Direct, Legal Affairs (Litigation)

Bitdeer Technologies Group•San Jose, CA

2d•$250,000 - $350,000•Onsite

About The Position

Bitdeer is seeking a senior litigator to lead its U.S. Legal team’s North America disputes function from San Jose, California. The company builds and operates data center and power infrastructure across multiple U.S. states, and its disputes involve commercial, construction and energy contract claims, insurance coverage and subrogation, securities, employment, bankruptcy, and land use and regulatory matters. This function leadership role reports to the General Counsel, North America. The Director will define litigation strategy, including decisions about whether to litigate or resolve matters, outside counsel selection and terms, evidence preservation, and communication of exposure to management, Finance and auditors. The Director will work alongside experienced litigation counsel already handling matters, setting strategy and standards while supporting their ownership of their cases. The role also partners with project, construction, energy, procurement, HR and finance teams to identify and reduce dispute risk; manages insurance claims and coverage disputes; and supports management on other legal matters as assigned. The position involves collaboration across Asia and North America, including some meetings outside U.S. business hours, and travel to project sites, courts and hearings as needed.

Requirements

J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing.
At least 12 years of complex commercial litigation experience at a leading law firm and/or as in-house litigation counsel.
Experience as the senior-most litigation lawyer in a function, a practice group leader, or lead partner on a portfolio of matters for a major client.
Record of owning matters end to end in state and federal court and arbitration, including dispositive motion practice, discovery and expert work, and first- or second-chair trial or arbitration hearing experience.
Demonstrated ownership of outside counsel economics, including panel selection, rate and fee negotiation, budget discipline, and recognizing over-staffing.
Experience advising executives and boards on exposure, reserves and resolution, with credibility in recommending whether to fight or settle.
Experience building litigation infrastructure, such as preservation programs, matter intake, reporting and authority thresholds, in a function that did not previously have it.
Ability to set standards and influence colleagues’ work without relying on reporting lines, while remaining hands-on.
Excellent writing and oral advocacy skills.
High self-motivation and a collaborative style suited to a fast-growing, global company.
Ability to work with colleagues across Asia and North America, including some meetings outside U.S. business hours, and to travel to project sites, courts and hearings as needed.

Nice To Haves

California bar admission is preferred; attorneys admitted in another U.S. jurisdiction should be eligible to register as Registered In-House Counsel in California.
In-house experience at a public company, or disputes experience in energy, power, construction, real estate or infrastructure.
Experience with securities litigation, insurance coverage disputes, bankruptcy and creditor disputes, employment litigation, or land use and zoning matters.
Internal investigations or regulatory experience, including responses to government inquiries.

Responsibilities

Manage the North America disputes docket end to end, allocating matters, setting strategy, and overseeing outcomes, timelines and spend for litigation, arbitration, pre-suit disputes and adversarial regulatory proceedings.
Lead high-exposure matters, including disputes affecting major sites and projects, securities and shareholder matters, and matters with public-company disclosure consequences.
Build and manage the outside counsel panel, including selecting firms, negotiating rates and alternative fee arrangements, setting staffing and budget expectations, and reporting spend and performance by matter and firm.
Manage the North America litigation hold and preservation program, including issuance and scope, custodian tracking, eDiscovery vendor management, privilege and production oversight, and business-team training.
Set litigation-function standards for matter intake and early case assessment, case management and budgeting, status reporting, and escalation and settlement authority thresholds.
Provide exposure, reserve and loss-contingency analysis to Finance, auditors and the public-company disclosure process; present litigation status and risk to senior management and, as requested, to the Board or Audit Committee.
Recommend settlement positions based on litigation risk, cost to continue and commercial consequence, and negotiate resolutions directly where appropriate.
Lead responses to subpoenas, regulatory inquiries and government information requests, and conduct or oversee internal investigations.
Set strategy on significant matters alongside experienced litigation counsel, review key work product, and develop counsel’s practice without displacing their ownership of matters.
Partner with project, construction, energy, procurement, HR and finance teams to identify dispute risk early, improve contract terms and operating practices, and reduce disputes over time.
Manage insurance claims and coverage disputes, and advise the business on the adequacy of Bitdeer’s insurance coverage program.
Support management on other legal matters as assigned.