VP, Litigation Counsel at Synchrony Financial in Stamford, CT

VP, Litigation Counsel Location: Stamford Site Role Summary/Purpose: Synchrony is seeking a VP, Litigation to defend the Company in litigation matters including individual cardholder litigation, arbitration and threatened actions. This role is responsible for managing a large number of active litigation matters, including supervising outside counsel, driving efficient case strategy and resolution and partnering with business and operational stakeholders to understand Synchrony’s processes that are subject to litigation. Essential Responsibilities: Defend Synchrony in individual consumer matters involving Synchrony’s products, including lawsuits in state and federal courts and arbitrations. Manage a portfolio of cardholder litigation and arbitrations, including early case assessment, strategy development, discovery, motion practice, hearings, and trial/arbitration preparation as needed. Represent Synchrony in mediations, settlement conferences, and arbitration proceedings, including preparing submissions, evaluating settlement options, and negotiating resolutions aligned with legal and business objectives. Partner with internal stakeholders (e.g., operations, servicing, compliance, risk, business leaders) to develop defensible positions grounded in Synchrony’s policies, processes, and records. Oversee outside counsel where applicable, including strategy alignment, quality control, budgeting, and performance management. Advise on consumer finance legal issues affecting individual disputes, including matters involving FCRA, TILA, FDCPA, and UDAAP, as well as related state consumer protection laws. Draft and review litigation and arbitration materials, including pleadings, motions, discovery, briefs, arbitration filings, and settlement agreements/releases. Identify trends and recurring issues across the portfolio and provide practical feedback to stakeholders to help reduce litigation risk and improve outcomes. Maintain accurate matter documentation, metrics, and reporting (status, risk exposure, settlement authority recommendations, and outcome tracking). Handle other litigation or subpoena matters as requested. Perform other duties and/or special projects as assigned. Qualifications/Requirements: Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school. Active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (in good standing). At least 7-9 years of litigation experience in consumer finance and/or credit card-related matters, including experience defending individual consumer litigation and arbitration. Prior experience litigating matters under FCRA, TILA, FDCPA, UDAAP, and state financial consumer protections statutes and experience applying these frameworks in consumer dispute contexts. Ability and flexibility to travel for business as required Desired Characteristics: Experience defending financial institutions or credit card issuers, preferably with experience in a corporate legal department. Experience with AAA/JAMS or similar consumer arbitration forums and rules. Experience managing outside counsel and litigation budgets. Familiarity with servicing/collections workflows and documentation commonly at issue in cardholder disputes. Demonstrated ability to analyze complex fact patterns, quickly assess potential exposure, identify key liability drivers, and drive timely case resolution. Strong written advocacy and oral presentation skills for mediations, hearings, and arbitration proceedings. Solid working knowledge of eDiscovery processes and tools, including experience with T360 and other litigation support/case management platforms. Strong judgment and ability to balance legal risk, business objectives, and reputational considerations. Ability to manage multiple matters with competing deadlines while maintaining high quality and consistency. Collaborative, business-partner mindset and ability to work effectively across functions. Ability to proactively identify risk and potential legal exposure upstream in business operations and partner with business stakeholders to minimize risk and remediate process/control deficiencies that may lead to litigation or regulatory exposure. Ability to analyze litigation and settlement data to identify trends, drivers, and emerging risk areas, and translate insights into recommendations for strategy, process improvement, and risk reduction. May require occasional travel for mediations, hearing, arbitrations, or case-related meetings based on portfolio needs Grade/Level: 13 The salary range for this position is 155,000.00 - 260,000.00 USD Annual and is eligible for an annual bonus based on individual and company performance. Actual compensation offered within the posted salary range will be based upon work experience, skill level or knowledge. Salaries are adjusted according to market in CA, NY Metro and Seattle. Our Way of Working: We’re proud to offer you flexibility. At Synchrony, our way of working allows you to have the option to work from home near one of our Hubs or come into one of our offices. You will be required to commute to your nearest Hub (either virtual or physical) for in-person engagement activities such as regular business or team meetings, training and culture events. *Field Sales and some Commercial team roles may have varied location requirements based upon partner obligations or preferences. Eligibility Requirements: You must be 18 years or older You must have a high school diploma or equivalent You must be willing to take a drug test, submit to a background investigation and submit fingerprints as part of the onboarding process You must be able to satisfy the requirements of Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. New hires (Level 4-7) must have 9 months of continuous service with the company before they are eligible to post on other roles.  Once this new hire time in position requirement is met, the associate will have a minimum 6 months’ time in position before they can post for future non-exempt roles.  Employees, level 8 or greater, must have at least 18 months’ time in position before they can post.  All internal employees must consistently meet performance expectations and have approval from your manager to post (or the approval of your manager and HR if you don’t meet the time in position or performance expectations). Legal authorization to work in the U.S. is required.  We will not sponsor individuals for employment visas, now or in the future, for this job opening. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. Our Commitment: When you join us, you’ll be part of an inclusive culture where your individual skills, experience, and voice are not only heard – but valued. Together, we’re building a future where we can all belong, connect, and turn ideals into action. More than 50% of our workforce is engaged in our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), where community and passion intersect to offer a safe space to learn and grow. This starts when you choose to apply for a role at Synchrony. We ensure all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. We’re proud to have an award-winning culture for all. Reasonable Accommodation Notice: Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment. If you need special accommodations, please call our Career Support Line so that we can discuss your specific situation. We can be reached at 1-866-301-5627.   Representatives are available from 8am – 5pm Monday to Friday, Central Standard Time Job Family Group: Legal Additional Locations: Orlando Site, Chicago Site, Costa Mesa Site, Alpharetta Site, Draper Site, Phoenix Remote AZ, NYC Bryant Park Site, Charlotte Remote NC, Canton Remote OH, Cincinnati West Chester Site, St. Paul Remote MN