Corporate Counsel, Employment

JOB DESCRIPTION

General Job Description:

Reporting directly to the Assistant General Counsel, this position is responsible for protecting the Company by identifying, administering and managing a variety of the Companys legal matters. The position is primarily focused on employment matters, but it also provides professional and ethical guidance to identify critical, sensitive and complex problems to which the application of legal principals yields the greatest opportunities for minimizing risks to the Company. The Corporate Counsel works with the Companys in-house legal department, outside attorneys and Company leadership, providing creative, forward-looking solutions to complex legal issues and business compliance issues.

Beyond employment law, the Corporate Counsel will draft, review and negotiate a range of contracts and other legal documents, ensuring the Companys agreements are legally sound and consistent with evolving laws. The position also requires the development, maintenance and revisions to Company policies and procedures to help prevent illegal, unethical, or improper conduct, and to ensure continued compliance with evolving law and regulations in the states where the Company operates.

In addition, the Corporate Counsel will provide support for Company subsidiary corporate governance, board of directors and entity management matters.

Supervises: None

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Provide advice and counsel to the Human Resources department on a wide variety of employment matters, including responding to accommodation requests, employee relations, internal workplace investigations, wage-and-hour compliance, labor relations, sick leave and other paid leave requirements, compensation and benefits for a workforce in numerous states in the Western US.
• Respond to business-records subpoenas on the Companys behalf. Respond to employee record requests submitted under the California Labor Code.
• Prepare position statements in response to charges filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
• Provide advice and counsel on data privacy issues related to employee data, employee files, and digital recordkeeping.
• Provide advice and counsel on leaves of absences, local, state and federal leave laws.
• Provide training, internal investigations, and advice in support of Company policies prohibiting unlawful discrimination, unlawful harassment, and retaliation for protected activities.
• Draft, review and negotiate agreements with external recruiters, staffing firms, and other vendors.
• Draft, review, and advise on issues regarding employee confidentiality obligations, employee non-disclosure obligations, and non-competition agreements.
• Manage outside counsel, and/or defend with in-house resources, single-plaintiff employment actions. Coordinate discovery with Company employees and outside counsel.
• Draft, review and negotiate contracts with customers and suppliers, including master agreements, change orders, and professional service agreements.
• Facilitate decision making by preparing concise briefing documents with conclusions and recommendations.
• Review, research and prepare opinions that may have significant impact to the Company.
• Assist with corporate governance matters including the review, drafting and administration of Company policies and procedures.
• Support the legal department as requested and assigned. Such assignments may include briefing Committee(s) of the Board of Directors and Committees, preparation of materials for Board and Committee meetings (including resolutions and minutes), preparing, managing and implementing corporate governance and related policies.
• Provide support for M&A transactions, including working with the General Counsel on deal structure and terms, planning and assisting in due diligence, drafting and negotiating deal agreements, and actively managing deal process and execution.
• Lead subsidiary corporate management requirements, including:

1. Manage corporate entity formation, qualifications to do business, withdrawals, dissolutions, mergers, conversions, and legal name changes;
2. Attend subsidiary Board meetings and prepare resolutions, minutes and corporate documents;
3. Maintain minute books and other corporate records and maintain appropriate databases

• Assist with legal analysis and preparation/review regarding corporate disclosures, including supporting the Executive Committee in press releases, presentations and other corporate disclosures as required.
• Create and maintain in-house legal library of forms and agreement templates.

Position Requirements (Skills, Work Experience, Education, etc.):

• J.D. from an ABA-approved law school, and an active member in good standing of the Bar in California.
• Minimum 2 years of substantive experience as a practicing employment attorney with civil litigation experience construction industry experience and in-house experience a plus.
• Understanding of corporate law, including corporate compliance, drafting and reviewing contracts.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct quick, accurate legal research on matters outside the attorneys primary area of expertise.
• Excellent writing skills. Excellent draftsmanship of policy documents, including employee handbook policies.
• Experience in drafting transactional documents and supporting due diligence in M&A transactions.
• Demonstrated ability to engage and to complete transactions quickly, while effectively balancing business expectations with legal and regulatory compliance objectives.
• Some domestic travel will be required.
• Standing, walking, hearing and listening, typing, viewing screens and reading documents in print and electronic format.
• Working inside an office setting with other co-workers.
• Strong decision-making ability, with a significant sense of ownership and accountability.
• Self-driven, motivated and results oriented.
• Thrives in an environment where you need to roll-up your sleeves and own outcomes.
• Motivated to partner/collaborate with internal and external teams, building relationships to accomplish shared objectives in a dynamic and complex environment.
• Proven record of successful leadership, strength of character and ability to articulate and objectively defend business approaches.
• Effective interpersonal and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate effectively (both oral and written) with others at all levels of the Company.
• Working knowledge of various corporate legal entity structures and governance.
• Familiarity with using information technology tools of a modern in-house legal team, including GMail, Google Drive, Smartsheet, Box, Microsoft Office suite, Westlaw, OneLegal, etc.

ACCO Competencies:

• Proactivity / Initiative: Recognizes what needs to be done and accomplishes it in a manner appropriate for ones level/position and with minimal supervision.
• Perseverance: Shows the wherewithal to fight for difficult goals despite challenges and to bounce back from adversity.
• Insight: The ability to gather and make sense of information that suggests new possibilities.
• Engagement: Shows a knack for using emotion and logic to communicate a persuasive vision and connect with people.
• Teamwork: The ability to effectively work toward common goals with others by supporting, encouraging, and sharing information in an authentic and approachable manner.
• Big Picture: Understands and contributes to organizations short- and long-term business strategy. On a personal level has independently developed a vision for short- and long-term career success.
• Motivation / Dedication: Commits to excellence in pursuing unselfish goals. Initiates action with collective goals takes responsibility and shows personal humility.
• Technical Curiosity / Willingness to Learn: Interest in seeking out new experiences, knowledge, and candid feed, back; demonstrating an openness to learning and change.
• Problem-Solver: Ability to identify, analyze, and solve a problem in support of personal, group, department, or organizational objectives.

Physical Requirements:

(The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions):

• Must regularly lift and /or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include Close vision and Ability to adjust focus.
• The employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear.
• The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Hours:

This is an exempt position. Workdays are scheduled from Monday through Friday. Typically, work hours begin and end between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm as scheduled with the position's supervisor. Occasional overtime may be necessary per business needs.

Travel: 0 -5% of the time to and from the primary office to regional branch offices.

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