General Counsel

Manufacturing company in Irvine, CA is seeking a General Counsel to advise the company across multiple areas of business law related to the organization's legal rights & obligation, including but not limited to corporate law, tax, business litigation, compliance, employment/labor, corporate governance and ethics.

Job Duties:

• Provides strategic guidance on legal issues, manages compliance and risk mitigation, reviews contracts, and manages other legal activities to protect the Company’s interests, activities, and transactions.
• Researches and interprets existing laws and regulations and anticipated changes to laws to guide informed decisions and reduce risk.
• Represents the organization in litigation, negotiations, arbitration, and legal proceedings.
• Manages all aspects of the litigation process including research, interviews, and investigation.
• Determines case strategy and advises the Company regarding case developments, litigation costs, and settlement authority.
• Evaluates cases to determine the degree of potential liability and damages. Handles pleadings, pre-trial discovery process, trial, settlement, and appeal.
• Prepares and reviews various agreements, contracts, and other legal documents.
• Reviews and drafts corporate personnel policies and employee communications. Ensures all Company policies and activities are managed correctly and in compliance with laws.
• Cost-effectively manages employment litigation and other costs and interfaces with outside counsel.
• Provides expert advice, counsel, and training to management and Human Resources on topics such as employee discipline and termination, restructuring, whistleblower laws, and wrongful discharge claims.
• Conducts and manages internal investigations.
• Provides expert advice and counsel to improve business policies and processes.
• Partners with the business to effectively counsel and resolve problems regarding legal matters.
• Develops and executes priorities and initiatives for legal compliance and policy for the Company.
• Hires, trains, manages, develops, assigns, evaluates, and sets goals for department and staff.
• Serves as both coach and mentor to staff in areas of problem solving, decision making, process improvement, and professional growth in accordance with company policies.
• Coordinates with Human Resources and direct management in a timely manner on any and all employee relations matters.
• Conducts performance evaluations, recognizes, and acknowledges positive and productive behavior, and provides constructive/corrective feedback for performance issues.

Experience Requirements:

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
• Minimum ten (10) years of legal experience as an in-house counsel, or a combination of law firm practice and in-house experience
• Must be admitted to practice in California.
• Broad employment law experience, including but not limited to, class actions, wage and hour matters, DFEH/EEOC charges, and other labor actions.
• Must be in good standing with the State Bar of California.