Deputy General Counsel

Home Franchise Concepts • Flower Mound, TX

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Deputy General Counsel is responsible for assisting the General Counsel in overseeing all legal, compliance, and risk management matters for a national franchisor with a portfolio of franchise brands. This role requires experience in contract negotiation, drafting and enforcement, litigation management, compliance programs, and franchising-related activities. The Deputy General Counsel will work closely with the senior leadership, compliance, sales, accounting, IT, and operations teams to ensure that all legal strategies align with business objectives while mitigating risks and protecting the company’s interests. This position requires a seasoned attorney who can support the day-to-day activities of an in-house legal department while helping the company reach its business goals. This role is critical in bringing key legal work in-house, particularly franchisee-related matters and contract review to allow for faster, business-aligned decision making. This is a hybrid position requiring three days per week onsite in our Flower Mound office.

Requirements

• Strong contract negotiation and drafting skills.
• Proven experience managing litigation, working with outside counsel, and handling dispute resolution.
• Seasoned business acumen, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills with the ability to provide practical, actionable advice.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with executives and franchisees.
• J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• 10+ years of legal experience, with a strong background in contract law, litigation, and regulatory compliance

Nice To Haves

• Experience in franchise law or licensing would be preferred.
• Experience as in-house counsel for a franchisor or in a law firm specializing in franchise law preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist in legal department management including hiring, onboarding, training, assigning work, delegating tasks, and managing workload distribution.
• Provide feedback, coaching, mentoring and development for legal department personnel.
• Foster a collaborative work environment, promoting teamwork and communication, and motivating and inspiring the team to achieve a high-performance culture.
• Manage outside counsel to ensure efficient and quality work.
• Lead franchise-related legal matters, including franchise agreements, franchise renewals, changes in ownership and territories, default notices, terminations, dispute resolution, and enforcement.
• Manage annual updates to Franchise Disclosure Documents for all brands.
• Address disputes, terminations, and compliance issues.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws affecting the franchise system, including FTC regulations and state franchise registration laws.
• Manage litigation and disputes, including working with outside counsel on franchise-related claims, intellectual property protection, and employment matters.
• Support and conduct internal investigations with a high degree of discretion and professionalism.
• Provide practical, business-oriented legal guidance to cross-functional partners including the operations teams within each brand, and our shared services functions, including HR, Sales, and Marketing.
• Develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure best practices for legal and compliance across the organization.
• Ability to travel as needed to support franchise operations and legal matters.
• Performs other related duties as assigned by the General Counsel to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

Benefits

• medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
• supplemental life insurance
• annual discretionary bonus
• 401(k) retirement plan, which includes matching contributions equal to 100% of the first three percent of eligible compensation contributed and 50% of the next two percent.
• 10 paid holidays
• 8 paid hours for associates to volunteer in their community
• open time off to support work-life balance

What This Job Offers

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