Senior Counsel, Employment

Job Description Summary

Provides strategic legal counsel and litigation management for employment law and HR matters across global business units and corporate functions.

This role is responsible for advising on employment/HR related legal risks, developing and executing legal strategies, and designing legal support processes that align with and support the company's strategic objectives. The position also leads law-related initiatives to enable business growth, with support from senior attorneys as needed. This role also includes managing employment litigation, optimizing the use of internal and external legal resources, and overseeing legal budgets and expense forecasting. This role reports to the Associate General Counsel, Employment.

• Provides strategic employment advice and counseling to HR and business leaders on a wide variety of employment law matters across the U.S. and Canada, to ensure that policies, practices and decisions comply with applicable laws. This work includes advising on employee performance and misconduct, hiring and termination practices, reductions in force and organizational restructuring, leaves of absence, reasonable accommodations, internal investigation of employee complaints, wage and hour compliance, workplace safety/security matters, labor relations, and employment-related aspects of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. Also provides guidance on restrictive covenants, including non-compete, non-solicitation and nondisclosure obligations.
• Drafts and reviews employment-related documents, such as corrective action, performance, and termination documentation, employment and separation agreements, and HR policies.
• Provides advice to internal stakeholders on U.S. employment-based immigration matters, including compliance with domestic regulations and government audits, such as I-9 employment eligibility verification and agency inspections.
• Advises on the design, implementation, and compliance of sales incentive compensation plans and other employee incentive programs for sales teams.
• Strategically and cost-effectively manages employment/HR litigation for assigned client groups and provides litigation support on other employment matters, including litigation holds, discovery and initial fact gathering, case assessment and strategy, settlement/case resolution, and outside counsel management.
• Provides legal counsel and leadership in the design, strategic direction, and implementation of law-related initiatives, as appropriate.
• Plays role in influencing key business decisions, developing legal strategy, and assuring proper resource planning to achieve law related goals and strategies.
• With senior level attorneys, develops legal strategies necessary for achievement of business and/or Company operational goals, including action plans to address legal implications of identified business objectives.
• Accountable for effective and efficient utilization of related legal expenses, including projections and managing budgets.
• Keeps up-to date on employment related laws and regulations, proactively provides updates to HR, and makes recommendations on and supports implementation of best practices and policy development or modification based on changes in the law.
• Provides training and education on relevant topics as appropriate.
• May serve on a leadership team or taskforce.

• Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a college or university
• Juris Doctor Degree from an accredited ABA law school
• License to practice law and in good standing under the Bar of any state that enables admission to practice as in-house counsel in New Jersey
• Minimum of 6 years prior related experience in a major law firm or major corporate legal department. Combination of private practice and in-house experience is preferred/ a plus.
• Wage and hour (including sales incentive compensation), Canadian employment law, and U.S. immigration, experience is a plus.
• Strong intellect
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Self-starter, with proven capability to act and function both independently and as part of a team
• Strong attention to detail and results orientation
• Strategic thinking, agility, and customer focus
• Strong interpersonal skills, organizational savvy and an ability to influence others
• Strong project management skills
• Exceptional organizational skills with ability to manage multiple ongoing matters with appropriate prioritization based on deadline, significance, and client need
• Sound decision-making ability and ability to balance legal risks with business strategy
• Excellent business and legal judgment
• Strong professional demeanor
• Excellent legal research skills
• Energetic and motivated self-starter
• Effective at collaboration and building strong client and stakeholder relationships
• Knowledge of, and experience with, the litigation process.
• Relevant experience in employment litigation, preferably in a multi-state environment, and counseling required.