Legal Director North America - Princeton, NJ or New York, NY

dsm-firmenich • Princeton, NJ

2d

About The Position

At dsm‑firmenich, we bring progress to life. We combine groundbreaking science with passion and purpose to create solutions that nourish, protect, and improve the health and well‑being of people and the planet. We’re building our dedicated and passionate Legal team in North America, hiring for Legal Director. You will play a pivotal role in enabling our business to operate with integrity, agility, and confidence. This is an opportunity to join a high‑energy, collaborative legal function where your expertise will directly support innovation across our diverse portfolio.
We are seeking a versatile, business‑minded corporate lawyer with strong experience across both private practice and in‑house environments. You are a trusted advisor to leaders across the region, operating as a true generalist and helping shape the legal foundation that supports our growth. This role offers significant autonomy, visibility, and the potential to grow into a senior leadership position and reports to VP, Legal Americas & Regional President NA.
If you’re energized by the idea of applying your legal expertise to help shape the future of a global science‑based company—and you thrive in an environment where no two days look the same—read on.

Requirements

• Minimum 10 years of experience at a law firm exposed to multiple practice areas and in‑house experience within a multinational or complex business environment; International work experience is a plus.
• Strong commercial contracting and business advisory experience along with experience managing disputes and litigation.
• Familiarity with labor & employment laws and practices and experience supporting compliance, risk management, and internal investigations. Experience presenting to and advising business leaders on dispute strategy.
• Demonstrated ability to drive results independently and within cross‑functional teams and strong business acumen with the ability to translate legal advice into practical solutions while managing multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited U.S. law school and admission to practice law in New Jersey or New York or eligibility for in-house counsel registration

Nice To Haves

• Exposure to M&A, environmental matters, trade issues, or government affairs is a plus.
• International work experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Draft, negotiate, and review a broad range of commercial agreements, including vendor, supply, purchasing, development, licensing, and distribution contracts. Provide clear, practical legal advice to business stakeholders across multiple functions.
• Partner with cross‑functional teams to proactively identify legal risks and support strategic initiatives.
• Advise HR teams on employee relations, wage & hour matters, compliance, and investigations. Support the development and review of HR policies, guidelines, training, and programs.
• Support the management of complex litigation, including product liability, employment, and commercial disputes. Oversee and coordinate outside counsel, ensuring effective strategy and cost management.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and internal policies. Contribute to the development of legal frameworks, compliance programs, and risk‑management protocols.
• Assist with M&A, divestments, joint ventures, and strategic alliances.
• Provide legal support to tax, real estate, treasury, customs, regulatory, safety, environmental, security, and IP teams.

Benefits

• In addition to base salary, we also offer a comprehensive total rewards package, inclusive of annual incentive pay, a retirement savings plan, health care coverage, paid time off, recognition programs and a broad range of other benefits. All benefits and incentives are subject to eligibility requirements.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree