Head of Legal

About Sarku Japan

Sarku Japan is the largest Japanese quick-service restaurant chain in the United States, with 150+ locations across the country. Backed by Garnett Station Partners, we’re entering an accelerated phase of growth and transformation.

Great restaurants are built by great people. We believe our success starts with the people who bring our values to life every day. By investing in our employees, creating opportunities for growth, and recognizing meaningful contributions, we will become America’s Favorite Japanese Restaurant— because of you .

Overview

Reporting to the Chief Administration Officer, the Head of Legal leads Sarku Japan’s in-house legal function and serves as the primary legal advisor to leadership across the company’s growing multistate restaurant business. This Phoenix office-based role consults on all internal legal matters, sets legal strategy and priorities, directs and manages outside counsel and legal spend, and oversees the Corporate Paralegal. The Head of Legal protects the company, enables growth and transformation, and ensures legal risks are identified, escalated, and resolved with sound business judgment.

Essential Responsibilities

The Head of Legal is accountable for the following essential responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary internal legal advisor to the Chief Administration Officer, executive team, and department leaders; provide clear, practical, risk-based guidance on legal matters affecting the business.
• Develop and execute the legal function’s strategy, priorities, policies, and operating model in support of company growth and transformation objectives.
• Select, engage, direct, and evaluate outside counsel; define scope and staffing, manage matter budgets, review invoices, and ensure quality, responsiveness, and cost-effective outcomes.
• Lead, develop, and supervise the Corporate Paralegal; assign and review work, set performance expectations, and build scalable legal operations, matter tracking, and template processes.
• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements, including vendor, supplier, technology, and services contracts; establish contract standards and approval processes.
• Advise on real estate and development matters, including leases, amendments, renewals, landlord disputes, and new-location transactions, in partnership with Development and outside counsel.
• Manage claims, litigation, investigations, and regulatory inquiries; develop case strategy with outside counsel, oversee legal holds and evidence preservation, and recommend settlement and resolution approaches.
• Partner with Human Resources on employment law matters, including wage and hour compliance, leave and accommodation, policies, investigations, separations, and multistate employment requirements.
• Oversee corporate governance and entity management, including board and committee materials, resolutions, entity filings, and record retention, in coordination with authorized officers and the corporate secretary function.
• Monitor and advise on regulatory compliance relevant to multistate restaurant operations, such as food safety, licensing and permits, consumer protection, privacy and data security, accessibility, and advertising.
• Support transactions, financing, and investor-related matters, including due diligence, documentation, and coordination with ownership, Finance, and outside counsel.
• Manage the legal department budget, track and report legal spend and matter status, and provide regular risk updates to the Chief Administration Officer and executive leadership.
• Identify emerging legal and business risks, recommend mitigation strategies, and deliver training and guidance to leaders on legal and compliance topics.

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications include:

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an ABA-accredited law school and an active license to practice law in good standing in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; Arizona bar admission or eligibility for registration as in-house counsel in Arizona is required.
• Demonstrated experience managing outside counsel, legal budgets, and a broad portfolio of commercial, real estate, employment, litigation, and regulatory matters.
• Experience leading or supervising legal staff such as paralegals or junior attorneys.
• Experience in a private equity-backed or high-growth environment is preferred.
• Excellent judgment, discretion, communication, and negotiation skills; ability to translate complex legal issues into practical business recommendations for executives and operators.

Leadership Expectations

The Head of Legal is expected to model trusted, business-minded strategic leadership and reinforce a people-first culture.

• Act as a trusted advisor and partner to leadership, balancing legal risk with business priorities and providing clear recommendations.
• Lead with integrity, protect confidential and privileged information, and uphold the company’s ethical and compliance standards.
• Coach and develop team members, set clear expectations, and build a responsive, service-oriented legal function.
• Hold outside counsel accountable for quality, timeliness, and cost, and make decisive calls on matter strategy within delegated authority.
• Build strong cross-functional relationships with Finance, Human Resources, Operations, Development, Marketing, Technology, and Supply Chain.

Knowledge and Experience

The role requires expert legal knowledge and strategic, independent judgment across the following areas:

• Typically requires 5+ years of progressive legal experience, including in-house experience and/or experience at a law firm advising multistate businesses. Restaurant, retail, hospitality, or other multi-unit, consumer-facing business experience is strongly preferred.
• Commercial contracting, negotiation, and contract risk allocation, including vendor, supplier, technology, and services agreements.
• Commercial real estate and retail leasing, including mall and shopping center leases.
• U.S. federal and multistate employment law, litigation management, and dispute resolution.
• Corporate governance, entity management, and transactional support, including due diligence.
• Regulatory compliance for multi-unit restaurant operations, including licensing, food safety, privacy, consumer protection, and accessibility.
• Legal operations, including outside counsel management, legal spend management, matter tracking, and contract management tools; strong proficiency with Microsoft Office and legal research platforms.

Physical Requirements

This role requires the ability to perform office-based leadership and advisory responsibilities, including:

• Regular use of a computer, phone, and video tools to review and draft documents, conduct research, and communicate with leaders, outside counsel, and external parties.
• Moving within the office to attend meetings and collaborate with colleagues.

Working Conditions

Works primarily in a corporate office environment.

• Occasional (<10%) travel to restaurant locations, outside counsel offices, courts, mediations, or for other company business as needed.
• A regular office schedule is expected, with flexibility to address time-sensitive legal matters, transactions, litigation deadlines, or executive needs outside normal hours.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Sarku Japan strongly supports equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, veteran status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Founded in 1987, Sarku Japan began with four entrepreneurs who saw an opportunity to introduce Japanese teppanyaki cooking to the United States. Starting with a single location in the Liberty Tree Mall in Boston, Massachusetts, they built the company through hard work, shared responsibility, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
From the beginning, the vision was simple: serve fresh, made-to-order meals cooked directly in front of customers while delivering an experience that stood apart from traditional food court dining. Through energy, showmanship, and quality, Sarku Japan quickly built a loyal customer following.
The early years required determination, long hours, and an unwavering belief in the brand. As the company grew throughout the Northeast, Florida, Texas, and eventually across the country, the founders stayed committed to the philosophy of Kaizen — continuous improvement. That mindset continues to shape how we operate today, from refining recipes and operations to investing in our people and guest experience.
Today, Sarku Japan has grown into a nationally recognized brand with locations across the United States, including shopping centers, street-front restaurants, and military bases. While we have grown significantly since 1987, our commitment to quality, teamwork, innovation, and growth remains at the center of everything we do.