Posted: 24-Nov-25
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Type: Full Time
Salary: $300,000 - $425,000
Categories:
Additional Information:
The General Counsel serves as Merrimak Capital’s senior legal officer, overseeing all legal, regulatory, and risk management matters across the company. This role advises ownership and the executive team on corporate, contractual, compliance, and governance issues while managing both internal and external legal relationships. The General Counsel will lead Merrimak’s equipment leasing legal function, supporting the development and negotiation of customer lease agreements, vendor partnerships, and other key contracts. The role will work closely with all senior leadership, including the C-Suite and the Vice Presidents of Documentation, on lease documentation, customer negotiations, and agreements with partners and vendors. Additional responsibilities include review of vendor contracts (including insurance), oversight of HR legal matters, and legal support for the company’s family office, including trust and entity structuring. This position requires a strategic, business-minded attorney with deep experience in equipment leasing, strong contract and negotiation skills, and the ability to operate as a trusted advisor to ownership and senior leadership.
This role may be performed remotely or in a hybrid capacity from either our Salt Lake City, UT office or our Sidney, OH office.
Equipment Leasing and Corporate Legal Management
- Oversee all legal aspects of Merrimak’s equipment leasing operations, including customer and vendor agreements, documentation standards, and portfolio risk management.
- Draft, review, and negotiate master lease agreements, customer contracts, vendor and partner agreements, and related commercial documents.
- Collaborate with the Vice Presidents of Documentation on customer redlines, customized transactions, and non-standard documentation requests.
- Review and advise on international lease documents and ensure compliance with applicable foreign and domestic regulations.
- Provide legal guidance on equipment leasing structures, credit and security provisions, and contractual risk.
- Manage dispute resolution, litigation, and collections with internal and external counsel as required.
Vendor and Operational Contracts
- Lead legal review and negotiation of agreements with Merrimak’s operational and technology vendors, including insurance providers, managed service providers, CRM platforms, and other service partners.
- Ensure vendor contracts meet business, operational, and insurance standards while protecting the company’s interests.
Compliance, Governance, and Risk Oversight
- Maintain company-wide compliance with equipment leasing laws, data privacy requirements, employment regulations, and other applicable federal, state, and international laws.
- Advise on HR legal matters, including employment agreements, compliance policies, investigations, and coordination with outside employment counsel.
- Advise the executive team on regulatory developments impacting the equipment leasing and asset management industry.
- Oversee corporate governance activities, including entity management, board documentation, and policy development.
- Partner with finance and operations to manage insurance coverage, claims, and enterprise risk programs.
Family Office and Ownership Support
- Work directly with company ownership on family office matters, including structuring and optimizing trusts, LLCs, and related entities.
- Coordinate with external counsel and advisors on tax, estate, and investment matters to ensure legal and organizational alignment.
- Provide legal oversight for intercompany agreements and long-term entity governance.
Leadership and Collaboration
- Serve as a key legal advisor to the executive leadership team on transactions, partnerships, and strategic initiatives.
- Collaborate across departments, including Sales, Finance, Operations, HR, and Account Management, to ensure alignment between legal strategy and business goals.
- Manage relationships with outside counsel in specialized areas such as tax, employment, intellectual property, and litigation.
- Provide training and guidance to staff on contract best practices, compliance, and risk management.
Education & Experience:
- Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited U.S. law school and active bar membership in good standing (Utah or Massachusetts preferred, or ability to obtain).
- 10 or more years of legal experience, including at least 5 years in-house or advising clients in equipment leasing, asset finance, or related financial services.
- Proven ability to negotiate and structure complex equipment lease and financing transactions.
- Strong knowledge of equipment leasing law, UCC provisions, and asset management practices.
- Experience managing documentation for vendor programs, customer leases, and end-of-term transactions.
- Familiarity with cross-border leasing and international compliance matters.
- Experience with family office structures, entity management, and trust organization.
- Demonstrated ability to balance legal risk with business objectives and provide pragmatic, solution-oriented advice.
- Excellent drafting, negotiation, and communication skills with strong executive presence.
- High ethical standards, discretion, and sound professional judgment.