Corporate General Counsel

DLZ Corporation•Worthington, OH

2d•Onsite

About The Position

DLZ Corporation, an award-winning Engineering, Architecture, Surveying, and Construction Servies firm, is seeking an experienced and business-minded Corporate General Counsel, for its Columbus, Ohio corporate headquarters, to serve as the Company’s primary legal advisor and a key member of the leadership team. This role will provide strategic legal guidance across all areas of the organization, proactively manage risk, and support DLZ’s continued growth and operational excellence. The ideal candidate is a pragmatic legal leader who can balance legal rigor with business objectives, operate effectively in a fast-paced professional services environment, and partner closely with executives, operations, HR, finance, and project teams.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
Active license to practice law; Ohio and/or Indiana licensure preferred.
Minimum of 20 years of legal experience, with significant experience in corporate, transactional, and commercial matters.
Prior in-house experience or strong experience advising corporate clients.
Proven ability to provide practical, solutions-oriented legal advice in a business environment.

Nice To Haves

Mergers & Acquisitions and corporate transactions.
Supporting professional services, engineering, construction, architecture, or consulting firms.
Professional liability issues, claims management, and insurance programs.
Working directly with executive leadership and board of directors.

Responsibilities

Advise executive leadership and the Board on corporate governance, business strategy, risk management, and compliance across DLZ and its subsidiaries.
Serve as legal advisor on major business transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, partnerships, and other contractual commitments.
Draft, review, negotiate, and manage contracts with clients, partners, subcontractors, and service providers.
Evaluate major litigation and claims; define strategic defense with executives and outside counsel and approve settlements where appropriate. Represent DLZ in relevant forums as needed.
Oversee the company’s internal legal function and coordinate management of outside counsel to ensure effective and cost-efficient legal support.
Provide guidance on professional liability and risk management, insurance, employment, regulatory, professional licensing, contract, employee benefits, staff training, immigration, and policy matters, including inquiries from staff, management, and regulatory authorities.
Monitor legal and regulatory developments and recommend updates to policies, procedures, and practices to mitigate risk and ensure compliance.
Establish and maintain legal processes, standards, and best practices to support efficient operations and proactive risk management.