Position Summary
Responsible for providing advice and support across a wide range of legal areas by handling diverse legal matters including contracts, employment law, compliance, intellectual property, and corporate governance. This position is responsible for: offering advice and guidance to different business units on a variety of legal matters, including contract review, regulatory compliance, employment issues, and intellectual property concerns; reviewing, drafting, and negotiating commercial contracts with vendors, customers, and partners across diverse business areas; monitoring adherence to relevant laws and regulations, identifying potential compliance risks, and developing mitigation strategies; assessing legal risks associated with new business initiatives and providing proactive advice to minimize potential liabilities; assisting with all natures of legal disputes; and building strong relationships with key business stakeholders across different departments to understand their needs and provide tailored legal advice. The position entails significant interaction with in-house business organizations, franchisees, government agencies, and other external parties. The position requires collaboration with and management of outside counsel.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Provide day-to-day proactive legal advice, counsel and guidance to various in-house departments and Company management on a variety of subjects
- Monitor and manage contract workflow for the Legal Department including reviewing, drafting and negotiating client-facing contracts, as well as proofreading and editing legal and other documents, including drafting correspondence and agreements on behalf of both the company and its franchisees
- Ensuring compliance with labor and employment laws and regulations and, when required, managing and representing the Company in responding to federal and state administrative/regulatory agency charges
- Receiving legal questions from both the company and its franchisees and collecting, compiling, and utilizing information to make an independent decision, as delegated, or recommendation to other members of the Legal Department and/or Company stakeholders
- Responsibility for triage of incoming phone calls and emails, responding to simple legal questions and connecting callers with the appropriate subject-matter expert for more complicated issues
- Senior attorney and senior Legal Department staff support, as required
- Other tasks and duties as assigned
Minimum Education and Experience
- Juris Doctor Degree from an accredited law school
- Active license to practice law in the state of Oklahoma (or willingness to immediately pursue Oklahoma license)
- 3-5 years of relevant substantive legal experience in a law firm or corporate legal department
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Strong Work Ethic
- Ability to draft contracts and legal instruments in accordance with prescribed templates and guidelines
- Ability to edit and proofread correspondence and legal documents
- General knowledge of labor and employment and wage and hour laws and related regulations
- Ability to communicate effectively with leadership, other Legal Department members, internal clients, franchisees, and third parties in writing, verbally, and in presentation format
- Must possess effective negotiation skills and exercise sound legal judgment
- Ability to use a high degree of discretion in sensitive situations and maintain confidentiality
- Ability to maintain required service levels by consistently meeting deadlines and turnaround goals
- Ability to prioritize workload in a fast-paced environment working within time constraints
- Ability to independently manage legal matters and projects ranging from basic to complex
- Proficient in a variety of software packages, including Microsoft Office Suite, Practical Law, Aavenir (contract management software), Legal Tracker, etc.
Physical Requirements:
- Sedentary to light work exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects
- Ability to view a computer screen, sit, stand or walk for long periods of time
- Ability to operate a computer, copy machine, fax machine, calculator, telephone and other miscellaneous office equipment
Working Conditions:
- Ability to produce quality work in a fast-paced environment with high daily pressure to meet deadlines.
- Ability to work non-standard work hours as needed or required to meet established deadlines.
- Ability to work indoors, in an office environment.
- Subject to normal office noise levels.
- Some travel required.
- Position is located at Express Employment International Headquarters in Oklahoma City, currently with a hybrid remote schedule (4 days in office, 1 day remote).
