Senior Legal Counsel - Director, Corporate Finance & Securities

At Credit Acceptance, we are building on the foundation of a successful business while investing in the future through technology, data, AI, and continuous improvement. As we continue to evolve, our Team Members play an active role in improving experiences, driving meaningful change, and shaping the future of our business. We foster an environment where people are empowered to contribute ideas, develop their careers, make an impact, and help lead our continued transformation.

Our Enterprise teams provide the expertise, insights, and partnership that help our business and people succeed. Team Members collaborate across the organization to solve challenges, support informed decision-making, and enable the strategies and initiatives that move our business forward. We value curiosity, continuous learning, and diverse perspectives from people who are passionate about making a meaningful impact on our customers, Team Members, and business.

Outcomes and Activities:

SEC Reporting & Securities Compliance

• Support the preparation and review of SEC filings, including Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K and the proxy statement, in compliance with federal securities laws and Nasdaq listing requirements.
• Review earnings releases, call scripts, investor presentations and other market-facing communications to ensure accuracy and compliance with the law.
• Support annual shareholder letter and shareholders’ meeting with the Corporate Secretary.
• Monitor developments in securities laws, Nasdaq listing requirements, SEC regulations and guidance, proxy advisory guidance, and public company governance best practices.
• Support the administration of the Securities Trading Policy, including trading windows, blackout notices, and Rule 10b5-1 plan review.
• Manage Section 16 compliance and Forms 3, 4, and 5, and track directors' and officers' beneficial ownership.
• Advise on share repurchase programs, including Rule 10b-18 and Rule 10b5-1 repurchase plans.

Treasury, Securitization & Debt Financing

• Serve as Treasury's in-house legal partner on term asset-backed securitizations, warehouse facilities, the revolving credit facility and senior notes offerings.
• Partner with external counsel on the drafting and negotiation of transaction documents, including sale and servicing agreements, indentures, credit agreements, officer and secretary's certificates, and offering memorandum disclosure.
• Coordinate deliverables and work with underwriters, initial purchasers, trustees, rating agencies, and lenders from structuring through closing and post-closing reporting.
• Advise on securitization regulatory requirements and industry legal trends.
• Oversee formation, maintenance, resolutions and records for the Company's special-purpose financing subsidiaries.

Outside Counsel & Efficiency

• Direct specialized outside counsel where needed, holding firms to clear budgets, quality and turnaround expectations.
• Identify recurring work to bring in-house, and build templates, checklists and playbooks that reduce legal spend over time.
• Serve as a securities and capital markets resource for Legal, Compliance and business partners, and keep related policies and job aids current.

How You Work:

• Owns outcomes and follows matters through to completion.
• Collaborative and direct, and comfortable pushing back when accuracy requires it.
• Calm and organized when several deadline-driven matters run at once.
• Committed to continuous improvement in process, quality and cost.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Deep knowledge of federal securities laws, SEC disclosure requirements and public-company reporting, including the Securities Act, Exchange Act, Regulations S-K, S-X, FD and G, Section 16, proxy rules, Rule 10b5-1, Sarbanes-Oxley, and relevant Dodd-Frank provisions.
• Expertise in preparing and reviewing Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, proxy statements, earnings materials, investor communications and other market-facing disclosures.
• Knowledge of capital markets, debt financing and structured finance transactions, including asset-backed securitizations, warehouse facilities, revolving credit facilities, senior notes and Rule 144A offerings.
• Sound judgment regarding materiality, disclosure controls, legal risk and escalation, with the ability to provide clear, practical advice to senior executives under tight deadlines.
• Ability to lead cross-functional work with Legal, Finance, auditors, lenders, underwriters, trustees, rating agencies and outside counsel.
• Knowledge of insider-trading compliance, trading windows, blackout periods, Rule 10b5-1 plans, Section 16 reporting, beneficial ownership and share repurchase programs.
• Strong project management, organization and prioritization skills, with the ability to manage multiple recurring reporting cycles and transaction deadlines independently.
• Process-improvement mindset and ability to create scalable templates, checklists, playbooks and controls that improve quality, efficiency and cost management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, collaboration and influencing skills, including the confidence to challenge constructively when accuracy or compliance requires it.

Requirements:

• JD from an accredited law school and active admission in good standing to at least one U.S. state bar, plus the ability to register as in-house counsel in the state where you are based.
• 10+ years of corporate and securities experience, including training at a leading law firm or federal government agency.
• Hands-on experience preparing and advising on Exchange Act reports (Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K) and proxy disclosure for a public company, either in-house or as outside counsel.
• Working command of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, Regulations S-K, S-X, FD and G, Section 16 and the proxy rules, Rule 10b5-1, Sarbanes-Oxley, and the Dodd-Frank provisions on executive compensation and credit risk retention.
• Sound judgment on materiality and disclosure risk, and the ability to give clear, practical advice to senior executives under tight deadlines.
• Excellent drafting and negotiation skills, with the ability to finalize filings and transaction documents without depending heavily on outside counsel.
• Daily use of AI tools, with clear examples of how they changed your own legal work.

Preferred:

• Structured finance experience, particularly auto or consumer ABS, warehouse facilities, or high-yield and 144A notes offerings.
• In-house experience at a public company, ideally in consumer finance or another regulated financial services business.
• Experience with financing subsidiary governance, Workiva, and consumer financial services law.

Targeted Compensation: $225,800 - $263,400 base salary + annual bonus plan

This position follows a hybrid work model, offering two work-from-home days and three standard in-office days each week with the team and key stakeholders at the local office.

This position is not currently open to individuals who require sponsorship now or in the future to work legally for Credit Acceptance, such as H-1b / H-4 or F-1 OPT visa holders.

Benefits

• Excellent benefits package that includes 401(K) match, adoption assistance, parental leave, tuition reimbursement, comprehensive medical/ dental/vision and many nonstandard benefits that make us a Great Place to Work 

Our Company Values:

To be successful in this role, Team Members need to be:

• Positive by maintaining resiliency and focusing on solutions
• Respectful by collaborating and actively listening
• Insightful by cultivating innovation, accumulating business and role specific knowledge, demonstrating self-awareness and making quality decisions
• Direct by effectively communicating and conveying courage
• Earnest by taking accountability, applying feedback and effectively planning and priority setting

Expectations:

• Remain compliant with our policies processes and legal guidelines
• All other duties as assigned
• Attendance as required by department 

Advice!

We understand that your career search may look different than others. Our hiring team wants to make sure that this would be a fit not just for us, but for you long term.  If you are actively looking or starting to explore new opportunities, send us your application!

P.S.

We have great details around our stats, success, history and more.  We’re proud of our culture and are happy to share why – let’s talk!

Required degrees must have been earned at institutions of Higher Education which are accredited by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or equivalent.

Credit Acceptance is dedicated to providing an inclusive environment for all. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and value a culturally diverse workforce. We believe in ensuring all team members demonstrate mutual respect for one another. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected characteristics like age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

California Residents: Please click here for the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) notice regarding the personal information Credit Acceptance may collect from you.

Play the video below to learn more about our Company culture.