Associate Counsel

At American Express, our culture is built on a 175-year history of innovation, shared values and Leadership Behaviors, and an unwavering commitment to back our customers, communities, and colleagues. As part of Team Amex, you'll experience this powerful backing with comprehensive support for your holistic well-being and many opportunities to learn new skills, develop as a leader, and grow your career.

Here, your voice and ideas matter, your work makes an impact, and together, you will help us define the future of American Express.

How will you make an impact in this role?

Responsible for contacting clients with overdue accounts to secure the settlement of the account. Also, they do preventive work to avoid future overdues with accounts that have a high exposure.

The Legal Services Team (LST) is part of American Express General Counsel's Organization (GCO). We deliver legal support to colleagues and to clients, globally, across all business lines. We are looking to add a team member in Buenos Aires, Argentina, who will have a reporting line to a senior lawyer for an international portfolio.

Role Purpose:

The LST's mission is to provide efficient, consistent, innovative, and high-quality, legal support across business units, staff groups and jurisdictions globally. We are looking for a motivated, proactive, junior lawyer, experienced in commercial contracts, who will be part of this lively team based across three (3) hubs internationally in Kuala Lumpur, London and Argentina.

Interested candidates will have commercial awareness and experience of working in a commercial contract space both in Spanish and English. Candidates must be able to use their legal skills to work closely with key business clients around the globe, the LST leadership team and colleagues within the LST team across all hubs on a day-to-day basis. In addition, candidates should possess a strong ability to lead partners and be able to demonstrate a track record of client care.

Primary responsibilities:

• Contribute as an independent, trusted legal advisor to GCO and to the wider Amex business by:
• Identifying and effectively handling legal risk for an international portfolio

Taking instructions from and supporting your team leader, other lawyers, or legal teams in GCO, primarily across the LAC and EMEA region, and beyond as required
- Providing sound, commercial, legal advice and support across international stakeholders such as US and EMEA including drafting, reviewing, analyzing and negotiating a wide range of agreements and legal documents such as procurement, marketing and sponsorship agreements, and Data Protection/Cybersecurity negotiation support
- Supporting internal governance and approval processes, including coordinating internal partners across a global client base as appropriate
- Instructing and collaborating closely with outside counsel in multiple jurisdictions to obtain, challenge and finalize legal advice/opinions on projects and agreements
- Carrying out legal research on behalf of GCO colleagues across all regions in LAC, US, EMEA and APAC
- Handling company secretarial matters and other LST workstreams, as required

Working with other LST team members across all three global hubs, including:

• Improving methods for legal knowledge management and supporting LST training and upskilling program
• Ensuring LST's adherence to any company-wide and GCO-specific processes and procedures

Qualifications

• Argentina-qualified solicitor (or hold an equivalent qualification) with at least 3 years PQE
• Experience of drafting and advising on commercial contracts in a practical and commercial manner with strong research and analytical skills in English and Spanish

• Additional fluency in Italian/French preferred, but is not required

• In-house experience in financial services is preferred

• Ability to effectively multi-task, prioritize and work as part of a team or autonomously under time pressure to meet deadlines and manage clients' expectations
• Cross-jurisdictional experience is preferred, but not required (e.g. EMEA, APAC and LAC)
• Ability to communicate clearly, concisely, reliably, and persuasively with clients, senior businesspeople, legal management and external regulators, both orally and in writing in English and Spanish
• Commitment to integrity and American Express value

We back you with benefits that support your holistic well-being so you can be and deliver your best. This means caring for you and your loved ones' physical, financial, and mental health, as well as providing the flexibility you need to thrive personally and professionally:

• Competitive base salaries
• Bonus incentives
• Support for financial-well-being and retirement
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits (depending on location)
• Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need
• Generous paid parental leave policies (depending on your location)
• Free access to global on-site wellness centers staffed with nurses and doctors (depending on location)
• Free and confidential counseling support through our Healthy Minds program
• Career development and training opportunities

Offer of employment with American Express is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background verification check, subject to applicable laws and regulations.