, CIP, and OFAC.

Required Experience 

• A juris doctorate degree (or equivalent) and license to practice in at least one state

• A minimum of five years professional legal experience

• Experience with commercial real estate closings or other commercial loan transactions

Preferred Experience 

• Experience with SBA loan closing and documentation

• Experience drafting and reviewing organizationalandcorporate documentation

• Experience supporting lending operations in a regulated financial institution.

Our Values

• Dedication: Possess a deep commitment to Live Oak Bank’s mission and core values, exemplified through a strong work ethic, adaptability and pride in your work.

• Ownership: Take initiative to deliver positive results by proactively and creatively solving problems, while maintaining a high degree of quality.

• Respect: Treat everyone with courtesy, politeness, and kindness.

• Innovation: Embrace fresh ideas and fearlessly contribute new solutions to emerging or existing problems.

• Teamwork: Foster collaboration, accountability, and trust with others and understand that together, we do more

For a detailed overview of our employee benefits please visit: http://www.liveoakbank.com/careers/

Live Oak Bank is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer, Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled. We consider applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, veteran status or disability. Equal access to programs, service and employment is available to all persons. Those applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application and/or interview process should notify human resources at HumanResources@liveoak.bank

EEO is the Law

The base pay range for this position is $113,080.00 - $154,200.00 per year. Compensation may also include annual bonuses and long-term incentives, subject to various metrics and company policy. A candidate’s salary is determined by several factors including travel, relevant work experience or skills and expertise.

Please note that we provide at least the minimum requirement of paid sick leave to our employees who reside in states that require employer-paid sick leave, including but not limited to Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.