Assistant General Counsel I, II, III - Labor & Employment

Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District • Cleveland, OH

6h • Hybrid

About The Position

Assists in providing legal advice, counsel, strategy, issue-spotting and project management on assigned transactional legal matters in assigned practice area(s) at the direction of the Chief Legal Officer (CLO). Performs other duties as may be required. The candidate’s eligibility for Assistant General Counsel (ACG) I, II or III position is determined by the candidate’s level of experience as determined by the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities section.

Requirements

• Juris Doctorate (JD) from an accredited law school.
• ACG I - No experience required.
• ACG II - Five (5) years of experience serving as in-house counsel to a public entity or with private law firms providing counsel to public entities.
• ACG III - Fifteen (15) years of experience serving as in-house counsel to a public entity or with private law firms providing counsel to public entities.
• Licensed to practice law in the State of Ohio and in good standing with the Supreme Court of Ohio.
• Valid driver’s license with a driving record in accordance with the Sewer District’s acceptable guidelines.
• Effective client service skills, including written and verbal communication, organizational and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to manage projects, meet deadlines and tackle emergencies and difficult situations.
• Negotiation, conflict resolution and problem-solving skills to address issues and opportunities for improvement.
• Ability to effectively plan, coordinate, establish and maintain effective working relationships and prioritize workloads based on available resources.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.
• Ability to write business correspondence and procedure manuals.
• Ability to continuously take on complex projects and additional responsibilities.
• Detail-oriented and capable of managing large amounts of data, maintain detailed comprehensive records, analyze and organize information, have effective project and time management skills and be well organized.
• Ability to conduct research and draft various legal documents including agreements, contracts, filings and reports used to prepare legal advice, arguments and analyses.
• Ability to manage long-term and/or complex legal projects with significant financial, operational, or other business impact.
• Knowledgeable about federal, state, and local laws, and regulations governing public entities in various disciplines. Must be able to read, analyze and interpret laws, regulations and legal documents.
• Ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously and adapt to Perform duties at a high level of accomplishment in a time-critical manner within a deadline-driven environment.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, research and provide legal advice and counsel. Ability to read, analyze and interpret federal and state law and regulations, as well as various legal documents required.
• Ability to manage outside counsel and represent the organization in a positive and professional manner.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team.
• Analyze, communicate, comprehend, make decisions, possess general intelligence, interact, interpret, negotiate, possess numerical intelligence, organize, problem solve, have resilience and perform tasks.
• Driving, reaching, sitting, standing, talking, typing and walking.
• Ability to lift from waist to shoulder up to 10 lbs. on an occasional basis may be necessary.
• Visual demands of accommodation, color vision, and near acuity.
• Ability to withstand faint to moderate noise exposure for fifteen minutes or longer on a frequent basis is required.

Nice To Haves

• Experience within Administration/Governance, Risk Management and Claims, and Litigation is considered beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Provides legal advice and counsel to all Sewer District departments.
• Develops and maintains a functional understanding of Sewer District legal documents, operations, history, structure, governance and strategic plan goals. Participates on Sewer District project teams and assists in implementation of strategic plan initiatives as required.
• Conducts research and works on a variety of legal matters. Collaborates with outside counsel as required.
• Consults with Chief Legal Officer (CLO) on legal issues and actions. Provides periodic updates to Chief Executive Officer (CEO), executive leadership and the Sewer District’s Board of Trustees as required.
• Maintains a functional understanding of Ohio public laws and requirements, including Ohio Public Records and Open Meetings obligations, to ensure compliance with such regulations. Provides guidance in appropriate practice areas to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
• Represents the Sewer District in a variety of settings including professional and industry groups, the community and conferences.
• Maintains admission status with Ohio Supreme Court by completing mandatory continuing legal education and registration. May participate in bar association membership groups and events.
• Provides legal counsel support to outside counsel on assigned litigation. Works closely with outside counsel on strategy and development of the evidentiary record.
• Provides effective case management support for potential and existing litigation, including effective use of litigation avoidance strategies. Participates in settlement negotiations as required.
• Performs other duties as may be required.
• Provides legal advice, counsel and representation in various labor and employment law matters including but not limited to discipline, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC) charges, wage and hour laws, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), training and internal investigations.
• Administers the Sewer District’s Immigration Sponsorship Policy in conjunction with outside counsel.
• Develops and maintains a knowledge of the Sewer District’s collective bargaining agreements, as well as the Sewer District’s past practice in labor and employment matters. Leads negotiation and administration of collective bargaining agreements, preparation of grievance responses and representation in arbitrations, in conjunction with Human Resources and outside counsel.
• Reviews and draft various policies, including Employee Handbook policies and department specific operational policies. Provides legal advice on the implementation and interpretation of such policies.
• Assists with workers’ compensation administration and, in conjunction with outside counsel, represents the Sewer District in administrative appeals and litigation.
• Establishes and maintains relationships, credibility and trust with internal stakeholders, legal team members, Sewer District employees and stakeholders and local union representatives.

Benefits

• Health Insurance Coverage
• Various Retirement Planning Options (Ohio Public Employee Retirement System and Deferred Compensation Plans)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Free Parking at our facilities
• Corporate Discounts

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level