Counsel, Employment & Litigation

What You’ll Be Serving Up:

Direct, manage, and provide key legal support regarding brand threat litigation, crisis management, employment, policy, and compliance matters. Function as a legal advisor to KFC Leadership Team, cross functional partners, parent company, sister brands, and franchise partners.

Here’s How You’ll Spice Things Up:

Employment, Policy, and Compliance Matters 

• Provide business-minded legal support and direction to HR and Operations teams in all employment-related matters, including:
  • Code of Conduct
  • compliance training
  • application and new hire (including background check) processes
  • employee investigations
  • reviewing and developing training materials, policies, forms, and bespoke agreements
  • addressing evolving legal trends and develop
  • partnering with HR team on investigations and escalated employee issues
  • advice and guidance regarding a host of complex employment matters.
• Address and respond to EEOC, Department of Labor, and state and local enforcement agency actions.
• Lead company-wide education on employment-related matters. 
• Implement and manage labor relations procedures, training, and action plans for corporate-owned stores.
• Partner with franchisees as a center of knowledge of union related matters. 
• Supervise Brand Asset Protection Manager, which includes equity Loss Prevention activities, franchise consulting, and Brand investigations related to theft and fraud.

Brand Protection and Litigation 

• Manage all brand litigation, ranging from employment matters to patent and anti-trust litigation, including managing e-discovery, potential class and collective actions, and various personal injury matters. 
  • Also includes responsibility for monitoring franchise litigation and becoming directly involved, when necessary, to protect the Brand and System.
• Manage outside counsel, response to subpoenas, management of electronic discovery, budgets, and other essential legal functions.
• Lead and implement mitigation efforts to address Brand-risks and litigation-risks as they arise.
• Provide legal counsel and leadership in crisis-management situations.
• Effectively manage litigation budgets and coordinate appropriately with Yum! Risk/Insurance Team, sister brands, and cross functional partners as needed.

What You Bring to the Table:

EDUCATION: This position requires a JD degree from an accredited law school and strong academic credentials.

EXPERIENCE (and other qualifications): Ideal candidates will have 6+ years of prior experience in an in-house law department or top tier law firm. Candidates must be a member of State Bar for any U.S. State.

Additional skills and experience should include: 

• Substantive knowledge of employment law (mandatory) and commercial litigation (preferred)
• Excellent communication skills, and an ability to listen and effectively explain complex legal issues to non-lawyers in 1:1 and large presentation formats; demonstrated ability to influence and coach others effectively
• Ability to self-start, work proactively, and follow through, but also the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment
• Sound judgment and strong critical thinking and analytical skills
• Concisely translate concisely translate issues into actionable recommendations and solutions
• Detail oriented, but with an ability to understand and communicate the big picture
• Ability to solve problems, deliver results and serve as a pro-active business partner to internal clients
• Ability to prioritize and perform multiple tasks and handle changing priorities successfully in a fast-paced environment.
• High personal and professional integrity and the ability to establish personal credibility within the department and organization