Head of Legal

Summary

The Head of Legal role serves as the primary legal advisor to the company, supporting national operations across multiple states. This role is responsible for contract oversight, claims management, regulatory compliance, and proactive legal support throughout the project lifecycle. The ideal candidate has deep experience in commercial construction, with a strong understanding of the subcontractor’s role within large-scale GC-driven projects, particularly those involving negotiated scopes, prefabrication, and multi-jurisdictional operations. This role will work out of our office in Chaska, MN.

Essential Functions

Primary Responsibilities/Duties

• Contract Review & Negotiation:
  Draft, review, and negotiate subcontract agreements, purchase orders, NDAs, MSAs, and flow-down provisions from general contractor and owner contracts. Ensure contract terms appropriately address scope, risk allocation, payment structure, indemnity, insurance, and dispute resolution.
• Claims & Dispute Management:
  Manage and advise on payment disputes, delay claims, change order negotiations, lien filings, and back charge defense. Represent the company in dispute resolution proceedings and coordinate with outside counsel as needed.
• National Regulatory Compliance:
  Monitor and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws impacting commercial subcontractors across multiple jurisdictions, including licensing, labor regulations, lien laws, prevailing wage/Davis-Bacon, and OSHA standards.
• Insurance, Bonding & Risk Management:
  Support risk management functions, including review of insurance certificates, performance/payment bonds, builder’s risk policies, and subcontractor default insurance (SDI). Collaborate with risk and finance teams to ensure adequate coverage and contractual alignment.
• Internal Advisory Services:
  Serve as a legal resource for executive leadership, project management, estimating, procurement, and HR teams. Provide timely legal opinions and training related to contractual obligations, employment practices, and project risk.
• Policy & Governance Development:
  Assist in drafting and enforcing internal legal and compliance policies, contract templates, and standard operating procedures that align with national operations and reduce exposure.
• Corporate Support:
  Assist with entity formation, licensing, state filings, and corporate governance in coordination with accounting and executive leadership.

Experience and Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school
• Licensed and in good standing with a U.S. state bar (multi-state bar admissions or in-house counsel registration is a plus)
• 5+ years of relevant legal experience, with preference given to construction law or commercial subcontracting
• Strong understanding of subcontractor-specific issues including flow-down risk, GC negotiations, change order protocols, and multi-state compliance
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and risk-assessment skills
• Ability to balance legal risk with operational and business priorities

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with prefabricated construction and integrated project delivery (IPD) models
• Familiarity with national general contractors and their contract structures
• Prior in-house experience in a construction subcontractor setting
• Knowledge of union vs. non-union labor dynamics and related legal frameworks
• Experience handling workers’ compensation and EEOC claims or investigations is a plus

Sedentary Work

• Sedentary work involves lifting no more than 10 - 15 pounds at a time and occasionally lifting or carrying.
• Although a sedentary job is defined as one which involves sitting, a certain amount of walking and standing is often necessary in carrying out job duties.
• Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required occasionally, and other sedentary criteria are met.

Travel

• Up to 50% primarily in their designated Market.
• Ability to complete regular day travel for site visits and client meetings.

Compensation Information

• Annualized Salary Range: $155,000-$200,000
• 401(k) with match, medical, dental, vision & PTO

The Berg Group is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.