Legal Operations Associate

As a Legal Operations Associate within the Bernstein Legal Department, you will play a pivotal role in assisting the legal function of Bernstein, which has broker-dealers and/or broker-dealer operations in 20+ jurisdictions.  The role will sit within the Legal Department and report to the General Counsel of Bernstein.

 What You’ll Do

Assist the legal function of Bernstein in all tasks including management and negotiation of client and vendor contracts, client due diligence questionnaires, corporate governance, and general legal operations and administration.

• More specifically, the role will: 
• Serve as the primary point of contact for clients, internal client onboarding teams, and sales staff regarding client terms of business, research license agreements, commission sharing agreements and other relevant legal documentation; conduct initial reviews of legal markups; track documentation through to execution and proper recordkeeping.  
• Work with various subject matter experts within the firm to prepare and respond to client and other third-party due diligence questionnaires about the Bernstein business.
• Assist legal staff, procurement teams and vendor risk management with third-party vendor contracts.
• Manage corporate governance tasks including preparation of corporate resolutions and board minutes, scheduling of board meetings, and tracking of follow up actions and requests.
• Assist in gathering relevant information to respond to third-party subpoenas and in discovery.
• Manage miscellaneous administrative and operational tasks, including tracking law firm spend and ensuring timely review and payment of legal bills. 

In successfully fulfilling the role, the Legal Operations Associate will need to closely partner with legal, compliance, and other professionals at Bernstein and Société Générale.

The role is eligible for an annual discretionary bonus and includes a competitive benefits package including 401(k) plan with company match, Medical/Dental/Vision, and other benefits for fertility, wellness, student loans and commuters.

Basic Qualifications

• Proven experience at a top-tier law firm or in a corporate legal department.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong sense of ownership, pragmatism, good judgment, and business sense. A strong work ethic, and an ability to inspire confidence and work with discretion.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively to solve complex issues in a tight timeframe.
• Fluency in Microsoft office suite particularly in Word and Excel. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the legal department of another financial institution.

Bernstein is widely recognized as a premier global equity research and brokerage firm, with a trading platform that spans the US, Europe, and Asia. Our research and trading capabilities are sought out by leading investment managers around the world, and we have a long history of our research receiving #1 rankings for overall quality and industry knowledge.

Research is our legacy and foundation. Our brand is defined by our Blackbooks, renowned for their in-depth quantitative forecasts and unmatched industry expertise. Our Research Analysts are thought leaders who typically have many years of direct experience in the industries they cover. Our reputation is for the very highest caliber of disciplined investment and industry analysis.

In 2019 Bernstein acquired Autonomous Research, a highly regarded global financial services independent research firm. This acquisition further strengthened us as the preeminent provider of the highest-quality research to our clients worldwide.

On April 1, 2024, AllianceBernstein and Societe Generale announced the official launch of Bernstein, a new joint venture expanding our global cash equities and equity research business. Clients now have unparalleled equity liquidity access and a full range of integrated services, leveraging Bernstein’s cash equities and research capabilities and Societe Generale’s equity derivatives, prime services and equity capital markets offering.