Senior Legal Counsel, Employment

Northern Trust • Chicago, IL

9d • $160,100 - $272,300

About The Position

We are seeking an experienced employment attorney to serve as a trusted legal advisor to Human Resources, Employee Relations, Compliance, Risk, and business leadership. This role provides strategic and practical counsel on a broad range of employment law matters across the employee lifecycle, helping the organization navigate complex workforce issues while balancing legal risk, regulatory requirements, and business objectives. The successful candidate will partner closely with senior leaders to advise primarily on US related employee relations matters, internal investigations, employment litigation, workforce transformation initiatives, regulatory developments, and policy governance. This individual will play a critical role in promoting legally compliant employment practices, mitigating enterprise risk, and supporting a positive and productive workplace culture across a large, complex organization.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
• Active state bar membership in good standing.
• 10+ years of employment law experience.
• Significant experience in: Employment litigation, Employee relations counseling, Internal investigations, Employment law compliance
• Experience supporting large, complex organizations.
• Experience advising senior executives and HR leadership teams.
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future. Northern Trust will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work visa status for this opportunity (no sponsorship is available for H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, F-1, J-1, OPT, CPT or any other employment-based visa).

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice regarding all aspects of the employment lifecycle, including: Hiring and recruiting, Compensation practices, Performance management, Workplace accommodations, Leaves of absence, Discipline and terminations, Restrictive covenants, Retaliation, discrimination, and harassment issues
• Advise HR and Employee Relations teams on complex workforce matters.
• Deliver practical, business-focused solutions that appropriately balance legal risk and business objectives.
• Provide legal guidance on internal investigations involving: Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation, Misconduct, Ethics and compliance concerns
• Review investigation findings and recommend appropriate remediation and consequence management.
• Partner with Compliance, Internal Audit, and Risk functions when investigations involve regulatory implications.
• Manage employment-related litigation and administrative proceedings.
• Direct outside counsel and oversee legal budgets.
• Develop litigation strategy and settlement recommendations.
• Manage claims before federal, state, and local agencies, including EEOC and equivalent regulatory bodies.
• Monitor legal developments affecting employment practices.
• Draft and update employment policies, procedures, and employee communications.
• Advise on emerging legal requirements involving: Pay transparency, Artificial intelligence in employment, Wage and hour compliance, Workplace accommodations, Data privacy, Whistleblower protections
• Support regulatory examinations and internal audits as needed.
• Support reorganizations, reductions in force, acquisitions, and integrations.
• Partner with HR leadership regarding workforce strategy.
• Advise on executive employment matters, severance arrangements, and retention programs.
• Help identify and mitigate employment-related enterprise risk.
• Develop and deliver employment law training for managers, HR professionals, and senior leadership.
• Promote legally compliant and effective employment practices throughout the organization.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on sensitive workforce matters.

Benefits

• retirement benefits (401k and pension)
• health and welfare benefits (medical, dental, vision, spending accounts and disability)
• paid time off
• parental and caregiver leave
• life & accident insurance
• other voluntary and well-being benefits
• discretionary bonus program that may include an equity component

What This Job Offers

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