Vice President - Legal Affairs

SUMMARY :

Responsible for leading all aspects of legal, risk, and regulatory compliance concerns for the successful overall creation, implementation and direction of the Legal Services and Risk Management programs within the organization, while actively working to minimize organizational liability. Responsible for the legal and risk strategy and roadmap, aligning it with the organizations business model and culture.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following :

• Provides expert legal advice to the organization.
• Ensures to establish and maintain effective and efficient legal and risk teams by creating and overseeing replicable legal management systems, processes, and procedures.
• Acts as a representative of the organization, in managing claims for personal injury, property loss and theft, handling questions and demands promptly and courteously.
• Ensures and oversees inspections of the organizations properties are conducted to identify potential safety risks, in an effort to eliminate hazardous or dangerous conditions.
• Oversees the follow up on responses and mitigations of all safety-related incidents to ensure that all applicable laws, rules, policies, and applicable regulations are enforced throughout the organization.
• Recovers monetary sums for damages to property and subrogates claims, in an effort to limit casino liability.
• Represents the interest of the properties in any litigation for which the organization is a named party.
• Informs insurance carriers of incidents likely to exceed the deductible, and supplies reports concerning same.
• Prepares various reports for executive / senior management and the Board of Directors.
• Oversee risk management in creating and implementing new safety standards and procedures at properties.
• Facilitates the flow of information throughout the property, by attending regularly scheduled meetings.
• Held accountable, to a very high degree, for the accuracy and thoroughness of departmental records and reports.
• Conducts interviews with insurance carriers and provides tours of property with regard to same.
• Serves as a member of various organizational committees, including but not limited to retirement and safety committees.
• Oversees and directs usage of the legal affairs and risk monthly and annual budget.
• Negotiates fair settlements with claimants.
• Writes explanations as to why decisions are made that affect both guests and the property.
• Oversees and ensures maintenance of general contracts, Third party agreements, vendor supplier relationships.
• Leads the management of external counsel and general litigation.
• Oversees the protection of Intellectual property (IP) that have organizational value and are protected by law.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required of personnel so classified.

Promotes the following within the department and among all employees :

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS :

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and / or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and / or EXPERIENCE :

Must hold a degree and must be licensed to practice law (preferably in the state of Michigan and / or Indiana) or eligible to take the bar exam for licensure. Must possess at least four to eight years applicable law practice experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Casino industry, tribal law, and litigation experience preferred.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS :

Background in negotiation and settlement of claims required. Ability to write business legal reports and correspondence. Ability to effectively present information to senior management. Ability to respond to inquiries from regulatory agencies, customers and business community. Experience in contract law and employment law. Experience resolving conflict between groups with opposing perspectives, agendas, or priorities. Confident and self-assured in diverse situations, with a solid belief in abilities. Must be able to distinguish potentially hazardous situations from regular conditions in the workplace. Excellent communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills, with the ability to interface effectively with all levels of the organization and external parties is required.

This position requires a Level 1 Gaming License.

LANGUAGE SKILLS :

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret the most complex of documents, such as technical journals, financial reports and legal documents. Ability to write effective letters, memos, speeches. and articles for publication. Ability to respond to inquiries or complaints from staff members at all levels, guests, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to effectively communicate in one-on-one, small group, and large group settings. Ability to effectively present information to top management and public groups.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS :

Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals, and work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference.

REASONING ABILITY :

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS :

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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is also regularly required to stand, walk, sit, and use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, and to sit, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.

The employee is regularly exposed to outside weather conditions, and sometimes works in high, precarious places.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.