Associate Attorney, Labor & Employment

Job Summary

An opportunity to get a substantive legal role in one of the largest privately held cannabis companies in the United States.   The Associate Attorney, Labor & Employment will be a key member of the Legal Department, with a focus on labor and employment issues for our over 2,000 employees across 8 states.  In that capacity, this role will be expected to provide legal guidance and training to the HR team, handle employee-related disputes and litigation, assist/oversee   investigations, review and advise on drafting and implementing policies, support union negotiations and the grievance process, and coordinate litigation with outside counsel.

In addition, depending on the candidate’s interest and departmental needs, there may be opportunities to work on contract review and negotiations, M&A, real estate/construction transactions, intellectual property, etc.  The role reports to the General Counsel.

The ideal candidate will have substantive experience in multiple areas of labor and employment law, with an openness to learning others.  Significant experience with litigation and privacy laws, and a combination of law firm and in-house experience are highly valued.

Duties and responsibilities 

Legal Advisory:

• Provide legal advice and guidance to management and HR on a wide range of employment law issues, including but not limited to employee relations, terminations, discipline, harassment, discrimination, and wage and hour matters.
• Review, draft, and negotiate employment-related agreements, such as for employment, severance, consulting, and equity awards.

Labor Relations:

• Manage and coordinate negotiations of collective bargaining agreements, labor peace agreements, and educate HR and other departments on the relevant provisions.
• Support the HR team responsible for the grievance process and handle escalated grievances.

Dispute Resolution:

• Manage and resolve employment-related disputes, including conducting/overseeing internal investigations.
• Handling EEOC and workers’ compensation matters, and other employee related matters with state and federal agencies.
• Oversee and coordinate with external counsel in other, non-employment-related litigation matters.

Compliance:

• Monitor and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local labor and employment laws and regulations.
• Develop and implement company policies and procedures to adhere to legal standards and best practices.

Training and Development:

• Provide training and education to HR professionals, managers, and employees on labor and employment law topics and company policies.
• In cooperation with the internal training team, develop and conduct workshops on compliance, risk management, and best practices in employment law.

Strategic Guidance:

• Advise on strategic initiatives involving workforce management, including mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, and organizational changes.
• Collaborate with HR and other departments to support business objectives while mitigating legal risks.
• Review internal and external communications.

Qualifications

• Business minded and proactive.
• Exceptional drafting and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to dive into new areas of the law, and enthusiasm to do the same.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate with the board, senior leadership, all areas of the business, outside vendors.
• Self-starter, high level of initiative, proven pro-activeness and ability to work autonomously.
• Well-organized and professional, capable of meeting deadlines, and adept at managing multiple complex projects and changing priorities.
• Strong research and analytical skills, including demonstrated experience identifying and quantifying complex problems and providing effective resolutions.
• Availability to travel occasionally.

Education and Experience

• This is a mid- to senior level in-house attorney position with at least 5 years experience strongly preferred.
• Professional experience advising businesses.
• Membership in at least one state bar.
• JD from an accredited law school.

Working conditions 

As a company, we value in-person connections and also see the benefits of working remotely, therefore employees are expected to work on a hybrid basis. The role routinely uses standard office equipment and will require occasional travel for direct oversight of projects.