Benton Harbor, MI ·
Full-time
The team you will be a part of
The Legal General team performs a variety of legal activities in accordance with the established standards of the legal profession to protect the organization's reputation and business interests and help ensure it complies with all relevant laws and regulations. Prepares legal contracts, letters of agreement, and other documents related to a variety of trade, commercial, financial, and operational matters (e.g., loans, leases, purchase agreements, acquisitions, divestitures, employment contracts). Represents the organization in legal proceedings before courts, government agencies, or other authorities.
This Role In Summary
Seeking a Head of Litigation & Disputes Strategy for our North America Region (US & Canada) to drive the strategy for and execution of successful outcomes across its highly visible and complex dispute’s portfolio, with a particular focus on product and consumer class actions, product liability, asbestos, commercial matters, product-regulatory / environmental compliance support, and pre-litigation claims. This role will also provide strategic support for intellectual property litigation, privacy, and data security related disputes, trade remedies, labor/employment, and governmental investigations.
Reporting to the General Counsel for North America, the role will also proactively lead dispute risk mitigation projects and provide strategic counsel on product quality, safety, and other legal risks to advance strategy and protect the company's interests primarily within the region.
Your Responsibilities Will Include
Setting Strategy and Delivering Results on Disputes Portfolio
Strategic oversight of a portfolio of complex litigation matters, pre-litigation disputes, and government investigations across diverse substantive areas, including consumer and product liability, asbestos, class actions, and commercial matters, as well as intellectual property litigation, product-regulatory / environmental, privacy and data security related disputes, trade remedies, labor/employment, and governmental investigations, as needed
Cultivate and manage relationships with valued and strategic external law firm partners, including managing service level and success requirements; efficiently manage and improve processes related to the bench of our external legal counsel and collaborate closely with internal finance teams to drive predictability in litigation forecasting, reserves, and actual financial performance
Lead, develop, implement, and continually refine a comprehensive strategy across the North America litigation portfolio and dispute processes to effectively manage and mitigate significant legal risks, aligning with the company's business objectives and risk tolerance, including setting offensive and defensive strategies, overseeing or leading settlement negotiations, mediations, and arbitrations, evaluating settlement offers against objectives and developing pragmatic and strategic recommendations for leadership teams
Drive a culture of continuous improvement, identifying opportunities for automation, artificial intelligence, and enabling efficient use of internal and external resources to drive successful outcomes
Collaborate with key internal stakeholders, including communications and business teams, on internal and external communications strategies related to disputes
Lead Dispute Risk Mitigation Projects & Strategic Counsel on Dispute Risks
Collaborate with law department colleagues on dispute-resolution and embedding litigation-avoidance strategies within business processes
Provide direction, strategy and legal advice to the business on dispute resolution issues impacting imperatives and operations
Bring a data-driven and proactive approach to lead quality, safety, and dispute risk-mitigation projects that help advance strategy and protect the company
Work Effectively with Business Leaders
Work collaboratively with business partners and law department colleagues to ensure goal alignment on major projects, legal and business strategies, resources and communications
Communicate with business leaders and internal clients on updates, strategy, and alignment
Partner with internal finance and accounting teams on cost management and trends
Minimum Requirements
Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school, with strong academic credentials and active membership in good standing of at least one U.S. state bar
10+ years of progressive litigation and litigation management experience in consumer and product liability defense, class actions, commercial litigation, and/or governmental investigations
Preferred Skills And Experiences
Experience developing and guiding “parallel” litigation activities including company communications, public relations, and government relations
Demonstrated ability to achieve results as a leader or member of a cross-functional team
Experience managing complex product liability, asbestos, class action,and/or commercial litigation from inception through resolution, including trial experience.
Superior intellect, with the ability to think critically and make clear and well-reasoned decisions, and see and handle more than the legal issues of a project
Pragmatic business acumen with the ability to recognize the business consequences of legal advice
Experience with presenting and counseling senior leaders on disputes matters and strategies
Capable of prioritizing and managing a large volume of concurrent projects
Strong analytical, research, organization, and management skills
Exceptional interpersonal and communication (both written and oral) skills
Prior top tier law firm experience, a plus
In-house experience a plus
International experience a plus
TO APPLY
Please forward resume to Paul Martin at pmartin@pailingroup.com
pailingroup.com
