Associate General Counsel

Who We Want:
We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Associate General Counsel to join our legal team. This individual will play a critical role in managing and overseeing litigation matters, ensuring that the company's legal interests are protected and advanced effectively through contract drafting, negotiation and management and providing ongoing legal counsel to management. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience in handling commercial litigation, particularly within the automotive supply chain.

What You'll Do:

• Oversee and manage all aspects of litigation involving the company, including employment litigation, developing case strategies, coordinating with external counsel, and ensuring effective case management. Ideally, the candidate will be capable of handling less complex litigation in-house or in cooperative arrangements with outside firms allowing the AGC to do substantial substantive work on the cases
• Provide legal advice and guidance to senior management and business units on a variety of issues, including risk assessment, contract disputes, regulatory compliance, and intellectual property matters.
• Develop and implement legal strategies to mitigate risks and resolve disputes efficiently. Collaborate with other departments to ensure alignment with the company’s objectives and legal requirements.
• Monitor and analyze legal trends and developments that may impact the company. Develop and implement compliance programs and risk management strategies.
• Review, draft, and negotiate contracts and agreements to protect the company’s interests. Ensure that contracts comply with applicable laws and regulations.
• Provide input and support on Learning and Development programs to ensure the company as adequate support on legal issues, including litigation and compliance matters.
• Building and following through on department goals and budgets
• Keep team informed on all relevant information; responsible for managing all HR aspects of their team including their professional development and annual performance reviews and participation in recruitment
• Collaborate with executive leadership to define the organization’s long-term mission and goals; identify ways to support this mission through talent management

When and Where:
This will be an 830am - 5pm M-F position located at our Corporate Office in Walker, MI. 

Occasionally, this may require you to arrive early, stay late, or work on weekends, outside of our regular hours, to ensure we successfully meet customer needs, deadlines, or urgent requests.

What You Need to Have:

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
• Admitted to practice law in Michigan, with a clean disciplinary record.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in litigation, preferably within the automotive industry or a related sector. Proven track record of managing commercial litigation cases.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills. Ability to develop strategic solutions and manage high-stakes situations effectively.
• In-depth understanding of legal principles, including those related to automotive manufacturing, product liability, contract law, and regulatory compliance.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to balance legal risks and business objectives.
• Strong leadership skills and the ability to work collaboratively with various stakeholders.
• Detail-oriented and proactive in identifying and addressing potential legal issues.
• Strong interpersonal skills facilitating close cooperation with both management, engineering, automation and manufacturing teams
• Experience working with automotive regulatory bodies and industry standards preferred.
• Previous experience in an in-house legal role or with a Tier 1 automotive supplier preferred.
• Strong written and oral communication with the ability to communicate efficiently with all levels of management, co-workers, and subordinates
• Strong conflict resolution skills
• Strong sense of/treatment of confidentiality and Ethical Practices
• Is thorough, accurate, and reliable when performing and completing job tasks; demonstrates honesty and integrity in all aspects of work
• Works with sense of urgency to meet needs of customers