Senior Counsel

at Lactalis American Group Inc. in Chicago, Illinois, United States

Job Description

Senior Counsel

Chicago, IL (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=540+West+Madison+Street+Chicago+IL+USA+60661) – Legal

Job Type

Full-time

Description

Lactalis USA is currently seeking a talented individual to join our US Legal team. This role is onsite and can be housed in Buffalo, NY or Chicago, IL.

Lactalis, the world leader in dairy, is a family-owned business with more than 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals worldwide, committed to nurturing the future by providing healthy and delicious dairy products that bring people together every day. We offer an enviable range of dairy brands includingGalbani®, Président®, Kraft® Natural Cheese, Cracker Barrel®, Black Diamond®, Parmalat®, Siggi’s®, and Stonyfield Organic®in addition to several brands imported from our affiliates in Europe.

At Lactalis, our core values ofAMBITION,ENGAGEMENT, andSIMPLICITYare at the heart of everything we do. We are dedicated to building a safe, diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace and we know that our candidates come from many different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we still encourage you to apply and share with us yourSTORY, yourPASSION, and yourEXPERTISE! You may be just the perfect candidate for this or other roles within our company.

From your PASSION to ours

The Senior Counsel, Cheese Divisions assists the Associate General Counsels (AGC) to support Lactalis American Group, Inc., Lactalis Heritage Dairy, Inc., Karoun Dairies, LLC and Central Valley Cheese, Inc. (collectively, the “Cheese Divisions”). The position advises internal stakeholders, collaborates with legal department attorneys and paralegals, and works with outside counsel. The successful candidate must demonstrate initiative and independent judgment to manage a diverse range of responsibilities in a fast-paced environment.

The successful candidate will report to the General Counsel, Cheese Divisions.

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Key responsibilities for this position include:

Commercial Contract Drafting and Negotiation for Cheese Divisions

· Review, draft and negotiate Cheese Divisions contracts including software and trademark license agreements, purchase, supply, distribution, and broker agreements, construction and manufacturing equipment purchase agreements, transportation agreements, and intercompany contracts.

· Work with procurement and other stakeholders to resolve contract-based disputes with business partners.

· Lead legal training sessions for business teams (e.g., on basic contract formation, negotiation, key terms).

· Develop and maintain contract templates.

Food Law and Advertising Law for Cheese Divisions

· Review advertising/marketing/packaging copy to advise brand teams on regulatory and litigation risk.

· Advise on promotions, including sweepstakes, contests, and coupon giveaways.

· Attend innovation meetings and brand strategy meetings to understand future initiatives and advise on legal and regulatory risks.

Litigation Strategy and Management for Cheese Divisions

· Support litigation matters, as directed, including by working with outside litigation counsel and senior management to create and implement strategies to achieve cost-effective results.

· Negotiate resolutions of disputes when appropriate and/or recommend settlements to appropriate business leadership.

· Advise management regarding strategy, applicable law and developments in key litigation risks.

Intellectual Property Matters for Cheese Divisions

· Advise the Cheese Divisions on trademark and patent protection strategy, manage trademark and patent filings and portfolios, and coordinate with outside counsel on trademark and patent issues.

· Conduct patent FTO and trademark clearance for product/packaging innovation and renovation projects.

· Train R&D and Marketing departments on trademark and patent laws.

Requirements

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

Education:

· Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school. At least one bar admission.

Experience:

· 5 to 8 years’ experience with a national law firm and/or in-house legal department.

Skills/Abilities:

· Shows initiative and the ability to work independently and exercise good judgment in a complex business environment.

· Takes active ownership of areas of responsibility. A self-motivated strong teammate with the ability to identify and get out ahead of problems.

· Demonstrates strategic ability.

· Anticipates legal issues and estimates legal risks.

· Develops creative, proactive, and practical solutions to mitigate legal risks in support of the business.

· Models high ethics and integrity.

· Possesses an eagerness and ability to understand the business.

· Possesses excellent interpersonal, organizational, and communication (verbal and written), relationship management, and internal client service skills.

· Acute attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects at a given time.

· Demonstrates excellent negotiation skills.

· Operates well in multi-functional teams and a fast-paced environment.

· Is committed to continuous improvement, company mission and values, training, and continued education on changing laws and regulations.

· Creates processes and procedures that effectively mitigate legal and regulatory risk.

· Is a quick and flexible learner: intellectually curious, open-minded, adaptable, comfortable with ambiguity and risk, and excited by dynamic change.

· Can make sound, complex cost/benefit assessments.

· Inspires trust, forges relationships quickly, builds consensus and earns the confidence and cooperation of divisional business partners.