Kara Smith
Dallas
Summary
Dynamic Operations Legal Manager with extensive experience at Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach, adept at regulatory compliance and risk management. Proven track record in leading high-impact projects and enhancing operational efficiency. Skilled in legal document preparation and effective communication, driving strategic initiatives that align with organizational goals.
Overview
37
37
years of professional experience
Work History
Operation Legal Manager
Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach
01.2012 - Current
- Oversaw operational legal matters, supporting and guiding bank personnel to improve operational efficiency.
- Lead and contribute to high-impact bank-wide projects, especially those related to regulatory compliance, records retention, and management.
- Provided strategic oversight and reporting on bank litigation, aligning legal outcomes with organizational goals.
- Direct fraud-related investigations, resolve disputes, and recommend process improvements to strengthen operational integrity.
- Assess and manage risks associated with policy exceptions, proactively identifying and reporting potential risk areas to Senior Management.
- Ensured compliance of operational procedures with bank regulations by reviewing and approving disclosures and agreements.
Operations Legal Manager
Farmers and Merchants Bank of Long Beach
Long Beach
07.1990 - 03.2025
- Oversaw litigation processes, coordinating with external counsel to facilitate effective case management.
- Analyzed changes in legislation to update company policies and practices accordingly.
- Developed legal strategies to mitigate risks and ensure compliance with regulations.
- Streamlined document management systems, enhancing accessibility and organization of legal files.
- Monitored changes in legislation that could affect the organization's operations.
- Developed policies and procedures, ensuring comprehensive legal compliance across all operational areas.
- Maintained records and documentation relating to legal matters handled by the department.
- Drafted reports summarizing findings from internal investigations into alleged misconduct.
- Conducted research on relevant laws and regulations related to the organization's activities.
- Collaborated with outside attorneys to manage complex legal issues.
- Reviewed and drafted a variety of legal documents such as contracts, leases, deeds, wills, powers of attorney.
- Managed and coordinated the legal department's workflow, ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
- Advised senior executives on regulatory requirements related to new products or services.
- Responded to client calls and inquiries to deliver applicable information.
- Organized legal documents in company filing systems and databases.
- Drafted correspondence, documented data and submitted materials to appropriate parties.
- Stayed abreast of changes in legislative and regulatory guidelines.
Executive Administrative Assistant to the Chief Financial Officer
Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach
01.1995 - 01.2012
- Supported CFO by managing complex client transactions and responding to IRS notices (B, C, and penalties) with precision, ensuring compliance and minimizing risk.
- Delivered regular loss prevention reports to the CFO, ensuring proactive management of risk and operational efficiency.
- Coordinated third-party requests for bank records and managed legal matters, ensuring timely preparation of documents for Board approval, facilitating smooth governance processes.
- Delivered regular loss prevention reports to the CFO, ensuring proactive management of risk and operational efficiency.
Bank Card Department
Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach
01.1990 - 01.1995
- Delivered exceptional customer service on balance inquiries, resolved issues with lost or stolen credit cards, managed merchant disputes, and processed credit line increase requests to enhance customer satisfaction.
- Evaluated credit reports to assess applicants' creditworthiness, ensuring strict compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and bank policies during the application process.
- Led customer service team, provided ongoing training and guidance, and ensured high levels of team performance and service quality to achieve operational excellence.
Education
BA - Liberal Studies, Minor in Psychology
California State University Long Beach
Long Beach, CA01.2008
Skills
- Bank regulations expertise
- Compliance governance
- Compliance management
- Regulatory compliance
- Regulatory review
- Risk Management & Assessment
- Risk assessment
- Risk Exposure Reporting
- Fraud resolution
- Legal issue resolution
- Litigation & Legal Reporting
- Attention to detail
- Records Retention & Management
- Board document preparation
- Legal document prep
- Legal correspondence
- Document revision
- Document organization
- Drafting documents
- Process optimization
- Project management
- Task prioritization
- Analytical thinking
- Problem resolution
- Dispute resolution
- Cross-department collaboration
- Client Relationship Management
- Effective communication
- Active listening
- Attention to detail
- Teamwork
- Documentation
- Drafting documents
- Regulatory review
- Risk assessment
Coursework And Certifications
- Paralegal Studies, Coastline Community College, 05/01/14
- ABA Foundational Compliance School, 05/01/18
- Coursework to become Certified IRA Specialist I, Ascensus, 05/01/22
- Unclaimed Property Certification, Unclaimed Property Professionals Organization, 05/01/23
Timeline
Operation Legal Manager
Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach
01.2012 - Current
Executive Administrative Assistant to the Chief Financial Officer
Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach
01.1995 - 01.2012
Operations Legal Manager
Farmers and Merchants Bank of Long Beach
07.1990 - 03.2025
Bank Card Department
Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach
01.1990 - 01.1995
BA - Liberal Studies, Minor in Psychology
California State University Long Beach