Staff Counsel, Contracts

Position: Staff Counsel, Contracts 

Job Description:

Forward Air is seeking a motivated attorney to join our team as Staff Counsel. This role will support management and key business clients, while helping to shape legal strategies and provide direct support to sales and procurement personnel. The ability to assess legal risks while applying good legal and business judgment will be important. This person will often interact with internal and external resources while addressing complex issues in an accurate, clear, and concise yet thorough manner. Additionally, mastery and maintenance of our contract management system is key part of the job.  The right candidate will have excellent problem-solving skills, computer and data management experience and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, changing service and business landscape.

Core Responsibilities & Duties:

• Draft and review contracts, including creating and revising various contracts, such as service agreements, lease agreements, and procurement contracts
• Ensure that contracts comply with federal and state laws and meet the company's specific requirements
• Represent the company during negotiations with suppliers, customers, and partners to ensure favorable terms. This includes negotiating rates, service terms, dispute resolution methods, and confidentiality agreements
• Ensure that the company adheres to transportation laws and regulations at both federal and state levels. This might include compliance with the Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, safety standards, environmental laws, and labor laws
• Identify potential legal risks in contractual agreements and advising management on risk mitigation strategies. This includes analyzing the legal implications of various business strategies and transactions
• Handle disputes that arise from contract negotiations or executions
• Provide advice to company staff on legal contract terms, negotiations, and compliance issues to reduce legal risk and educate them on important legal concepts
• Coordinate with outside legal counsel for specialized legal needs or when handling complex legal issues that require external expertise
• Managing and protecting the intellectual property of the company in relation to its contracts and agreements, especially when new technology or innovations are involved
• Regularly update standard contracts to reflect changes in law and business strategies as well as lessons learned from past negotiations and disputes
• Collaborate with sales, accounting, finance, technology, and client service teams to resolve contractual issues
• Master and drive utilization of our contract management system, contributing to the development of new technology solutions, contract templates, and guidelines for partner programs
• Participate in compliance initiatives, including training internal clients on legal and contracting policies and issues, such as privacy and data protection
• Participate in special projects and initiatives to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Legal Department
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Degree from a reputable law school with solid academic credentials and a valid license to practice law in any U.S. state
• Strong understanding of the transportation industry and its specific legal environment preferred
• 2+ years of relevant professional experience in commercial and contract law
• Experience with or exposure to transportation/logistics services and/or the insurance industry and/or real estate leasing is a plus
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, strong attention to detail, and solid analytical abilities
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, prioritize tasks, and adapt to changing workloads
• Creative problem-solving skills with a focus on achieving practical solutions while managing company risk
• Eagerness to anticipate the needs of a fast-paced sales team and collaborate effectively to solve problems

Skills:

• “Can do” attitude with a strong work ethic
• Skill in identifying issues in contract clauses and creatively finding solutions that align with company policy and business goals
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Precision in contract review and drafting to ensure that all terms are accurately represented, and potential loopholes are closed
• Flexibility to adapt to changing business needs, legal requirements, and new tasks as the role evolves, especially in a rapidly growing or shifting industry like logistics

Forward Air is an Equal Opportunity employer.

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