Lead Counsel, Labor & Employment (Chicago)

Ready for more than just a job? Build a career with purpose.

At Lactalis in the USA, we’re committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our people to learn, grow, and thrive—whether you’re just starting your journey with us or looking to take the next step in your career. From day one, we offer the tools and support to help you succeed.

As the world leader in dairy, Lactalis is a family-owned company with over 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Each day, we’re proud to produce award-winning dairy products that bring people together.

In the US, we proudly offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani® Italian cheeses and ricotta, Président® specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft® natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone’s® cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel®, Black Diamond® cheddar, and Parmalat® milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi’s®, Stonyfield Organic®, Brown Cow™, Oui®, Yoplait®, Go-Gurt®, :ratio®, Green Mountain Creamery®, and Mountain High®, along with a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun®, Gopi®, and Arz®.

At Lactalis, we live by our core values—Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity. We foster a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone’s unique background and ideas are valued.

Even if you don’t meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how your EXPERTISE can help us shape the future of dairy.

From your PASSION to ours

The Lead Counsel, Labor & Employment

reports to the USA Chief Legal Officer (USA CLO) and is responsible for providing strategic advice to Human Resources personnel (HR) and other divisional managers in all day-to-day matters relating to labor and employment law, supporting over 5,000 USA plant- and office-based employees. This attorney will also communicate with the Divisional General Counsels of Lactalis USA and business leadership teams on higher-profile labor/employment law issues, significant litigation and internal investigations, and partner with the HR department to develop and implement strategies, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance with emerging legal and regulatory requirements.

From your STORY to ours

• Provide day-to-day counsel to HR staff across the United States on employment and labor relations matters including with regard to hiring, discipline, termination, compensation, benefits, and wage and hour laws.
• Counsel HR and management on ADA, FMLA, FLSA, NLRA, FCRA, drug testing, restrictive covenants and employment discrimination claims.
• Develop strategy for major business initiatives affecting employees in partnership with HR leadership team.
• Create, review. and update policies and procedures to ensure compliance with complex and rapidly changing federal, state and local employment laws.
• Draft responses to the EEOC, NLRB, and other government agencies related to business employees.
• Serve as in-house OSHA expert related to OSHA inspections, citations, request for information and settlement, while working with outside OSHA counsel and internal safety team on management of health and safety issues.
• Manage and oversee compliance hotline.
• Manage the lifecycle of all employment-related concerns and claims, including:
• responding to administrative claims and inquiries from governmental agencies;
• responding to claims raised in attorney letters and claims;
• developing litigation strategy, conducting discovery, drafting position statements, and supervising outside counsel (if engaged).
• Develop and execute labor strategy, including leading preparation efforts and negotiations of union collective bargaining agreements in partnership with Human Resources, business leaders, and outside counsel.
• Deliver training programs on a wide variety of employment law matters.
• Support the company's commitment to a discrimination- and harassment-free workplace by leading cross-functional employment law compliance projects.
• Anticipate potential issues related to employees and offer practical, creative solutions to internal business partners.
• Respond to and process subpoenas, personnel file requests, wage garnishments, demand letters, and other employee-related inquiries.
• When required for specific expertise, manage outside Labor and Employment counsel.
• Perform other tasks as may be requested from time to time by the USA CLO and/or in support of Divisional General Counsels.

Requirements

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Education:

• Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school. At least one bar admission in Illinois, California or New York.

Experience:

• 7 to 10 years’ experience with a national law firm and/or in-house legal department. State employment law experience in California, New York, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Tennessee, Idaho, New Hampshire, Arizona and Vermont, a plus.

Skills/Abilities :

• Shows initiative and the ability to work independently and exercise good judgment in a complex business environment.
• Takes active ownership of areas of responsibility. A self-motivated strong teammate with the ability to identify and get out ahead of problems.
• Demonstrates strategic ability.
• Anticipates legal issues and estimates legal risks.
• Develops creative, proactive, and practical solutions to mitigate legal risks in support of the business.
• Models high ethics and integrity.
• Possesses an eagerness and ability to understand the business.
• Possesses excellent interpersonal, organizational, and communication (verbal and written), relationship management, and internal client service skills.
• Acute attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects at a given time.
• Demonstrates excellent negotiation skills.
• Operates well in multi-functional teams and a fast-paced environment.
• Is committed to continuous improvement, company mission and values, training, and continued education on changing laws and regulations.
• Creates processes and procedures that effectively mitigate legal and regulatory risk.
• Is a quick and flexible learner: intellectually curious, open-minded, adaptable, comfortable with ambiguity and risk, and excited by dynamic change.
• Can make sound, complex cost/benefit assessments.
• Inspires trust, forges relationships quickly, builds consensus and earns the confidence and cooperation of divisional business partners.

At Lactalis, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards Program with a variety of affordable benefits and coverage options. We support insurance costs significantly, contribute generously to retirement plans, and offer Paid Time Off from day one. We are committed to your professional growth, providing training and development opportunities, including Education Reimbursement. Join us and grow your career.

Lactalis is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally-recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities. Further, any division of the Company that is an Affirmative Action Employer will comply with all related legal obligations.

Salary Description

$200,000 - $245,000