Vice President, Wealth Management Counsel

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.

Job Description

Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES) is hiring an attorney to join the Ares Legal team of 75+ attorneys and legal professionals. The Vice President, Counsel position will be based in New York and will be responsible for day-to-day coverage of the ever-evolving and expanding Ares Wealth Management Solutions Business (AWMS) on the Global Wealth Management Legal team. Responsibilities will include advising on a broad range of legal and regulatory matters relating to the business, as well as maintaining and enhancing the legal and regulatory frameworks to support continued growth in a responsible and scalable manner. This role is a great opportunity to be part of a team-oriented legal group and to work at one of the largest alternative investment managers in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

AWMS oversees the product development, distribution, marketing, and client management activities of investment offerings for the global wealth management channel. With a team of more than 150 business professionals globally and backed by the power and scale of the Ares platform, AWMS represents one of the most resourced wealth distribution and client service teams in the alternatives industry. AWMS’ mission is to provide financial advisors and their clients access to innovative, solutions-oriented investment opportunities, across the Ares platform of industry leading credit, private equity, real estate, and secondaries strategies.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP

Reports to: Managing Director, Associate General Counsel, Global Head of Wealth Management and Capital Solutions Legal

PRIMARY FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Counsel will advise on legal and regulatory matters in the global wealth management channel for the AWMS business. In particular, the Counsel will be responsible for understanding the legal, regulatory and practical nuances associated with the external stakeholders in the space (e.g., broker-dealers and custodians, registered investment advisers, private banks, and alternative investment platform providers) in connection with the creation, marketing and distribution of the perpetual, semi-liquid products (e.g., non-traded REITs, BDCs, private funds, and interval funds in the U.S., as well as comparable vehicles based in Luxembourg, the Cayman Islands and Australia). Primary responsibilities will include the following:

• Identifying and advising on legal and reputational risks associated with the AWMS business

• Providing legal support for new and existing products and initiatives

• Advising on matters related to AWMS’ relationships with distribution partners, including the negotiation of distribution and related agreements

• Advising on regulatory and practical matters related to the creation, marketing and distribution of Ares’ growing suite of global semi-liquid products, including issues that arise under the U.S. Investment Company Act, Securities Act, and Exchange Act, as well as those pursuant to CSSF regulations in Luxembourg, and applicable regulations in other offshore jurisdictions

• Advising on broker-dealer matters under FINRA rules and the Exchange Act;

• Building and maintaining strong, collaborative relationships with the global AWMS business, and other internal stakeholders

• Learning new issues and substantive areas quickly to manage competing priorities within the business

• Overseeing and continuing to enhance the legal and governance frameworks for the AWMS business

• Managing relationships with outside counsel

Qualifications

Qualified candidates will possess:

• a JD with a strong academic background

• a New York State law license and be a member in good standing

• 8+ years of relevant experience at a top-tier law firm and/or in-house

Given the position’s scope and the ongoing growth of the AWMS business, we are seeking an ambitious candidate capable of developing alongside the business. The ideal candidate is someone who:  

• is comfortable functioning as a generalist, has a growth mindset, seeks to learn new areas, and to expand their skills on an ongoing basis

• efficiently identifies legal issues and navigates them with intellectual curiosity and creative problem solving, while developing subject matter expertise over time

• can thoughtfully balance the legal and commercial aspects of an issue

• embraces the opportunity to be an emerging leader by partnering with the AWMS business and other stakeholders to support scalable and responsible business growth

• has excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills, which translate into an ability to concisely and persuasively convey information to and interact well with a variety of team members

• has strong relationship-building skills with a focus on collaboration and coordination with key stakeholders supporting the AWMS business

• is both a self-starter and “doer” who can execute with a high degree of attention to detail, while balancing/prioritizing multiple tasks with competing and shifting priorities

• has excellent organizational skills and can follow through on long-term projects

• operates with exceptional integrity and professionalism

Reporting Relationships

Compensation

$250,000 - $300,000

There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.