Apply on Employer Site

Wells Fargo · 1 day ago

M&A Advisory Lawyer (Assistant General Counsel - VP)

NEW YORK, NY

Full-time

Hybrid

Mid, Senior Level

$191K/yr - $305K/yr

5+ years exp

Wells Fargo is seeking an experienced attorney to provide legal advice to investment bankers on all aspects of M&A transactions across various asset classes and industries. The role involves managing legal, regulatory, and reputational risks while supporting deal teams and senior management in M&A advisory engagements.

BankingFinancial ServicesFinTechInsurancePayments

Responsibilities

Provide front‑line legal support to deal teams, senior management and compliance, risk and control partners, acting as a trusted advisor while proactively managing legal, regulatory, and reputational risk

Draft, review, and negotiate engagement letters and related side letters, and align terms with firm policy

Negotiate appropriate NDAs and joinders

Participate in business approval forums such as the M&A Commitment Committee

Review and advise on fairness opinions, and coordinate with the Investment Banking Opinion Committee

Draft and/or review Board materials and advise on proxy and other public disclosure language tied to advisory work

Identify, evaluate, and manage conflicts of interest across mandates, including tree‑staffing and staple financing scenarios, working closely with the Transactional Conflicts Office and other stakeholders to design practical and appropriate mitigations

Consult on cross‑border guidance and “rules of the road” for jurisdictions relevant to advisory roles, including UK Takeover Code considerations, “cash confirmation” transaction and other local regulatory overlays, and harmonize advice with EMEA/APAC legal counterparts

Support special situations such as pre-transaction structuring, shareholder activist defense, hostile takeovers, and SPAC‑related assignments

Draft and formulate firm policies

Monitor litigation risk and developments (for example, Delaware corporate law trends), coordinate strategy with outside counsel where authorized, support regulatory inquiries within CIB, and brief deal teams and management on impact and response options

Lead and refresh training sessions for bankers, update templates, guidance notes and policies, and help implement process changes that improve consistency and control

Provide clear, timely escalations on high‑priority issues and deliver commercially grounded solutions that balance client objectives with regulatory expectations

Qualification

M&A transactionsActive State Bar membershipFairness opinion experienceCross-border transactionsDrafting skillsNegotiation skillsCommunication skillsInterpersonal skills

Required

5+ years of Law experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, education

Active State Bar membership or the equivalent in a country outside the United States

Preferred

Experience as a practicing attorney advising on a variety of M&A strategic transactions and private placements at a global investment bank

Fairness opinion experience (reviewing analyses and related disclosures) and familiarity with proxy/public disclosure requirements in advisory contexts

Familiarity with cross-border transactions and jurisdiction-specific requirements and securities regulations is a plus

Proven ability to manage outside counsel and collaborate effectively with Compliance, Risk, Conflicts, and business partners

Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across teams and manage multiple priorities

High level of responsiveness, commercial mindset, and ability to operate under pressure and tight deadlines across multiple live transactions

Ability to focus on both detail and big-picture issues

Excellent drafting, negotiation, communication and interpersonal skills