Associate General Counsel - US

AAM - American Axle & Manufacturing • Detroit, MI

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

Dauch is seeking an Associate General Counsel to join its team in Detroit, Michigan. The role serves as a strategic, business-oriented legal partner to Dauch’s Americas operations, supporting teams across the United States. It reports to the Deputy General Counsel for the Americas and supports a fast-paced manufacturing and supply chain environment.

The position leads and manages commercial contracting matters, provides practical legal advice to cross-functional stakeholders, supports HR and employment matters, manages litigation and dispute resolution, and advises on day-to-day business activities. The successful candidate will bring sound legal judgment, strong leadership, and a collaborative, solutions-driven approach.

The role drafts, reviews, and negotiates commercial agreements; counsels stakeholders across sales, procurement, HR, engineering, operations, quality, finance, IT, and EHS; assesses and mitigates legal and commercial risks; and supports labor, employment, property, and real estate matters. It also coordinates outside counsel, develops legal training and playbooks, and manages litigation and pre-litigation strategy.

This is a hybrid role based in Detroit, Michigan, with regular onsite collaboration. Occasional domestic and international travel is required, approximately 10–15%.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor degree.
• Licensed and able to practice law in the State of Michigan and in good standing.
• At least 7 years of relevant legal experience in a law firm and/or in-house legal department, with a strong focus on commercial transactions and employment and labor.
• Demonstrated experience drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements with OEMs, Tier 1/Tier 2 suppliers, and service providers.
• Experience advising business clients on day-to-day operational issues with clear, pragmatic guidance, strong stakeholder management, and the ability to translate legal concepts into actionable business advice.
• Demonstrated experience with HR/labor and employment counseling for multi-state U.S. operations.
• Understanding of property and real estate laws and experience supporting property contracts and transactions, including commercial leases and purchase and sale agreements.
• Strong contract interpretation, issue-spotting, and risk assessment skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage a diverse, high-volume workload in a dynamic environment.
• Knowledge of export controls, sanctions, and trade compliance frameworks applicable to the automotive sector.
• Strong business judgment and solution orientation, with the ability to balance legal risk and commercial objectives while supporting business growth.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, written and verbal communication, and presentation skills, including the ability to explain complex legal concepts to non-legal audiences.
• Ability to build relationships and collaborate effectively across functions, cultures, and time zones.
• Demonstrated ownership and accountability, and ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
• Discretion, integrity, and sound professional ethics.
• Strategic thinking and a continuous improvement mindset for processes, templates, training, and legal operations.

Nice To Haves

• Manufacturing or automotive experience.
• Familiarity with warranty and recall concerns or campaigns, and supply assurance strategies common in automotive supply chains, including risk mitigation and contingency planning.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements, including supply, procurement, tooling, services, logistics, customs and trade, confidentiality, quality, warranty, and technology agreements.
• Provide timely, pragmatic, solution-oriented legal advice to business stakeholders across sales, procurement, HR, engineering, operations, quality, finance, IT, and EHS.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal and commercial risks, escalating issues as appropriate and proposing solutions that support business objectives and compliance.
• Support HR and labor and employment matters, including hiring and separations, policies, investigations, accommodations, wage-and-hour issues, EEOC claims, training, and employee relations.
• Support and advise on property and real estate matters, including commercial leases, acquisitions, dispositions, and property-related disputes.
• Manage and coordinate outside counsel, including matter scoping, budgeting, performance monitoring, and alignment with company objectives and cost controls.
• Develop and deliver legal training and playbooks for commercial and employment best practices.
• Manage litigation and assist with dispute management and pre-litigation strategy, including claim evaluation, correspondence, and negotiated resolutions.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree