Associate General Counsel
Description & Requirements
Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) is the go-to leader and partner of choice in sustainable packaging. We are dedicated to creating efficient and scalable paper and packaging solutions to help solve complex packaging challenges. Guided by our values of safety, loyalty, integrity and respect, we are committed to delivering meaningful value for shareholders, customers, employees and the communities where we operate.
The Opportunity
The Associate General Counsel is a highly experienced attorney responsible for providing strategic legal advice and guidance to the organization. They play a critical role in ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, managing legal risks, and supporting business objectives through effective legal strategies.
How You Will Impact Smurfit Westrock
- Legal Advisor: Provide expert legal advice to senior management and various departments within the organization pertaining to legal issues in the Trade Secret, eDiscovery, Investigation, and Employment spaces.
- Litigation Expert: Provide litigation team with expertise in eDiscovery and other litigation tools.
- Manage the relationship with company’s global eDiscovery vendor including understanding many aspects of eDiscovery needed by the enterprise.
- Manage the company’s subpoena program including intake, document collection, and responses. Negotiate as necessary with regulators and law firms.
- Manage the company’s Trade Secret and eDiscovery national COEs including holding quarterly meetings and an annual symposium. Expertise in employment related Trade Secrets is required.
- Full responsibility for all EEOC matters and charges including investigating facts, interviewing employees, collaborating with regional attorneys, drafting and submitting position statements and engaging with the EEOC in all aspects. Attend on behalf of company all hearings, mediations and scheduled appearances.
- Manage f the corporate service of process and legal hold programs nationally.
- Compliance: Staying abreast of basic changes in the eDiscovery space and legal hold space and advise on their impact. Experience in leading eDiscovery efforts is required.
- Policy Development: Develop and implement legal policies and procedures to promote efficiency as asked within your domain expertise.
- Investigations: Provide training to HR professionals and business leaders on best practices to handle internal investigations. Manage senior investigators and hold annual symposiums to train on investigation best practices.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Act as a liaison between the legal department and other departments, fostering effective communication and collaboration.
- Collaborate with internal partners in drafting, investigating, researching, and advising with respect to Trade Secret, EEO, and eDiscovery issues.
- Manage legal projects by defining scope, setting milestones, delegating tasks, tracking progress and reporting project results to ensure successful and efficient implementation.
- Assist with special legal projects as necessary.
- Model Smurfit Westrock values as it relates to personal work behaviors, decision-making, contributions, and interpersonal interactions.
What You Need To Succeed
- Exceptional legal research and writing skills, with the ability to combine business acumen and legal proactiveness.
- Proven ability to handle complex legal issues and provide strategic advice.
- Proven ability to lead eDiscovery efforts and to talk to eDiscovery vendors required.
- Knowledge of eDiscovery tools including relativity required.
- Having led significant investigations to completion required.
- Having trained others in legal areas required.
- Having managed others required.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to effectively influence and motivate others along with strong collaboration, organizational and project management skills
- Outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to coordinate effectively and gain trust and confidence with internal clients and stakeholders at many different levels (including senior executives)
- Strategic mindset
- Passion for our business
- Servant leadership skills
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment
- Detail-oriented
Education And Experience
- Juris Doctor degree from an accredited college or university
- Bar admission in good standing in the U.S.
- Experience: Minimum of 15 years of legal experience including at a law firm
What We Offer
- Corporate culture is based on loyalty, integrity, and respect.
- Comprehensive training with numerous learning and development opportunities.
- An attractive salary reflective of skills, competencies, and potential.
- A career with a global packaging company where Sustainability, Safety, and Inclusion are business drivers and foundational elements of the daily work.
Candidates are required to undergo a drug screening after receiving a conditional job offer, but before starting employment.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by state or federal law.
