Associate Counsel

Position: Associate Counsel Location: Socotra Capital/Herzer Financial Services 2714 V Street Sacramento, CA 95818 Employment Type: Full-Time Reports To: COO Compensation Starting at: $170,000, depending on experience. About the Role We are seeking an experienced Associate Counsel to provide direct legal support across bankruptcy matters, real estate litigation, special servicing activities, regulatory compliance, and broader company operations. This role combines hands-on legal work with strategic oversight of outside counsel and internal compliance functions. The ideal candidate is proactive, highly organized, and capable of developing a deep understanding of company operations to serve as a key advisor to leadership. Key Responsibilities 1. Litigation & Bankruptcy Representation Directly represent the company and its affiliates in bankruptcy proceedings and real estate‑related litigation. Supervise and coordinate outside counsel handling litigation and bankruptcy matters. Manage and respond to discovery requests and litigation support needs from outside counsel. Establish and maintain a calendar/diary system to track and evaluate outside counsel activity on litigation, bankruptcies, and non‑California foreclosures (both judicial and non‑judicial). 2. Special Loan Servicing Support Provide legal oversight for special servicing functions, including: Forbearance and loan modification agreements Issuing demands for rents in assignment‑of‑rents situations Monitoring foreclosure activities and supporting foreclosure vendors with procedural or factual needs 3. Legal Drafting & Transactional Work Draft and review a variety of transactional documents, such as: Loan purchase agreements LLC purchase/transfer agreements Custom loan documents to support underwriting, servicing, or asset‑sale objectives 4. Compliance Management Oversee compliance processes, with training and support provided where needed, including: Mortgage pool/investor compliance following procedures developed by outside counsel Management of licensing requirements and staff handling of: Annual license renewals Annual and quarterly filings with regulatory agencies Supervision of corporate, LLC, and Secretary of State filings Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) compliance oversight 5. Operational Support & Cross‑Training Develop familiarity with general company operations to serve as a backup for the Chief Operating Officer, including: Participation in loan committee and underwriting processes Understanding loan production and servicing workflows Supporting various corporate insurance needs Qualifications Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school Active bar membership in good standing Significant experience in bankruptcy law, real estate litigation, or financial‑services legal support Experience supervising outside counsel Strong drafting skills with transactional legal documents Working knowledge of regulatory compliance, or willingness to learn quickly Excellent organizational, communication, and cross‑functional collaboration skills Why Join Us? Opportunity to shape legal strategy across high‑impact real estate and financial matters Collaborative environment with direct involvement in executive‑level operations Ability to grow into expanded leadership responsibilities Competitive compensation and benefits package