Paralegal Senior Specialist

Posted:
10/17/2024, 4:38:56 AM

Location(s):
West Bend, Wisconsin, United States ⋅ Wisconsin, United States

Experience Level(s):
Senior

Field(s):
Legal & Compliance

At Northwestern Mutual, we are strong, innovative and growing. We invest in our people. We care and make a positive difference.

The Northwestern Mutual Law Department is seeking an experienced, independent and agile mutual fund paralegal interested in joining a diverse, challenging and fast-paced environment supporting the Company on a wide range of issues as it works to transform how clients experience financial security.

What's the role?

  • This mutual fund paralegal will be a member of the Law Department’s Investment Products and Advisory Services Team, reporting to the VP-Investment Products and Services in Law, and will primarily focus, as part of a team of lawyers and paralegals, on supporting the securities law aspects of our mutual fund complex, which serves as underlying investment options for our variable annuity and variable life insurance products.  Most of this legal work is handled entirely in-house, including the production of mutual fund registration statements, the preparation of all regulatory filings and shareholder reports for the fund complex and its adviser, and the coordination and support of all mutual fund Board meetings.

  • Examples of the type of work this paralegal will engage in as a member of the Investment Products and Advisory Services Team include:

  • Helping to manage the process, and assisting in the drafting, publishing and filing of new and existing annual registration statements, annual and semi-annual reports, prospectus supplements, proxy/information statements and related documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission

  • Providing corporate governance support by assisting in developing and coordinating meeting logistics and materials for quarterly mutual fund Board meetings and maintaining related minute books

  • Aiding in the implementation of new SEC rules applicable to mutual funds and their registered investment advisers

  • Performing legal and public records searches

  • Maintaining and updating files, policies and procedures and databases

  • This position provides a career track opportunity in the Law Department with potential advancement to a Paralegal Consultant.

Bring Your Best! What this role needs:

  • Candidates ideally should have a Bachelor's degree and at least three years of mutual fund paralegal experience. Additional experience together with a certificate of paralegal studies from a program approved by the American Bar Association may be considered in lieu of a Bachelor's degree.

  • Experience with launching new funds within a mutual fund complex is a plus.

  • Corporate governance experience is desirable.

  • Experience using the DFIN ArcPro registration statement management and publishing system, or comparable system, is preferred. 

  • Exceptional organizational skills and expert knowledge of Office 365 and Adobe applications.

Desired personal attributes:

  • Excellent interpersonal and written and oral communication skills, a highly analytical and curious mind, creativity, comfort dealing with ambiguity, integrity, high ethical standards, and a positive outlook.

  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate and contribute effectively in a team environment while working independently and approaching work with a proactive mindset.

  • Ability to effectively prioritize multiple tasks at the same time.

  • A keen problem-solving approach using sound reasoning and practical judgment to achieve results that balance benefits for all stakeholders of the enterprise.

  • The scope of this role may change over time to respond to business needs. The successful candidate will be flexible and adaptable in terms of general skill sets and aspirations.

* This position is eligible for an annual bonus.

Information About the Northwestern Mutual Law Department:

Of the Northwestern Mutual Law Department’s approximately 130 members, about 80 are lawyers, having come to Northwestern Mutual from all around the country after having graduated from a multitude of law schools and undergraduate institutions and having practiced in a wide variety of settings.  The balance of the Department consists of highly skilled paralegals and research and administrative professionals who support significant aspects of the Department’s operations.  Our Law Department (in every aspect of its operations, including the Law Department Leadership Team, the Department’s practicing lawyers and paralegals, and the Department’s professional administrative staff) is inclusive and diverse, comprising a rich mixture of people who come from a wide variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds and includes people of color and those who are openly gay or lesbian.

The Northwestern Mutual Law Department provides the vast majority of legal services in nearly all disciplines directly to the Company, with only select utilization of outside counsel.  There are nine main legal practice teams within the Law Department:  Investment Products and Advisory Services; Digital and Enterprise Operations; Insurance Products and Operations; Corporate; Distribution; Litigation; Enterprise Governance; Securities Investments; and Real Estate Investments.  Members of the Law Department have the opportunity to develop a thorough understanding of the Company’s business needs, and we are fully engaged in the execution of the Company’s business strategy.  This allows us to provide the most timely and effective counsel in an efficient manner and leads to greater career satisfaction for our attorneys, paralegals, and professional administrative staff.

Northwestern Mutual has been helping people and businesses achieve financial security for more than 165 years. Through a holistic planning approach, Northwestern Mutual combines the expertise of its financial professionals with a personalized digital experience and industry-leading products to help its clients plan for what is most important.  With $366 billion in total assets, $36 billion in revenues, and $2.3 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than 5.1 million people with life, disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, and brokerage and advisory services. The company manages more than $309 billion of investments owned by its clients and held or managed through its wealth management and investment services businesses. Northwestern Mutual ranks 110 on the 2024 FORTUNE 500 and is recognized by FORTUNE® as one of the "World's Most Admired" life insurance companies.

#LI-Hybrid

Compensation Range:

Pay Range - Start:

$59,150.00

Pay Range - End:

$109,850.00

Northwestern Mutual pays on a geographic-specific salary structure and placement in the salary range for this position will be determined by a number of factors including the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; the scope, complexity as well as the cost of labor in the market; and other conditions of employment. At Northwestern Mutual, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. Please note that the salary range listed in the posting is the standard pay structure. Positions in certain locations (such as California) may provide an increase on the standard pay structure based on the location. Please click here for additional information relating to location-based pay structures.

Grow your career with a best-in-class company that puts our client’s interests at the center of all we do. Get started now!

We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you work or would be working in California, Colorado, New York City, Washington or outside of a Corporate location, please click here for information pertaining to compensation and benefits.