Employment Counsel

WHY DEPT®?

We are pioneers at heart. What this means, is that we are always leaning forward, thinking of what we can create tomorrow that does not exist today. We were born digital and we are a new model of agency, with a deep skillset in tech and marketing. That’s why we hire curious, self-driven, talented people who never stop innovating.

Our culture is big enough to cope and small enough to care. Meaning, that with people across 20+ countries, we’re big enough to provide you with the best tools, global opportunities, and benefits that help you thrive. While acting small by investing in you, your growth, your team, and giving you the autonomy to solve our clients' problems, no matter where you are in the world. 

Are you looking to join a team and a company where you feel truly integral to the company’s success? Are you a self-starter with passion for a strong culture and happy employees? Do you ask “why” just because you want to learn more? We are seeking a highly skilled U.S. Employment Counsel to join our dynamic legal team.  This role will work closely with our US People & Culture team, and will also require collaboration with our legal colleagues outside the U.S., offering an exciting opportunity to work on cross-border issues in a fast-paced, global environment.

What will your day be like? 

We’re looking for someone who is passionate about building and maintaining a strong psychologically safe and compliant workplace and culture. Our Employment Counsel will have responsibility for providing guidance to our business teams regarding all employment matters across the United States and provide the company with legal advice on employment and HR compliance matters. This role requires an individual with personal confidence, strong collaboration and communication skills, and legal acumen. We also want someone who is comfortable advising, working closely with, and, where appropriate, pushing back on leadership. We prefer you have an understanding of digital services and technology development and we’re happy to teach you the specifics of our business if you have a strong business-minded approach to how you practice law. In addition, the role will require sound judgment and decision making, sometimes with limited information and tight timeframes. 

What you’ll do: 

• Build relationships with business-team counterparts and identify ways to improve and evolve employment practices as needed
• Drive compliance with labor and employment laws and regulations, including partnering with People & Culture leadership on the development, implementation, interpretation, and maintenance of employment-related HR and operational policies and procedures, as well as development and deployment of related trainings.
• Provide practical and actionable guidance on a broad range of employment matters, including but not limited to hiring, performance management, employee relations, restrictive covenants, compensation and benefits, wage and hour issues, leaves of absence and accommodations, and workplace investigations.
• Draft and review employment agreements and policies. 
• Advise and help resolve complex/sensitive employment matters through pre-dispute resolution and/or positioning the company for potential employment litigation.
• Monitor developments in employment law areas in the US and proactively identify legal concepts that People & Culture Business Partners need to understand and apply into practice; develop and provide training to them and other impacted cross-functional functions
• Distill complex legal issues into workable frameworks or reference guides for People & Culture Business Partners
• Partner with People & Culture on workplace investigations
• Effectively manage outside counsel in all US employment litigated matters where needed.
• Work on special projects related to employment law, which could include areas outside of the US jurisdiction, such as global mobility policies.
• Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, and participating in professional societies and strategic events.

What we’re looking for:

• 3-5 years experience practicing U.S. employment law, either in-house or at a law firm.
• Subject matter expertise in employment law, preferably experience with California employment law.  Bonus points for experience with immigration law and/or privacy law. 
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with experience  developing creative, proactive, and practical solutions to mitigate legal risks in support of the business
• Excellent communicator both internally and externally, with ability to distill complex legal jargon into easy-to-understand and practical advice. 
• Must be a self-starter with the ability to effectively complete projects with minimal oversight.
• A high level of deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, complex problem-solving, critical thinking, and information analysis skills are essential to defining and solving issues 
• Must be able to make decisions even when insufficient information is available
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to predict and prevent legal issues and risks.
• Effectively represent the organization as appropriate in its relationship with legal and business communities.
• High professional and personal standards with unquestioned integrity. 

Education:

A Juris Doctor degree from accredited law school, as well as retention of appropriate state license(s)

WHAT DO WE OFFER?

We are a collaborative, open-door, best-idea-wins environment that fosters personal and company growth and has fun doing it. Here is a snapshot of our  benefits package:

• Healthcare, Dental, and Vision coverage
• 401k plan, plus matching
• PTO
• Paid Company Holidays
• Parental Leave

The anticipated salary range for this position is $140,000 - $170,000. Salary is based on a range of factors that include relevant experience, expertise, and organizational impact. This is based on a 40-hour workweek and leveling. Keep in mind, we're flexible. 

WE SUPPORT YOU BEING YOU: 

DEPT® is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We believe our work is its best when our people feel safe and free to be themselves. We’re committed to an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment and selection process and workplace, regardless of anyone’s identity, background, beliefs, lifestyle or disabilities. So tell us about any accommodations you need. It’s totally confidential and only used to make sure you feel fully supported at every step. 

DEPT® participates in E-Verify, meaning your Form I-9 information will be sent to the federal government to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S. 

We are a B Corp-certified company passionate about purpose-driven work.  Our hope is that you can feel good about the contributions DEPT® is making to the world and we always have an open door for your ideas in making the world a better place. 

DEPT® is a pioneering technology and marketing services company that creates integrated end-to-end digital experiences for brands such as Google, KFC, Philips, Audi, Twitch, Patagonia, eBay and more. Its team of 2,500+ digital specialists across 30+ locations on 5 continents delivers pioneering work on a global scale with a boutique culture. 

Learn more about DEPT®

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