Employment Counsel

HireRight•Nashville, TN

About The Position

The Part-Time Employment Counsel provides practical, business-oriented legal advice on employment and labor law matters affecting the organization and its workforce throughout the United States and Canada. The attorney serves as a trusted advisor to Human Resources, Compliance, and business leaders, helping manage legal risk while supporting employee engagement and organizational objectives. The role requires expertise in federal and state employment laws, employee relations, workplace investigations, policy development, and litigation management. The Employment Counsel advises on employment matters, conducts or oversees workplace and ethics investigations, supports policy and compliance work, manages claims and litigation with outside counsel, and develops management training. The role also advises on ethics hotline and whistleblower reports, coordinates cross-functionally, and supports M&A employment due diligence and integration as needed.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
Active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
5+ years of employment law experience, preferably including substantial in-house experience.
Strong knowledge of Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA, PWFA, and state employment laws.
Experience conducting workplace investigations.
Excellent judgment and ability to provide practical, business-oriented advice.
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
Sound legal and ethical judgment.
Risk-based decision-making ability.
Strong investigative skills.
Ability to work independently with limited supervision.
Executive presence and credibility.
Ability to balance legal risk with business objectives.

Nice To Haves

Prior in-house counsel experience.
Experience supporting multistate employers.
Experience in regulated industries such as healthcare, financial services, insurance, energy, or manufacturing.
Experience managing outside counsel and employment litigation.

Responsibilities

Advise Human Resources and management on hiring and recruitment, discipline and performance management, terminations and reductions in force, leave and accommodations, wage and hour compliance, background checks and onboarding, and employee classification.
Provide guidance on compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws.
Conduct or oversee investigations involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, code of conduct violations, employee complaints, and ethics concerns; direct written findings and recommendations as appropriate.
Draft, review, and update employee handbooks, workplace policies, employment agreements, restrictive covenant agreements, and separation and release agreements.
Monitor legal developments and recommend policy changes to maintain compliance.
Support employee relations initiatives and risk mitigation strategies, and advise management on sensitive personnel matters.
Manage employment-related claims, agency charges, and litigation, coordinating with outside counsel on EEOC charges, state agency complaints, wage and hour claims, and employment litigation.
Assist with litigation strategy, discovery, settlement evaluation, and legal spend management.
Develop and deliver management training on harassment prevention, employment law fundamentals, workplace misconduct, and documentation and performance management.
Promote best practices that reduce legal and compliance risk.
Serve as legal advisor for ethics hotline, whistleblower, and employee complaint matters; review and assess reports involving employment, ethics, integrity, fraud, misconduct, and policy concerns.
Partner with Compliance, Human Resources, Internal Audit, and business leaders to triage and investigate reported concerns.
Conduct or oversee privileged internal investigations and advise on investigative scope, documentation, findings, and corrective action.
Advise on anti-retaliation requirements and help ensure appropriate protection for reporting employees.
Identify trends and recurring hotline issues and recommend risk mitigation, policy enhancements, and training initiatives.
Prepare periodic reporting and metrics on significant employment and ethics matters for senior leadership, executive committees, and boards of directors, as appropriate.
Ensure concerns are addressed consistently, fairly, and in accordance with legal and company requirements.
Collaborate with Human Resources, Compliance, and business leaders.
Support M&A employment due diligence and integration activities as needed.