Senior Counsel Expert - Litigation and Employment

CHS Inc. is a leading global agribusiness owned by farmers, ranchers and cooperatives across the United States that provides grain, food and energy resources to businesses and consumers around the world. We serve agriculture customers and consumers across the United States and around the world. Most of our 10,000 employees are in the United States, but today we have employees in 19 countries. At CHS, we are creating connections to empower agriculture.

Summary

CHS Inc. has an exciting opportunity in our Legal organization. We are looking for a Senior Counsel Expert – Litigation and Employment whose primary role will be to partner with the General Counsel, Assistant General Counsel, CHS Business Unit leaders and outside counsel to manage, oversee and direct a portfolio of CHS’s litigation and employment matters and support the development of preventative law strategies. You will report to CHS’s Assistant General Counsel – Litigation and Preventative Law. You must have a practical, business-oriented approach to problem-solving, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, tempered by an appreciation of legal complexity and risk. You must also have excellent communication skills and a strong ability to manage multiple, changing priorities efficiently, using discretion and judgment in executing assignments with high confidentiality, and the ability to work collaboratively with others and with a team approach to issues.

Responsibilities

You will:

• Work on a wide variety of pre-litigation, and litigation and employment matters as assigned by Assistant General Counsel.
• Support mergers and acquisitions with respect to employment law matters.
• Prepare and/or oversee completion of responses to agency inquiries regarding employment law issues.
• Track and provide updates regarding legislative developments of employment standards and other related federal, state and local laws.
• Act as a liaison between internal CHS business leaders and outside counsel on matters as assigned.
• Advise business leaders on litigation strategy and provide regular updates to business and Assistant General Counsel regarding case status, budget, outcome potentials and appropriate financial reserve levels.
• Manage response to employee record requests and third-party subpoenas.
• When appropriate, review and revise court pleadings, including complaints, answers, discovery motions, summary judgement, and other dispositive motions and pre-trial and trial motions.
• Represent CHS at mediations and other dispute resolution proceedings on matters as assigned.
• Analyze case strengths, weaknesses, and potential outcomes, internalize settlement options, and make resolution recommendations to the Assistant General Counsel for Litigation and CHS business leaders.
• Work collaboratively with Assistant General Counsel and experienced team of paralegals to develop and continuously improve eDiscovery and other workflows.
• Manage the cost and performance of external counsel and assure cost effective and efficient delivery of legal services.
• Help to drive cost savings including document discovery, in-sourcing activities and leverage internal resources of the litigation paralegals.
• Support ongoing development of a network of preferred firms, training them on CHS’s business, litigation, communication, budgeting, and reporting strategies.
• Collaborate with colleagues in the CHS Legal organization.
• Collaborate with Risk Management on corporate insurance related considerations.
• Draft and negotiate, as well as review and advise on, employment documents, including restrictive covenants, separations agreements and similar.
• Assist or lead ad hoc projects as directed.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications (required)

• J.D. Law Degree from an accredited U.S. law school
• Active member of a state bar in good standing
• 5 plus years of civil litigation experience
• Previous experience with employment advising and litigation
• Previous experience with e–discovery processes and platforms
  
  

Additional Qualifications

• Substantial knowledge, expertise and experience in commercial litigation and/or personal injury litigation
• Substantial knowledge, expertise and experience in employment litigation and advising
• Extensive experience developing strong partnerships with business leaders
• A proven commitment to continuous improvement and a passion for helping teams achieve common goals.
• Pre-employment screening is based on the job requirements and industry guidelines and may or may not be required for the position. If required, selected candidates must pass pre-employment screenings to include all or a combination of drug, criminal, motor vehicle check, physical requirements and FMSCA Clearinghouse
  
  

CHS offers a competitive total rewards package. Compensation includes base wage and, depending upon position, may include other earnings such as bonus, incentives and commissions. Actual pay offered will vary based on multiple factors which may include, without limitation, experience, education, training, specialized skills and certifications, minimum wage/salary requirements under local law.

Benefits include medical, dental, vision, wellness programs, life insurance, health and dependent care spending accounts, paid time off, 401(k), pension, profit sharing, short- and long-term disability, tuition reimbursement and adoption assistance, subject to the eligibility requirements for each benefit plan.

CHS is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disability.

Please note that any communication from a CHS recruiter would be sent using a chsinc.com email address. In addition, a CHS recruiter will not ask for confidential information over the phone or in an email, or request money from a candidate involved in an offer process. If you have questions regarding an employment opportunity, please reach out to chscareers@chsinc.com; to verify that the communication is from CHS.