General Counsel

Partner Engineering and Science•Asbury Park, NJ

About The Position

At PARTNER, success starts with the right mindset: connection, compassion, and curiosity. Whether consulting with clients or collaborating with colleagues, these principles guide how we work. We deliver engineering, environmental, and energy consulting, plus design services across the Americas, Europe, and beyond. As a leader in Commercial Real Estate (CRE), we’re 1,600+ professionals strong in 40+ offices. Our mission is simple: create the best home for talented professionals. If you value delivering exceptional experiences through problem-solving, coordination, and a mindset of care for clients and colleagues, you’ll feel right at home. That approach has earned us recognition on ENR’s Top 500 Design Firms, Inc. 5000’s Fastest-Growing Companies, and Zweig’s Best Firms to Work For. Here, your ideas matter, your impact is real, and your work helps shape the future. Check out this role and join our team of talented professionals. Learn more about Partner at www.partneresi.com SUMMARY We are seeking an experienced and business minded General Counsel to lead and manage the organization’s legal function. This role will serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and business partners, overseeing a broad range of legal matters with a strong emphasis on corporate claims & litigation, contract review, claims & collections, and insurance & risk management. The ideal candidate brings a hands-on, pragmatic approach to risk mitigation and problem solving, with the ability to balance legal rigor and commercial judgment. Experience within a professional service, consulting, or servicesâ€‘based organization is highly valued but not required. Exposure to real estate, environmental, engineering, or regulated industries is a plus.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school; active bar admission in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (New Jersey required, NY and CA preferred).
10+ years of progressive legal experience, with meaningful responsibility across litigation, contracts, and corporate matters.
Demonstrated experience overseeing corporate litigation, claims/collections, insurance matters, and commercial contracts.
Working knowledge of employment law and HR-related legal issues.
Proven ability to manage outside counsel and legal budgets effectively with a strong network of contacts to support those efforts.
Strong commercial judgment, executive presence, and ability to partner with non â€‘ legal stakeholders.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and problem â€‘ solving skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a professional services, consulting, engineering, environmental, real estate, or similarly complex services environment is a plus.
Exposure to real estate, environmental, engineering, or regulated industries is a plus.

Responsibilities

Serve as the organization’s chief legal advisor, providing practical, business oriented counsel to executive leadership and internal stakeholders.
Lead and oversee the legal function, ensuring alignment with organizational strategy, risk tolerance, and growth objectives.
Translate complex legal issues into clear guidance that supports effective decision â€‘ making.
Oversee all corporate litigation, claims, and dispute resolution matters, including management of outside counsel.
Develop and execute strategies related to collections, recovery actions, and adversarial proceedings , balancing risk, cost, and business impact.
Track litigation exposure, trends, and outcomes, and advise leadership on risk mitigation strategies.
Oversee drafting, negotiation, and execution of a broad range of commercial agreements, including client contracts, vendor agreements, and professional services engagements.
Establish and refine contract processes, templates, and approval standards to support operational efficiency and risk management.
Partner closely with business teams to support revenue generating activities while protecting the organization’s interests.
Manage the organization’s insurance programs in collaboration with internal partners and brokers.
Oversee coverage issues, claims management, and negotiations related to policy interpretation and renewals.
Support enterprise risk management efforts through proactive identification and mitigation of legal and operational risks.
Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations relevant to the organization’s operations.
Support internal policies, governance practices, and compliance initiatives to promote ethical and legally sound operations.
Manage employment-related claims and disputes, including coordination with external counsel when needed.
Provide legal guidance and support HR leadership on employment agreements, independent contractor matters, and compliance with applicable federal and state laws, and employment matters, including separations and workplace policies.
Provide legal oversight and strategic support for mergers, acquisitions, and other corporate transactions.
Advise leadership on legal risk, structure, and execution of strategic growth initiatives.
Manage outside counsel and support due diligence and post â€‘ transaction integration as needed.
Oversee legal matters related to the organization’s real estate interests, including owned and leased properties.
Provide guidance on real estate â€‘ related risk, transactions, and contractual arrangements.
Coordinate with internal stakeholders and external counsel on real estate matters as required.
Provide strategic oversight and guidance on tax-related legal matters, including coordination with internal finance teams and external tax advisors.
Advise on tax considerations related to corporate structure, transactions, and risk management, as needed.
Select, manage, and oversee outside counsel across various practice areas.
Manage legal spend and budgets, ensuring cost â€‘ effective delivery of legal services.