Legal Counsel

State of Wisconsin Investment BoardMadison, Wisconsin

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Job Description

Making a Difference

The State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB), founded in 1951, is a premier global investment organization responsible for managing the more than $156 billion of assets of the fully funded Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS), the State Investment Fund and other state funds. Through SWIB’s effective and innovative investment management, WRS remains one of the only fully funded US public pensions. We are the 9th largest public pension fund in the U.S. and the 25th largest public or private pension fund in the world. SWIB is recognized by the investment industry for our teamwork and innovation. SWIB pursues sophisticated global investment strategies across the asset and risk allocation spectrum. Providers across the investment ecosystem seek to partner with SWIB.

Serving more than 691,000 beneficiaries of the WRS, SWIB is a mission-driven organization focused on providing a strong financial future to those who committed their careers to public service. For public employees and the 1,500 Wisconsin employers who contribute on their behalf, we are a trusted partner. Our team innovates continuously to meet the challenges of an evolving investment landscape while growing and protecting the assets of the WRS.

SWIB provides a strong, steady economic pillar for the state of Wisconsin by growing the trust funds under its management, managing risk, and optimizing costs of the long term. We are a mission-driven organization and the participants we serve are our mission. By bringing a disciplined, prudent, and innovative approach to market opportunities, SWIB has been successful in generating required returns and maintaining the trust of the beneficiaries and stakeholders of the funds we oversee.

Home To Top Talent

Our high-performing staff is key to what makes us a premier investment manager. SWIB is committed to investing in talented professionals to implement our robust, sophisticated investment strategies and to keep the organization at the forefront of the investment industry. We encourage innovation and offer professional development opportunities to help staff sharpen and expand their skills. Approximately 61 percent of SWIB’s investment professionals are Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholders.

Job Description:

About the Legal Team
SWIB’s Legal Division is a highly collaborative, experienced in-house team of asset management attorneys that works at the intersection of public service and sophisticated financial markets. We advise on cutting-edge investment strategies, complex financial transactions, state law compliance, and operational matters across SWIB. The team partners daily with portfolio managers, operations professionals, traders, technologists, and executives.

We are seeking a Legal Counsel to join this collegial team and grow their in-house legal career in a unique public asset management setting. The position offers a rare opportunity for a talented attorney to transition into an impactful in-house role while maintaining exposure to complex investment work and developing a broad set of legal and business skills.

Why Join SWIB’s Legal Team?

High-Impact Work: Contribute directly to the success of one of the nation’s premier public pension funds and advance a mission that matters—supporting the retirement security of Wisconsin public servants
Mentorship & Development: Learn from senior attorneys with deep experience in investment, regulatory, and transactional matters.
Breadth of Exposure: Work across asset classes (private equity, real estate, hedge funds, derivatives, fixed income) and legal disciplines (contracts, compliance, public law).
Sustainable Lifestyle: Enjoy meaningful work with predictable hours and a strong work-life balance.

Key Responsibilities
Depending on your background and interests, you will have the opportunity to:

Support private and public markets investment teams with reviews of co-mingled funds and co-investments, trading, and structured product documentation.
Advise internal stakeholders on vendor, technology, and software contracts.
Help develop and implement cutting-edge policies on artificial intelligence.
Help ensure SWIB’s compliance with applicable state statutes, procurement rules, and agency policies.
Coordinate with outside counsel and collaborate on public records requests and open meetings matters.
Negotiate and review ISDAs, GMRAs, MCAs, MSFTAs, prime brokerage and collateral agreements.

Qualifications
We’re looking for candidates who bring intellectual curiosity, sound judgment, and a collaborative mindset. The ideal candidate will have:

A J.D. from a top-tier law school and admission to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
3–7 years of legal experience, preferably from a nationally recognized law firm or institutional investor
Familiarity with investment management, private markets, or financial regulatory work (e.g., fund formation, structured finance, derivatives, or securities lending)
Also willing to consider strong candidates with corporate M&A backgrounds or work in the fixed income space
Excellent writing, negotiation, and communication skills
A desire to grow as a trusted advisor across legal disciplines
An interest in public service and a willingness to learn the nuances of a government-related legal environment

SWIB Offers:

Competitive total cash compensation, based on AON (formerly McLagan) industry benchmarks
Comprehensive benefits package
Educational and training opportunities
Tuition reimbursement
Challenging work in a professional environment
Hybrid work environment

The position requires U.S. work authorization.

Pursuant to our Hybrid Remote Work Policy, all staff have the flexibility to work remotely, but are required to have a weekly presence in our offices, the frequency of which is dependent on their distance from office. Staff are not required to reside locally; however, we offer relocation reimbursement to the Dane County area per our policy.

All SWIB employees are subject to SWIB’s Ethics Policy and Personal Trade Approvals Policy. These policies include restrictions on outside business activities and employment and have limits on personal trading. You may request copies of these policies from SWIB’s talent acquisition team and any questions can be answered by SWIB’s compliance team.