Senior Counsel

The Senior Counsel (SC) serves as the firm's senior legal leader, responsible for the direct oversight, management, and execution of all legal matters across the enterprise. This role provides hands‑on legal leadership while acting as a trusted advisor to the CEO, Executive Team, and Board of Directors. The SC ensures the firm's legal posture protects enterprise value, supports disciplined growth, and enables informed decision‑making. This role is both strategic and operational, requiring active involvement in litigation oversight, contracts, governance, employment matters, and risk management. The SC is expected to engage deeply in the work setting direction, making judgment calls, and personally handling complex legal matters while building legal infrastructure that scales with the firm. Core Mandate Provide practical, independent legal counsel to executive leadership and the Board Maintain comprehensive oversight of enterprise legal risk, claims, and compliance Ensure the firm's legal framework supports growth and stability. Key Responsibilities Legal Advisory & Enterprise Risk Oversight Serve as the primary legal advisor to the CEO and a key advisor to the Executive Team and Board of Directors Deliver independent, confidential, and candid legal advice, including when that advice requires saying “no” or slowing initiatives that exceed acceptable risk Establish, document, and actively manage the firm's enterprise legal risk profile Exercise legal judgment and go/no‑go authority on contracts, pursuits, and strategic initiative. Directly manage all litigation, claims, and dispute matters, with particular depth in South Carolina and the Southeast Manage professional liability, construction disputes, and other material legal exposures Lead strategy, selection, and performance management of outside counsel, maintaining control over scope, cost, and outcomes Collaborate strategically with insurers and brokers to reduce long‑term risk and improve predictability Focus on systemic risk reduction, consistency, and defensibility not reactive case‑by‑case decision‑making. Corporate Governance & Fiduciary Advisory Advise the Board and executive leadership on fiduciary duties, governance standards, and corporate compliance Maintain working expertise in the South Carolina Business Corporation Act and applicable multi‑state corporate law Support governance processes that are rigorous yet practical, enabling timely and well‑informed decisions Act as a steady legal presence in sensitive, high‑stakes, or confidential matters. Growth, Structure & Capital Readiness Advise leadership on corporate entity structure, alignment, and long‑term organizational evolution Support legal readiness for acquisitions, reorganizations, ownership transitions, and strategic partnerships Maintain working fluency with financial statements and P&Ls to inform legal, contractual, and risk decisions Provide hands‑on guidance on equity‑related matters, including equity offerings, ownership structures, and compliance with applicable Blue Sky laws across the Southeast Contracting & Commercial Judgment Establish and enforce enterprise‑wide contract standards, review protocols, and escalation frameworks Personally review and approve high‑risk, non‑standard, or strategically significant contracts and commercial agreements Balance legal protection with commercial practicality, ensuring risk is understood and intentionally accepted where appropriate Serve as a thought partner to leadership on risk‑adjusted opportunity. Employment & HR Legal Leadership Partner closely with HR leadership on compliance, policy development, and complex employee relations issues Provide direct legal guidance on disciplinary actions, terminations, investigations, and workforce risk Build, lead, and actively manage a scalable internal legal function, including Associate Counsel and Paralegal support Define clear decision authority, escalation paths, and accountability within the legal function Create legal systems and processes that reduce friction, increase consistency, and support operational efficiency Foster a pragmatic, business‑aligned legal culture, supportive, firm, and confident in setting boundaries when risk exceeds tolerance. Qualifications & Experience Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school Active bar admission; South Carolina licensure or eligibility strongly preferred 12+ years of progressive legal experience, ideally within A/E, construction, environmental, or professional services organizations Demonstrated hands‑on experience in litigation oversight, corporate governance, employment law, and commercial contracting Proven experience advising CEOs, Boards of Directors, and senior leadership Leadership Attributes Trusted legal counselor with strong judgment and executive presence Confident and composed; willing to provide difficult or unpopular advice when necessary High integrity, discretion, and professionalism Business‑minded with an understanding of financial and operational realities Collaborative, pragmatic, and decisive Final Perspective This role is designed for a hands‑on Senior Counsel who wants meaningful responsibility, real accountability, and contributes thoughtful perspective to the firm's long‑term trajectory. The SC operates close to the decision‑making table guiding, protecting, and enabling the business through sound legal judgment and disciplined risk management. This job description is intended to provide a general overview of the position and is not a comprehensive list of duties, functions, or procedures that may be required. The organization reserves the right to modify this description and may, from time to time, reassign employees to alternate positions based on business needs. Such changes may occur without prior notice and are aimed at ensuring operational efficiency. #J-18808-Ljbffr