Corporate - General Attorney in Naperville, IL

Profile

Corporate Counsel (Employment) Duties: Perform duties with or without reasonable accommodation. Counsels leadership on all aspects of daily employment-related issues, including: hiring and termination, accommodations, discrimination, harassment and retaliation, wage and hour, as well as employee investigations. Drafts responses to various administrative agencies, including: EEOC, OSHA, state or local human rights departments. Counsels on employment/labor law, employee relations, ethics, privacy, transparency, data collection and storage, and regulatory and governmental changes and compliance. Forms collaborative relationships with leaders and employees in order to execute strategies and efforts to support the growth/strategic objectives of the Company. Researches and keeps abreast on latest developments on legal best practices to serve as a subject matter expert and consultant within organization regarding critical legal matters. Serves as a liaison for the Human Resources Department. Represents the Company in mediations and other court proceedings at the instruction of the Director of Legal. Investigates and responds to charges filed against the Company at the federal, state and local administrative level (e.g., EEOC, DOL, OSHA) and involves outside counsel where appropriate. Manages multiple projects and initiatives with various deadlines. Ensures effective implementation and communication of Legal programs, providing visibility of key milestones and progress. Authorizes changes to office hours, if required. Authorizes expenses for direct reports up to a certain amount. Assures the training, development, and performance of their team’s staff to retain a motivated, professional workforce that achieves their career objectives. Recruits and recommends qualified employees for their team’s staff positions. Approves all time-off requests for direct reports. Establishes and communicates job responsibilities and performance expectations to their team to assure mutual understanding of desired results; resolves internal or external barriers that prohibit successful goal achievement. Understands the overarching company strategy, as well as communicates and models the core values, of the organization to create a sense of teamwork and membership among employees. Recommends best practices in relation to legal and compliance processes and programs, and ensures compliance with legal documentation and company policies. Partners and liaises with outside counsel on legal matters, litigation, and manages relevant external consultants. Participates in National and Specialist Committees as required. Consults with leadership on the development of their team’s strategy. Advises leadership to source external vendors for applicable services when appropriate. Liaises with regions to ensure timely and efficient communication flow. Consults with the business to effectively design and streamline applicable processes within the organization. Keeps up-to-date on external best practices and relevant changes to their field/area; communicates updates to leadership. Evaluates and analyzes legal cases, reporting findings to their direct leader; researches unique legal issues impacting the organization by identifying applicable statutes, judicial decisions, and codes. Oversees and coordinates with outside counsel regarding company litigation from inception to trial as well as daily case management; mediates escalated matters as appropriate. Designs, implements, and drives process improvements and infrastructure solutions; ensures successful implementation and communication of Legal programs in order to enhance the effectiveness of the team while providing visibility to key milestones and progress. Performs pre-litigation work to minimize risks and maximize legal rights, at the instruction of their direct leader. Manages their team by driving projects and tasks to completion through effective prioritization, work planning, resource allocation, and cross-functional collaboration. Identifies cost-saving opportunities and potential process improvements. Serves as the primary link between their team’s staff and leadership to assure understanding of company goals, objectives, and opportunities for improvement. Other duties as assigned by the Director Legal.

Qualification and Experience

Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in Legal Studies or a related field. 5+ years proven experience in a business environment and/or retail operations. A combination of education and experience providing equivalent knowledge. J.D. and overall broad legal knowledge of labor and employment law, litigation employment agreements, etc. Knowledge of employment contracts including separation, severance, and arbitration agreements. Knowledge of United States employment law and ability to assist in defending the company against employment-related industry charges. Comprehensive understanding of current Equal Employment Opportunity Commission policies and procedures. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite. Understands the history, strategy, organizational authority, interdependence of job duties, products, systems, and services of the company. Ability to interpret and apply company policies and procedures. Knowledge of how legal issues affect organizations and the ability to develop strategies to coordinate legal considerations to business objectives. Prepares written materials to meet purpose and audience. Develops and maintains positive relationships with internal and external parties. Understands cost/benefit analyses. Ability to anticipate legal risks, as well as utilize excellent judgment and analytical skills. Ability to develop rapport, trust, and open communication that enhances the growth and job performance of direct reports. Ability to stay organized and multi-task in a professional and efficient manner. Ability to prioritize and work under strict deadlines. Problem-solving skills. Works cooperatively and collaboratively within a group. Establishes goals and works toward achievement. Ability to use organizational financial statements to compare actual financial performance. Ability to facilitate group involvement when conducting meetings.

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