General Counsel, AMPA

“WE BUILD TRUST WITH FARMERS AROUND THE WORLD BY SUPPORTING THEM TO SUSTAINABLY IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND FLAVOR OF THEIR PRODUCTION.”

HM.CLAUSE is a Business Unit of Limagrain, an international agricultural co‑operative founded and managed by farmers. HM.CLAUSE specializes in the breeding, production, and sale of vegetable seeds. From the world market to the farmer's market, we collaborate with our customers to deliver successful solutions for the agricultural challenges of today and produce the highest quality vegetable seeds for the future. Our global team of experts and state‑of‑the‑art research facilities enable us to work side‑by‑side with growers to provide the most regionally relevant and reliable vegetable seeds available.

If our mission resonates with your passion, we look forward to your application.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION:

The General Counsel (GC) is the senior legal leader responsible for overseeing all legal affairs across the Americas and Pacific region, primarily for HM.CLAUSE, while also providing limited support to other Limagrain business units and corporate functions. Reporting directly to the CEO, the GC serves as a strategic legal and business advisor to executives and management, leveraging deep knowledge of the business to guide decision‑making, mitigate risk, and develop alternative solutions aligned with corporate objectives. The role includes establishing and monitoring policies to ensure enterprise‑wide legal compliance, ensuring the consistent delivery of high‑quality, timely, and cost‑effective legal services, and maintaining oversight of significant law‑related matters and strategic policy initiatives. Acting as a trusted partner embedded in leadership teams, the GC influences decisions early, manages and develops the legal team, and fosters strong cross‑functional relationships based on collaboration, transparency, and accountability. The GC also plays a key role in resolving complex legal conflicts across the organization and aligning legal practices globally through coordination with regional and functional leaders.

POSITION DESCRIPTION SUMMARY:

The General Counsel (GC) is the senior legal leader for the Americas and Pacific region, serving as both the principal legal advisor and head of the legal function. Reporting to the CEO, the GC provides strategic, risk‑informed guidance to leadership, oversees legal operations and compliance, ensures high‑quality and cost‑effective legal support, and leads on critical matters such as contracts, litigation, regulatory compliance, and high‑risk business initiatives. As a trusted business partner embedded in leadership teams, the GC drives alignment with corporate strategy, supports M&A activity, manages external counsel, resolves complex legal issues, and develops a high‑performing legal team while fostering strong cross‑functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

Essential duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Serve as the principal legal advisor to the CEO, executives, and management, providing strategic, risk‑informed counsel across the business
• Lead and oversee the corporate‑wide legal function, including strategic planning, budgeting, and resource management
• Ensure delivery of high‑quality, timely, and cost‑effective legal services across the organization
• Establish, implement, and monitor policies and frameworks to ensure enterprise‑wide legal and regulatory compliance
• Act as a trusted business partner by embedding within leadership teams to influence decision‑making and align legal strategy with business objectives
• Advise on high‑impact matters, including corporate strategy, new ventures, and enterprise‑level risk assessment
• Review, negotiate, and advise on contracts and legal obligations, clearly communicating associated risks and implications
• Lead litigation strategy, assess claims, and manage disputes, including settlement decisions and coordination with stakeholders
• Select, engage, and manage outside counsel relationships, including oversight of performance and cost control
• Support mergers and acquisitions activities, including due diligence and pre‑ and post‑transaction integration
• Co‑lead the compliance function, ensuring alignment with legal requirements and global standards in coordination with corporate and regional counterparts
• Serve as Corporate Secretary, maintaining corporate records, ensuring governance compliance, and supporting board and shareholder processes
• Provide oversight and management of business insurance programs in alignment with global frameworks
• Develop, implement, and administer corporate policies (e.g., conflict of interest, code of ethics, gifts policies)
• Ensure directors and officers are informed of and compliant with applicable laws and governance requirements
• Provide guidance on legislation, regulatory developments, and government relations
• Lead, develop, and mentor the legal team, supporting career growth and performance excellence
• Foster strong cross‑functional collaboration and gather feedback to continuously improve legal service delivery
• Coordinate and implement global legal and compliance initiatives across regions and business units
• Support other Group Limagrain business units within the region and contribute to cross‑functional committees, projects, and strategic initiatives

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Juris Doctor Degree and a member in good standing of the State Bar of California or any other U.S. State or territory, and eligible and able to be a registered in‑house counsel in California.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive relevant experience as a corporate lawyer/in‑house counsel and/or in a law firm.
• Outstanding written and verbal English proficiency.
• Spanish and/or French language proficiency a plus.

The rewards of working here: You join an expert team of innovators and creators that collaborate with farmers around the world to sustainably enhance the taste and quality of healthy food. Our goal is to form teams that inspire and learn from each other as they work to elevate our products from seed to table. We recognize our employees as our most valued resource and work to create an atmosphere that is supportive, healthy, and progressive. We promote an environment of wellness and well‑being and hybrid schedules when it is appropriate for the position. It is an important and expanding piece of our local and global mission for Diversity & Inclusion programs and support groups in the corporate world.

HM.CLAUSE offers a strong compensation and benefits package to its employees.

• Competitive salary – This position’s range is $190,000 – $220,000.
• Comprehensive Benefits Choices – Medical, Dental, Vision.
• Work/Life Balance – 12 Paid Holidays per year, +1 Floating Holiday per year, Paid shutdown holidays, Progressive time off starting at 80 vacation hours.
• Company Covered Benefits – Company paid Life Insurance, Long and Short‑Term Disability.
• Wellness Benefits – Family EAP, Telehealth and Mental Wellness Services.
• Internal Career Progression – Learning Environment, Promotions from within, Paid Annual Training, Tuition Reimbursement.
• Welcoming Environment – Business casual attire; open door policy.
• Financial Wellness – 401(k) dollar for dollar Employer matching, Supplemental Employer Contribution Plan, Traditional and Roth (401k) plans options, Company Profit sharing in December.
• Family Benefits – Maternity and Paternity paid time off, Low family medical deductibles, Family Planning Resources.

We are a company with a supportive culture and leadership. We encourage you to be part of our journey to enhance the world’s food supply and support the farmers that grow them.

Your benefits and working environment

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands and fingers, handle, and feel. The employee is regularly required to use office equipment and computers. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job in an office environment. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

HM.CLAUSE, Business Unit of Group Limagrain, is an innovative global leader in the development, production, and commercialization of vegetable seeds. HM.CLAUSE belongs to the top 5 vegetable seed entities in the world. With over 2,000 varieties in more than 20 vegetable crops, HM.CLAUSE provides innovative solutions to growers worldwide. HM. CLAUSE is a company committed to diversity and inclusion.

Limagrain is a global company with deep local roots. Our parent company is an agricultural cooperative based in the Limagne‑Val d’Allier plain, in the heart of Central France’s Auvergne region, while we are an international seed and agri‑food group with some 9,600 employees working in 53 countries. As the 4th largest seed company in the world, we achieved sales of 2.522 billion euros in 2023-2024, with additional sales of 729 million euros from activities carried out in collaboration with our strategic partners.