Employment Counsel– Office of the General Counsel

Guidehouse•San Antonio, TX

12d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Employment Counsel (US) is an in-house attorney with 2–3 years of law firm and/or in-house experience who provides practical, business-oriented advice on day-to-day US employment matters for a multi-state workforce. The role partners with HR, Employee Relations, and business leaders to mitigate risk, ensures policy and process consistency, and supports litigation and agency matters, with a strong focus on Guidehouse’s Managed Services businesses and wage-and-hour counseling.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school; active bar membership in at least one US jurisdiction (Illinois preferred).
5 + years of experience practicing employment law at a law firm and/or in-house, with meaningful exposure to counseling and disputes.
Additional education may be substituted for experience.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to simplify complex legal concepts for non-lawyer audiences.
Strong judgment and discretion handling confidential and sensitive matters.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated experience with restrictive covenant review and wage-and-hour counseling/litigation support.
Prior in-house or secondment experience in a professional services or consulting environment.
Multi-state employment counseling experience and familiarity with agency practice (EEOC, DOL, state equivalents).
Experience with workforce transactions (restructurings, RIFs) and separation programs.
Client service orientation and the ability to build trust-based relationships with HR and business stakeholders.
Bias for practicality and clear, direct writing.
Strong project management, issue spotting, and prioritization skills; comfort operating in a fast-paced environment.
Uncompromising integrity, sound judgment, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Responsibilities

Manage all aspects of US employment litigation – including initial fact gathering/interviews/EEOC position statement drafting and reviewing; negotiation and settlement of post-termination demands; management of outside counsel, including advising on litigation/arbitration strategy and fulfilling discovery requests
Provide timely legal counsel on core US employment topics, including performance management, disability and religious accommodations, wage-and-hour, leaves, investigations, and workforce planning, escalating complex issues as appropriate.
Support internal investigations and fact development; prepare interview outlines; synthesize findings into clear, actionable advice and documentation.
Review, draft, and update employment policies, guidelines, handbooks, and templates to promote consistent practices across jurisdictions.
Prepare and negotiate routine employment-related agreements, including offer letters, proprietary information and invention assignment agreements, and separation agreements.
Conduct restrictive covenant assessments (non-compete, non-solicit, confidentiality), including initial enforceability reviews and coordination with outside counsel as needed.
Advise on wage-and-hour compliance (classification, exemption analyses, pay practices, meal/rest breaks, timekeeping) and partner with HR/Payroll on remediation strategies where necessary.
Contribute to workforce transactions (reorganizations, RIFs), including risk assessments, selection criteria reviews, and communications materials.
Collaborate with HR, Compliance, and business stakeholders to deliver training and communicate policy changes.

Benefits

Medical, Rx, Dental & Vision Insurance
Personal and Family Sick Time & Company Paid Holidays
Position may be eligible for a discretionary variable incentive bonus
Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance
401(k) Retirement Plan
Basic Life & Supplemental Life
Health Savings Account, Dental/Vision & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
Student Loan PayDown
Tuition Reimbursement, Personal Development & Learning Opportunities
Skills Development & Certifications
Employee Referral Program
Corporate Sponsored Events & Community Outreach
Emergency Back-Up Childcare Program
Mobility Stipend