Senior Associate Attorney

Senior Associate Attorney

Reports to:
General Counsel

Essential Functions

• Support and coordinate real estate closings, including review of closing documentation, settlement statements, payoff calculations, title matters, and post-closing issue resolution.
• Work closely with the Legal Department, Compliance, Capital Markets, Servicing, and Asset Management teams to ensure special asset strategies align with Archwest’s legal, regulatory, and investor requirements.
• Ensure internal and external compliance across all special asset activities, including adherence to federal and state regulatory requirements (licensing, foreclosure laws, bankruptcy rules, AML, privacy, and ECOA considerations).
• Assist with regulatory examinations, audits, and investor reviews by maintaining audit-ready documentation and responding to inquiries related to special assets and distressed loans.
• Support capital markets initiatives by providing data, analysis, and documentation related to special asset performance, warehouse lending facilities, securitizations, and financing structures.
• Establish and maintain operational reporting to identify performance trends, service-level gaps, risk exposure, and root-cause servicing issues.
• Implement controls, risk-mitigation procedures, and process improvements to reduce legal, operational, and compliance risk.
• Partner with senior management to support long-term planning, strategy development, and execution based on market conditions, regulatory changes, and portfolio performance.
• Oversee policy and procedure development and enhancements related to special assets, loan servicing, workouts, and enforcement actions.
• Manage special assets to achieve the highest and best outcome, including loan resolution, refinance, reinstatement, forbearance, foreclosure, bankruptcy, loss mitigation, liquidation, note sales, and structured workouts.
• Oversee complex real estate–related transactions, including distressed loan workouts, deed-in-lieu transactions, REO strategies, loan modifications, restructurings, and asset dispositions.
• Respond to internal, client, investor, and borrower escalations related to distressed assets and complex transactions.
• Appropriately assess legal, regulatory, and operational risk when making business decisions.

Competencies/Skills

• Strong working knowledge of real estate transactions, loan workouts, and distressed asset resolution.
• Demonstrated understanding of regulatory compliance frameworks affecting mortgage lending and servicing.
• Moderate experience across default servicing and special asset functions, including collections, loss mitigation, foreclosure, bankruptcy, REO, claims, and default compliance.
• Experience supporting or working with warehouse lending facilities and collateral enforcement is a strong plus.
• Strong analytical and financial analysis skills with the ability to evaluate risk and structure solutions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to interact effectively with attorneys, regulators, investors, borrowers, and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, highly regulated environment.
• Strong attention to detail with an organized, process-driven mindset.
• Collaborative team player with the ability to work cross-functionally while exercising sound judgment and discretion.

Education and Experience

• Juris Doctor (JD) required.
• Active California Bar license required.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience required.
• 3+ years of experience in special assets, mortgage operations, loan asset management, real estate transactions, legal operations, or related financial services.
• Highly preferred experience includes:
• Real estate closings and loan workouts
• Distressed debt and enforcement actions
• Warehouse lending facilities
• Regulatory compliance, audits, or examinations
• Experience working closely with legal, compliance, capital markets, and servicing teams strongly preferred.

Accessibility:

At Archest, we will make reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Please just let us know by contacting us at