Who we are
M1 helps clients build and protect their wealth, day to day and for the long term. Our self-directed platform allows users to invest, borrow, spend and save in one place, using automation to power each user’s unique personal strategy. Hundreds of thousands of clients trust us with over $6 billion in assets. As the Finance Super App™, we empower clients’ financial well-being through automated investing tools, industry-leading APY on high-yield savings accounts, paperwork-free margin loans, low-cost personal loans, and high cash back credit card rewards that can be automatically re-invested into your M1 portfolio.
Our vision is to create a digital private banking experience, making the tools and services of the ultra-wealthy accessible with the click of a button. We’ve been named a top app for investors including 2023 Best for Low Costs and Best for Sophisticated Investors by Investopedia, 2023 Best Investment App for Porfilio Customization by Insider and one of the best Roth IRAs by Fortune. We have over 60,000 five-star reviews on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
As a fast-growing fintech company, we’re looking for talented and smart individuals who are excited about rethinking what’s possible with personal finance, invested in their personal and professional growth, and eager to take ownership of their work. Our award-winning workplace culture has been recognized by Inc. (Best Workplaces 2022), Built In Chicago (2022 and 2023 Best Places to Work in Chicago), CB Insights (Top Fintech Companies of 2021), and the Chicago Tribune (2021 Top Workplace).
We mean it when we say, “M1 is yours to build.”
If this sounds interesting to you, read on!
Legal at M1
The M1 Legal team helps the company grow responsibly, advocating for M1 across the multitude of financial portfolios we deliver. We provide strategic advice and guidance across the multifaceted disciplines covering the entire Enterprise, protect M1, advise on risk, and represent the company externally, negotiating with partners and interacting with regulators. We advocate in a highly regulated environment, that demands creativity, foresight, and ingenuity.
What you’ll do
As a Senior Associate Attorney, you will be an integral member of the Legal team and lead the product and commercial legal efforts for the Enterprise. You will:
- Partner with M1’s product colleagues to negotiate, document and advise on strategic enterprise decisions, initiatives, and any necessary agreements. In order to be a successful product counsel, you must be comfortable with daily interaction with the business, comfortable with making decisions with limited oversight from management, and someone who adheres to deadlines.
- Own the commercial contracting process (including TPRM) from beginning to approval, and be able to provide sound and pragmatic legal advice on commercial legal matters for cross-functional product partners.
Responsibilities
- Product legal counsel. Ingrain yourself within M1’s suite of products and each team associated. Become their legal beacon, from the very beginning to end. Any new concept, new product, etc., goes through you and your interpretation of the laws, to ensure utmost compliance with the respective rules and regulations.
- Review, draft, negotiate and interpret a wide variety of commercial contracts including vendor agreements (such as SaaS and other license agreements), master and professional services agreements, non-disclosure agreements, consulting services agreements, business referral agreements, event space and marketing and promotional agreements
- Contract drafting, negotiation and advisory responsibilities for M1’s direct to consumer products, third-party platform partnerships and business development teams
- Provide legal and strategic business advice to help develop a comprehensive, long-term risk-based approach to M1’s extensive portfolio
- Commercial transaction support across the Enterprise
- Administration and resolution of legal issues and contract interpretation matters that arise in existing commercial relationships
- Chart out and develop M1’s future contract management platform to drive continuous improvements, scalability and operational excellence in contract negotiation processes and execution
- Contribute to various internal knowledge management initiatives, including building template agreements and contract intake flows, presentations and training initiatives to drive efficiency in contract completion and vendor onboarding allowing M1 to continue to scale in a risk appropriate manner
Qualifications
- 5-7 years of legal experience within the corporate/commercial department of a financial institution (fintech, bank, CRA) or law firm supporting financial institutions. Either Broker-dealer, fintech or banking experience is a must-have. Preference given to those with 2 or more.
- JD and admitted to practice in the U.S.
- Excellent experience drafting, negotiating, and managing commercial deals
- Excellent experience leading negotiations (both internally and externally) while understanding the multifaceted legal issues presented
- Demonstrates strong and independent experience working with several business partners for various products and services – and empowered to make decisions.
- Demonstrates strong and independent experience negotiating and closing complex commercial agreements, including SaaS, BaaS, or other technology transactions.
- Exceptional judgment and integrity, demonstrating a steady hand while handling multiple complex contracts matters on tight deadlines
- Detail oriented, organized, and ability to provide legal expertise within the context of business objectives
- Strong knowledge of financial industry regulatory landscape, such as FINRA, SEC, CFPB, OCC, and FTC
- Sound decision-making in the face of ambiguous information
- An applicant who truly embodies the M1 Values (see below)
M1’s Commitment to Diversity
M1 is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate different experiences and we’re committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) at all levels of the company. Women, minorities, veterans, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. With our DEIB Council and six Employee Resource Groups (AAPI@M1, Black@M1, Mental Health@M1, Pride@M1, SomosM1, and Women@M1), M1 employees and leaders set aside company time to tackle DEIB projects and achieve goals every quarter.
Our Values
Our team embodies our ten core principles and if these principles speak to you – we’d love to talk with you.
- Mission Driven - We know that financial well-being has a dramatic impact on an individual’s quality of life. We are passionate about helping people in this domain.
- Extreme Ownership - We are responsible for the results to our clients, teammates, and shareholders. We own everything in our domain that affects these results.
- Boldness - Thinking small is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Thinking big inspire results. We would rather fail at the meaningful than succeed at the trivial.
- Ruthless Prioritization - We want to do more than we possibly can. We must be disciplined on how to use our precious money, people, and time. That means saying no to a lot of good ideas so we can focus on the most important thing.
- Integrity - We do the right thing. This trust must never be broken.
- Effectiveness - We do what’s needed to deliver the intended results. Whether that requires disciplined process or scrappy implementation, we find a way.
- Team Oriented - We work collaboratively to achieve more. We respect, trust, and support one another.
- Transparency - We use simple and clear communication to share information so that people have the context to make good decisions.
- Make Forward Progress - Something is better than nothing. We make incremental improvements on our path towards perfection. Crawl, walk, run, and then sprint.
- Resiliency - We understand that any big goal comes with ambiguity, change, and setbacks. We adapt and keep going.
Our Perks
- Competitive Pay and Stock Options
- Comprehensive health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance
- Retirement benefit with employer match
- Unlimited PTO
- $500 to spend on home office equipment while working from home
- Stylish M1 swag
- Socially distant team outings, celebrations, and events
- Transparent and open communication with leadership
- Office in the Loop with a Game Room and Gym
- Access to employee workshops and training about financial literacy, empathy and mental health, professional development, and more
- Free subscription to Insight Timer, the world’s #1 meditation app for sleep, stress, and anxiety
