Director Legal - Labor & Employment

Job Title

Director Legal - Labor & Employment

Location

Beachwood – Cleveland Clinic Administrative Campus

Job Summary

Senior attorney leading a specialized practice group in Labor & Employment law, providing strategic legal counsel to Cleveland Clinic, managing complex legal issues, supervising internal staff and outside counsel, and collaborating with leadership to mitigate risk and support business objectives.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Vice President Legal with administrative matters, including planning and managing work activities assigned to attorneys.
• Oversee day‑to‑day operations of the practice group: project management, OKR accountability, priority setting, workflow management, and work allocation.
• Align the practice group with business objectives and maintain relationships with enterprise leaders impacted by the group’s area of law.
• Ensure the group has appropriate training, coverage, resources, and support to handle responsibilities of its expertise area.
• Provide direct supervision, advice, mentoring, and guidance to paralegals, attorneys, and other personnel working on practice‑group matters or other directed tasks.
• Ensure timely responses to requests for legal advice in the attorney’s assigned area from Senior Counsel or other group members.
• Advise and mentor attorneys and staff working within the attorney’s areas of responsibility.
• Manage outside counsel on matters within the attorney’s responsibilities cost‑effectively.
• Maintain expertise in assigned subject‑matter areas.
• Train department members on legal developments affecting the attorney’s expertise areas.
• Seek opportunities to bring the organization into compliance with relevant laws.
• Participate in budget processes.
• Supervise administrative aspects of the group while coordinating with primary supervisors for staff reporting to other groups.
• Delegate appropriately, monitor progress, and provide support and resources as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from an ABA‑accredited law school.
• Member in good standing of the state bar or the ability to become a member within a reasonable period of time.
• 10 years of comparable experience in the substantive legal area of Labor & Employment, preferably in both a law firm and an in‑house setting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Five years of successful experience managing internal staff and outside counsel.
• At least two years of experience in a healthcare setting.
• Prior experience directing work of law professionals within a specialty practice group.
• Over 10 years of experience across all aspects of Labor/Employment law.
• Experience with ERISA matters (retirement and welfare benefit plans).
• Experience with executive compensation and executive contracts.
• Experience with federal agency audits/investigations (OSHA, DOL, DOJ, EEOC).

Physical Requirements

• Ability to perform work in a stationary position for extended periods.
• Ability to travel throughout the hospital system.
• Ability to operate a computer, audio‑visual and other office equipment.
• Ability to communicate and deliver training both in person and virtually.

Personal Protective Equipment

• Follow standard precautions using required personal protective equipment.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Decisions concerning employment, transfers and promotions are made upon the basis of the best qualified candidate without regard to color, race, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam era veteran or any other characteristic protected by law. Cleveland Clinic Health System is a drug‑free workplace and complies with all required background checks, including influenza vaccination or exemption.