Job Description

The Legal Support Officer is an intermediate level, non-attorney role, responsible for providing legal support to the Citi Legal team. This role requires a pragmatic, proactive professional with thorough understanding of the Citi Legal Team. The overall objective of this role is to provide support to the Legal Team.
Team/Role Overview
The Legal Operations Officer sits in the Outside Counsel Management Operations Team within Citi's Global Legal Solutions (GLS) Primarily, this role will focus on Legal Operations including accounts payable and managing multi-party (e.g., outside counsel, alternative legal service providers) compliance with external legal policies and procedures, including Citi's Outside Terms of Engagement and electronic billing guidelines. This role will give you the opportunity to grow within the Legal Operations department of Citi, focused on law firm and external vendor management and accounts payable of a global financial institution. You will help drive innovative solutions on how Citi engages law firms, manages compliance, identifies cost-saving opportunities, and mitigates risk.
Responsibilities:

• Primarily, you will support various initiatives being driven by the Outside Counsel Management Operations Team such as (i) Law Firm governance, on-boarding and inclusion process within the Citi Legal Panel Structure, (ii) Law Firm spend management, including oversight of value benefits (e.g., secondees, volume, and prompt pay discounts)(iii) Law Firm performance review and maintenance, (iv) Law Firm compliance with Citi's Outside Counsel Terms, Outside Counsel Billing Guidelines, and Third Party Management requirements, (v) Maintenance and adherence to operational service level agreements and key operational metrics, (vi) delivering strategic operational support and service delivery to senior members of Citi's legal organization, GLS, and members of the external legal community in all regions.
• You will work in close daily collaboration with other GLS teammates at all levels across functions including Finance,
• Technology and Project Management while adhering to GLS program goals and priorities, evaluating complex legal
• and operational issues and impact to Citi businesses and Citi's broader legal organization.
• You will be accountable for the end-to-end supplier onboarding and payment cycle for law firms
• providing guidance and direction to outside counsel and non-legal vendors.
• Partner with legal operations analysts in responsible for ensuring production work is
• completed accurately and service level agreements are being met.
• Organize and conduct external legal accounts payable and matter management reviews with Internal
• Counsel and produce Key Performance Indicator (KPI) metrics to monitor effectiveness and efficiency.
• Conduct audits of legal operational processes and report findings. Based on the audit and quality
• control exercise results, instruct on process fixes (if any) and communicate throughout the organization
• as needed.
• Triage resolution of global legal operational escalations (e.g., reviewing law firm billable hourly rates,
• resolving outstanding accounts payable related queries and facilitating payments to Citi legal suppliers
• and vendors) by partnering with internal GLS functional leads and respective partners outside GLS.
• Represent Citi's Legal Operations in the design, testing and implementation of applicable changes to the
• operational delivery processes, structure and policies, including proposing and implementing
• efficiencies to the global legal operational framework as needed.
• Develop measures to monitor and maintain global compliance with existing and newly issued corporate
• wide policies, standards, and guidelines.
• Manage issues/exceptions derived from the implementation of such policies in the region by partnering
• with Legal's Third Party Officer (TPO) and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) across Enterprise and
• Operational Risk Management and Compliance and Controls Initiatives to develop, implement and
• manage applicable process improvement plans.
• Responsible for legal support activities related to legal operations, litigation/discovery/settlements or negotiation and contract administration
• Manages the execution, review, processing and tracking of legal documentation, executes transactions and completes varied work requests from multiple sources that may be complex in character and have tight deadlines
• Executes legal programs and projects to achieve coordinated and efficient process improvements and legal support solutions; liaises with other control/functional businesses in support of initiatives
• Conducts independent research and analysis of matters, applying institutional knowledge and knowledge of laws, rules and regulations, to support in the identification of legal solutions situations or to formulate recommendations on approach or strategy
• Applies in-depth understanding of how associated risks differ depending on product and documentation envisaged in relevant jurisdiction(s) and provides advice to the Risk function and business partners accordingly
• Maintains detailed records and documentation while staying abreast of new and changing regulatory and legal issues and industry initiatives
• Interacts with senior leaders, internal and external peers to gather information and works closely with the team's management to determine legal solutions
• Appropriately assess risk when business decisions are made, demonstrating particular consideration for the firm's reputation and safeguarding Citigroup, its clients and assets, by driving compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations, adhering to Policy, applying sound ethical judgment regarding personal behavior, conduct and business practices, and escalating, managing and reporting control issues with transparency.

Qualifications:

• Accounting, Finance or Law background preferred. Bachelor's Degree is required.
• Practical knowledge of common legal matter management, electronic billing systems and accounts
• payable / receivable practices (e.g., familiarity with electronic legal invoicing, timekeeping practices
• task and expense codes). Wolters Kluwer Passport experience preferred.
• Must be able to work in a fast paced, deadline driven environment with minimal supervision
• 5-8 years of relevant industry experience, preferably with some experience working in an in-house legal role within financial services

Education:

• Bachelors/University degree, Master's degree preferred

Job Family Group: Legal
Job Family: Legal Professionals
Time Type: Full time
Most Relevant Skills Please see the requirements listed above.
Other Relevant Skills For complementary skills, please see above and/or contact the recruiter.
Citi is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.
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Skills Required