Assistant General Counsel, BOA
About The Position
The Assistant General Counsel, Brand, Online Experience & Assortment reports to the Vice President, Associate General Counsel, Global Commercial Operations and serves as the senior legal advisor supporting Grainger's Brand, Online Experience, and Assortment organizations. The role partners with leaders across Marketing, Merchandising, Digital Product, eCommerce, Customer Experience, Supplier Management, and Technology to advance strategic growth initiatives while protecting Grainger's legal, regulatory, and reputational interests. This attorney provides practical, business-focused counsel across commercial, contracts, marketing, digital, consumer protection, merchandising, and regulatory matters. The position calls for strong judgment, collaboration, and the ability to balance legal risk with business objectives in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment.
Requirements
- Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
- Active license to practice law and ability to practice in Illinois.
- 10 or more years of legal experience in a large law firm and/or sophisticated corporate legal department.
- Significant experience advising clients on marketing, advertising, eCommerce, intellectual property, commercial transactions, or consumer protection matters.
- Deep knowledge of digital commerce, online customer experience, merchandising, marketing law, and intellectual property.
- Demonstrated ability to advise senior executives, influence strategic decisions, and apply sound commercial judgment in balancing legal risk and business objectives.
- Exceptional negotiation, drafting, communication, and cross-functional leadership skills across complex, large-scale initiatives.
- Ability to simplify complex legal issues for business audiences and build trusted, collaborative partnerships across the enterprise.
Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary legal advisor for the Brand, Online Experience, and Assortment organizations, partnering with senior leaders on legally sound strategies that advance customer experience, digital growth, merchandising innovation, and enterprise priorities.
- Provide practical, risk-based legal advice that enables informed business decisions, protects Grainger's reputation and brand, and builds trusted enterprise partnerships.
- Advise on advertising, marketing, promotional campaigns, customer loyalty programs, sponsorships, contests, sweepstakes, consumer protection, advertising substantiation, pricing, claims, and related regulatory requirements.
- Review and negotiate marketing, creative agency, media, influencer, and sponsorship agreements; support customer communications, digital marketing, personalization, and emerging engagement strategies.
- Provide legal guidance for Grainger.com and other digital customer experiences, including website functionality, digital product development, user experience initiatives, accessibility, online terms, digital content, and customer-facing disclosures.
- Partner with Technology, Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Product teams to support digital innovation and address evolving legal requirements affecting eCommerce, artificial intelligence, personalization technologies, and digital platforms.
- Advise merchandising and supplier teams on product assortment, product content, supplier relationships, exclusive offerings, marketplace initiatives, labeling, regulatory compliance, supplier disputes, and product-related risk management.
- Support strategic sourcing and merchandising initiatives through negotiation and drafting of commercial agreements, partnering cross-functionally to expand the assortment while maintaining appropriate legal controls.
- Partner with technology counsel and internal stakeholders on trademarks, copyrights, brand protection, domain names, marketing assets, related intellectual property matters, brand enforcement, online infringement, and reputational risk.
- Develop scalable legal processes, templates, playbooks, training materials, automation, and technology-enabled improvements.
- Monitor relevant legal and regulatory developments and collaborate across Corporate Affairs to deliver consistent enterprise guidance and risk management.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage starting on the first day of employment.
- Six free sessions each year with a licensed therapist.
- 18 paid time off days annually for full-time employees, prorated based on employment start date.
- Six company holidays per year.
- Company contribution of 6% to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, with no employee contribution required.
- Employee discounts.
- Tuition reimbursement.
- Student loan refinancing.
- Free access to financial counseling, education, and tools.
- Maternity support programs and nursing benefits.
- Up to 14 weeks of paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks of paid leave for non-birth parents.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
