Corporate Counsel & Director, Legal Services

Greystar•Arlington, TX

6d•$155,000 - $170,000

About The Position

This position is responsible for employment litigation management and dispute resolution matters for the support services and operations groups. The Director provides practical, timely advice and counsel on all aspects of U.S. labor and employment law; manages pre-litigation and litigation (including arbitrations and agency charges); and partners with HR, Operations, and leadership to mitigate risk, ensure compliance, and enable positive business outcomes. The role oversees outside counsel and drives consistent policies, training, and processes to support a positive, legally compliant workplace.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
Member in good standing of at least one U.S. state bar; eligible for in-house counsel registration/authorization in relevant jurisdictions.
4+ years of employment law experience with a mix of law firm and in-house preferred.
Deep knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations; ability to quickly research and apply evolving requirements.
Exceptional judgment, issue-spotting, and problem-solving skills with a practical, business-oriented approach.
Outstanding written and verbal communication skills; ability to draft clear, persuasive position statements, policies, and guidance.
Strong negotiation and dispute-resolution skills, including mediation and settlement strategy.
Experience overseeing eDiscovery, legal holds, and defensible data preservation practices for employment matters.
Ability to manage multiple high priority matters under tight timelines; strong project management and organization.
High integrity and discretion with confidential information; commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Proficiency with matter management and e-billing tools

Responsibilities

Advice & Counsel: Serve as primary legal advisor to HR, Operations, and business leaders on employment law issues, including hiring, background checks, pay practices, scheduling, overtime/classification, timekeeping, discipline, performance management, accommodations, leaves of absence, separations, and post-employment obligations.
Interpret and apply federal, state, and local laws (e.g., Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA, NLRA, USERRA, OSHA, pay transparency and equity laws, state/municipal leave and wage-hour laws, background/ban-the-box, drug testing, and privacy laws such as CCPA/CPRA as applicable to HR data).
Draft, review, and update employment-related documents, including offer letters, onboarding and offboarding documents, arbitration agreements, restrictive covenant agreements, separation agreements, and settlement agreements.
Partner with HR on compensation and pay equity reviews, audits, and remediation plans as needed.
Litigation, Arbitration, and Dispute Management: Lead strategy and day-to-day management of employment litigation (single-plaintiff and class/collective actions), arbitrations, pre-litigation demands, and threatened claims from intake through resolution.
Direct outside counsel: select firms, set strategy and budgets, define success metrics, manage spend, and ensure matter updates and outcomes are tracked in the matter management system.
Oversee responses to attorney demand letters and pre-suit claims; negotiate early and cost-effective resolutions where appropriate.
Manage eDiscovery and legal hold processes in partnership with IT and Records; approve document productions and privilege logs; ensure defensible collection and retention practices.
Agency Charges and Government Matters: Respond to and manage administrative charges, audits, and investigations before the EEOC, DOL (including WHD), NLRB, OSHA, OFCCP, and state and local agencies; prepare position statements, witness preparation, and information responses.
Represent the Company at mediations and conciliations; coordinate with government investigators, ensuring accurate, timely, and complete submissions.
Internal Investigations: Conduct, oversee, and/or advise on sensitive internal investigations (e.g., discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage-hour, safety, code of conduct, whistleblower) ensuring privilege, fairness, and thorough documentation.
Recommend findings and corrective actions; partner with HR and leadership on remediation plans.
Policies, Compliance, and Risk Mitigation: Own and update employment policies, handbooks, and manager toolkits; drive national frameworks with state/local addenda as needed.
Monitor legal and regulatory developments; translate changes into practical guidance, communications, and policy/process updates.
Develop and deliver training for HR and managers on core topics (e.g., EEO/anti-harassment, accommodations and leaves, wage-hour compliance, investigations, performance management, documentation).
Support audits and compliance programs, including I-9/E-Verify, contractor classification, and pay practices.
Labor Relations (where applicable): Advise on NLRA issues, protected concerted activity, and union organizing; support collective bargaining strategy and grievance/arbitration management in union settings as needed.
Corporate Transactions and Projects: Support M&A, restructuring, property openings/closures, and integrations with employment law diligence, risk assessments, and transition plans (onboarding, communications, retention/severance, and policy harmonization).
Participate in other projects and corporate initiatives as assigned.
Follows established policies and procedures by monitoring and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, organizational standards, and operational processes related to area(s) of responsibility and reporting violations or infractions to appropriate individual(s).
Identifies areas for improvement and offers suggestions to improve efficiency and productivity.
Stays current on legal developments, industry practices, and area(s) of responsibility by attending internal and external training classes, research and/or subscribing to the internet or other professional publications, or utilizing other appropriate method(s) to obtain business and professional information, and applies knowledge and practices to area(s) of responsibility.

Benefits

Competitive Medical, Dental, Vision, and Disability & Life insurance benefits.
Low (free basic) employee Medical costs for employee-only coverage; costs discounted after 3 and 5 years of service.
Generous Paid Time off. All new hires start with 15 days of vacation, 4 personal days, 10 sick days, and 11 paid holidays. Plus your birthday off after 1 year of service!
Additional vacation accrued with tenure.
For onsite team members, onsite housing discount at Greystar-managed communities are available subject to discount and unit availability.
6-Week Paid Sabbatical after 10 years of service (and every 5 years thereafter).
401(k) with Company Match up to 6% of pay after 6 months of service.
Paid Parental Leave and lifetime Fertility Benefit reimbursement up to $10,000 (includes adoption or surrogacy).
Employee Assistance Program.
Critical Illness, Accident, Hospital Indemnity, Pet Insurance and Legal Plans.
Charitable giving program and benefits.