Attorney – Private Bank and Merrill Legal Accounts Counsel

Job Description:

At Bank of America, we are guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better through the power of every connection. We do this by driving Responsible Growth and delivering for our clients, teammates, communities and shareholders every day. Being a Great Place to Work and providing a culture of caring is core to how we drive Responsible Growth. We are intentional about fostering an inclusive workplace where every teammate has the opportunity to succeed, build a career and contribute to our shared success. This includes attracting and developing exceptional talent, recognizing and rewarding performance, and supporting our teammates’ physical, emotional, and financial wellness through affordable, competitive and flexible benefits. We value the unique perspectives individuals bring from all backgrounds and career paths - whether shaped by military service, community college education, or a wide range of work and life experiences. These journeys foster resilience, leadership and innovation, strengthening our workforce and positively impact the communities we serve. Bank of America is committed to an in-office culture that supports collaboration, engagement, and career development. Our approach includes clear in-office expectations, while providing an appropriate level of flexibility based on role-specific responsibilities and business needs. At Bank of America, you can build a successful career with opportunities to learn, grow, and make an impact. Join us!

Job Description:
This job is responsible for providing legal support to the Private Bank, Merrill, and Consumer Investments businesses as a member of the Private Bank and Merrill Legal Accounts Counsel and Pre-Litigation legal team. Key responsibilities include advising on legal matters related to client account opening and servicing, pre-litigation matters and complaints, disputes among account holders, at-risk person investigations, trust modifications, estate settlement matters, and other legal issues impacting the Private Bank and Merrill businesses. Job expectations include delivering practical legal guidance to business partners, supporting strategic initiatives and projects, identifying and addressing legal risks, and helping ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and company policies.

Responsibilities:

• Analyzes legal issues and implications on consumer banking and wealth management products, services, and regulatory matters
• Communicates clear, concise, actionable, and business-informed legal advice, including occasionally to leadership
• Interprets rulings, laws, and regulations from a compliance and business control standpoint
• Drafts, reviews, and/or negotiates complex legal documents, such as engagement letters, debt agreements, offering documents, and legal opinions
• Gathers, assesses, and evaluates information from various sources to make a judgment or inference
• Supports company responses to government agency examinations and investigations, enforcement actions, private complaints, and litigation
• Reviews and interprets wills and trust agreements, powers of attorney, and legal entity documents under state law
• Delivers practical Legal advice regarding investment products in Private Bank fiduciary and Merrill brokerage accounts

• Conflicts resolution (complaints/pre-litigation), including liaising with legal partners on regulatory, litigation and internal investigation teams

Required Qualifications:

• Licensed in good standing to practice law in at least one state in which Bank of America does business
• At least 5 years of relevant experience as an attorney in a law firm, government agency, or in-house environment
• Demonstrated excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills; executive presence when dealing with high-level business leaders and comfort in offering advice and opinions and debating issues with senior business, compliance and risk colleagues.
• Excellent issue spotting, risk assessment, research, and problem-solving/analytical skills; ability to quickly identify key issues and escalate to management and business leaders
• Ability to prioritize and manage a large amount of matters and flexible when faced with changing conditions or priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work closely with other lawyers, business partners, and compliance and risk professionals in a collegial and cooperative manner, while still comfortable offering differing opinions and debating key issues
• Initiative and strong work ethic (self-starter); ability to work independently

Desired Qualifications:

• 6-10 years of relevant experience as an attorney in a law firm, government agency, or in-house environment
• Qualified attorney to provide legal advice for trust, estate, charitable foundation and related fiduciary issues;   experience with NY trust and probate is a plus.
• Experience with broker-dealer laws (SEC, FINRA), state laws related to POAs, trusts and estates, and some level of litigation or regulatory experience
• International legal experience is a plus
• Be an advocate for operational excellence and manage projects geared towards improving legal and business processes and driving focus on core legal work 
• Incorporate responsible use of Artificial Intelligence to improve the efficiency, consistency, and quality of legal work

Skills:

• Advisory
• Influence
• Interpret Relevant Laws, Rules, and Regulations
• Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines
• Risk Management
• Critical Thinking
• Decision Making
• Issue Management
• Legal Drafting and Writing
• Regulatory Compliance
• Attention to Detail
• Collaboration
• Executive Presence
• Legal Structures and Legal Forms
• Problem Solving

Minimum Education Requirement: Doctorate degree in related field

Shift:

1st shift (United States of America)

Hours Per Week: 

40

Pay Transparency details

US - IL - Chicago - 110 N Wacker Dr - Bank Of America Tower Chicago (IL4110), US - MA - Boston - 100 Federal St - 100 Federal St Lp (MA5100), US - NY - New York - 114 W 47th St - 114 W 47th St - Ust (NY8114)

Pay and benefits information

Pay range

$157,500.00 - $239,800.00 annualized salary, offers to be determined based on experience, education and skill set.

Discretionary incentive eligible

This role is eligible to participate in the annual discretionary plan. Employees are eligible for an annual discretionary award based on their overall individual performance results and behaviors, the performance and contributions of their line of business and/or group; and the overall success of the Company.

Benefits

This role is currently benefits eligible. We provide industry-leading benefits, access to paid time off, resources and support to our employees so they can make a genuine impact and contribute to the sustainable growth of our business and the communities we serve.