Employment Counsel

Canon U.S.A., Inc.•Melville, NY

6d•$126,330 - $189,180•Hybrid

About The Position

Canon U.S.A., Inc. in Melville, NY is seeking an experienced Employment Counsel (Counsel) to provide practical, business-focused legal advice regarding a wide range of employment matters nationally for Canon U.S.A., Inc and its domestic subsidiaries. This role partners closely with Human Resources and cross-functional business groups to mitigate risk and support a workplace that aligns with our corporate philosophy of Kyosei. The ideal candidate will have at least 3-5 years of experience in a law firm and/or in-house role. This position is full time and offers a hybrid work schedule requiring you to be in the office Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and an option to work from home the remainder of the week (unless a specific business need arises requiring in office attendance on other days). Note that work schedules and office reporting requirements may change from time to time based on business needs.

Requirements

Requires a Juris Doctor and admission to a state bar (preferably New York) and a minimum of 5-8 years of related experience
The candidate must possess a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar
The candidate must have at least 3-5 years of experience practicing employment law, preferably with a mix of law firm and in-house experience
The position requires a confident attorney with demonstrated experience managing a broad range of legal issues and interacting closely with business leaders
Excellent oral and written communication skills, with sound judgment, diplomacy, and discretion when handling sensitive or high-stakes issues; demonstrated ability to think both creatively and strategically
Strong track record of working effectively with senior Human Resources professionals and business leaders, applying well-developed intellectual, analytical, and problem-solving skills to build alignment and consensus
Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate at all levels within an organization, including diverse and international teams
The ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment, respond effectively to challenges, and maintain the highest standards of ethics and integrity

Nice To Haves

Experience conducting witness interviews
Drafting pleadings and agency submissions
Motion practice
Employment-related contract drafting
Preparing employment policies
Conducting and overseeing settlement negotiations
Participating in mediations
Supervising outside counsel on employment litigation matters

Responsibilities

Serve as a subject matter expert for employment matters nationally
Partner closely with Human Resources and business leaders to provide day-to-day legal guidance regarding the full employee lifecycle, including onboarding, performance management, employee relations, leaves of absence, accommodations, OSHA and related safety matters, corrective actions and terminations
Collaborate with Talent Acquisition on hiring practices, offer letters, background checks, onboarding issues, and contingent workforce considerations, including advising on, and drafting recruitment, and HR related agreements
Draft, review and negotiate separation, severance, and release agreements in connection with reorganizations and reductions in force
Partner with Human Resources to train and/or develop personnel training on employment law topics, policy interpretation and best practices to reduce risk and promote consistency
Manage and oversee employment-related litigation, agency charges, audits, and investigations (including EEOC, DOL and other federal, state and local agencies) in coordination with outside counsel where appropriate
Advise Human Resources on internal investigations and on appropriate remedial action
Advise business units on employment law matters impacting customer and vendor relationships and agreements