Director, Senior Litigation and Regulatory Counsel

Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc.•Glen Allen, VA

6d•$160,000 - $210,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Hamilton Beach Brands is seeking a Director, Senior Litigation & Regulatory Counsel at our Corporate Headquarters located in Glen Allen, VA. This position will report to the Sr. Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary and will manage the Company’s global litigation and claims docket, lead its product safety and regulatory compliance work, advise the business on employment matters, and serve as a senior legal leader and trusted advisor to senior leadership, helping balance legal risk with business objectives. This role is focused primarily on litigation, claims, product safety and regulatory compliance, and also helps lead employment, labor and supply chain compliance matters across the Company’s operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Asia, with opportunities to participate in the strategic operations of the Company across all departments in a support capacity. The Senior Counsel will also assist the General Counsel with internal investigations and compliance matters, directly supervise the Legal Affairs and Compliance Administrator, and actively contribute to other Law Department initiatives and projects. Because its small appliances reach consumers through major retailers and e-commerce channels and its commercial products are used in restaurants, chains, bars and hotels, the Company manages a broad range of product liability, consumer, commercial and employment claims, disputes and regulatory issues, and operates under the oversight of product safety and consumer protection regulators in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The ideal candidate is comfortable confronting novel legal issues in a fast-moving environment, keeps pace with an active claims docket, has the curiosity to dig into product engineering and evolving regulation, and has the initiative to build out and run the Company’s litigation and claims management function with limited supervision.

Requirements

J.D. from an accredited law school and licensed to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; if not licensed in Virginia, eligible for Virginia corporate counsel registration.
6–15 years of sophisticated litigation, product liability, product safety and regulatory compliance experience, preferably with strong law firm training, in-house experience at a consumer products manufacturer or distributor, or both.
Exceptional judgment is the defining requirement of this role. Proven ability to quickly and accurately assess legal and business risk in the specific context of the Company’s operations and risk profile; make sound, timely decisions; discern what to resolve independently versus escalate to the General Counsel.
Highly effective, practical legal and business adviser with strong judgment, work ethic and executive presence; able to operate independently, manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, adapt as business needs evolve, and communicate, negotiate and draft with clarity and precision while building strong relationships and balancing competing interests across functions.
Expertise in product liability defense and related customer and consumer matters (personal injury, wrongful death, property damage and state consumer protection laws), and broad experience in commercial litigation, including hands-on experience litigating cases (pleadings, discovery, depositions, dispositive motions and trials or arbitrations) and the selection, direction and cost management of outside counsel.
Experience representing consumer product manufacturers or distributors before the CPSC, Health Canada or similar regulatory authorities, including agency investigations, mandatory reports and recalls.
Experience conducting internal investigations and interfacing with governmental authorities, with a disciplined approach to protecting privilege and work product.
Experience counseling Human Resources on employment matters and responding to EEOC and state agency charges.
Familiarity with supply chain diligence and import enforcement (e.g., UFLPA, conflict minerals), workplace safety regulations, and federal, state and foreign laws on the material and chemical safety of consumer products (e.g., PFAS, Proposition 65).
Interest and capability in legal operations and process improvement, including the instinct to identify and fix long-tolerated process problems and the practical and responsible use of technology and AI to streamline legal work.

Responsibilities

Manage the Company’s product liability, commercial, employment and other litigation, claims and dispute-resolution activities before courts, arbitral bodies and government agencies. Responsibilities include: evaluating pre-litigation demands and threatened claims; developing case strategy; selecting and managing outside counsel; overseeing factual development, discovery, briefing, hearings, trials and appeals; managing budgets and external legal expense; guiding settlement negotiations and mediations; and reporting regularly to the General Counsel on significant developments, reserves, and legal, financial, operational and reputational exposure.
Lead the Law Department’s processes and systems for litigation and claims management, including intake and tracking, litigation holds and evidence preservation, settlement authority, reserves reporting and outside counsel guidelines. Directly supervise the Legal Affairs and Compliance Administrator, who supports these responsibilities.
Defend product liability litigation and claims brought directly by consumers and other claimants or by their insurers through subrogation, including personal injury, wrongful death, property damage and alleged violations of state consumer protection laws. Manage state attorney general inquiries, Better Business Bureau complaints, escalated consumer complaints and product inquiries from major retailers.
Manage the tender, reporting and resolution of insurance claims under the Company’s commercial general liability, product liability, marine cargo, property, automobile, employment practices and executive risk programs, with day-to-day support from the Legal Affairs and Compliance Administrator.
Communicate with senior leadership and business leaders about ongoing litigation, pending claims and threatened claims. Identify trends across claims, incidents and regulatory matters and report them to the quality engineering team and the business. Provide counsel on crisis management and crisis communications.
Oversee compliance with consumer product safety and consumer protection laws and regulations, including those administered by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Health Canada, Mexico’s PROFECO and similar governmental authorities.
Manage regulatory inquiries, required reports and corrective actions, including CPSC Section 15(b) Full Reports, Health Canada mandatory incident reports and recalls, in partnership with the quality engineering team.
Support the General Counsel and outside regulatory counsel on U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) matters affecting the Company’s connected medical device business (Hamilton Beach Health and HealthBeacon), including registration and listing, quality management system and medical device reporting requirements, and FDA inspections.
Participate in the Company’s Safety Committee and advise during the Product Design Review process, including on product warranties, use and care guides, labeling, warnings and instructions.
Provide legal leadership on compliance with chemical, material and supply chain requirements affecting the Company’s products and packaging, including PFAS restrictions and disclosure laws, California Proposition 65, forced labor import prohibitions, including the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), conflict minerals reporting under Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act, and similar federal, state and foreign requirements. Work closely with Engineering & Quality and Supply Chain Operations teams on due diligence, certifications and related disclosures. Advise on supplier adherence to the Company’s supplier code of conduct and its social compliance, product safety and quality requirements, including supplier audits, corrective action plans and the enforcement of warranty, indemnity and other contractual rights for defective or noncompliant products.
Support Trade Compliance and the business on customs, import and related regulatory issues, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and FDA detentions, exclusion actions, penalty proceedings, prior disclosures, protests and comparable matters involving foreign authorities, coordinating with outside counsel as needed.
Monitor emerging laws, regulations and industry trends affecting product safety, consumer products and supply chain compliance; advise senior leadership and the business on their impact; and engage with industry counterparts, trade associations, government agencies and outside counsel to protect and advance the Company’s legal and policy interests.