Chief Legal Officer Wisconsin Economic Development

Chief Legal Officer
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC)
Location: Remote (Wisconsin-based)
Employment Type: Full-time, Exempt
Reports To: Chief Executive Officer
Position(s) Supervised: Deputy General Counsel, Vice President of Compliance, Vice President of Human Resources, Legal Assistant

About WEDC

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) works with businesses, communities, and partners statewide to foster innovation, support job creation, and strengthen Wisconsin’s competitive position. Driven by a mission to make Wisconsin the best place to live, work, and build a business, WEDC is a purpose-driven state organization that values integrity, collaboration, and forward-thinking solutions, and invests in its people so they can help invest in Wisconsin’s future.

WEDC is a Wisconsin-based organization with a remote-work-first environment. Remote work is expected to be performed in the state of Wisconsin.

Role Overview & Key Responsibilities

The Chief Legal Officer serves as a strategic business partner and trusted advisor to WEDC’s Chief Executive Officer, executive leadership team, and Board of Directors. This executive leadership role provides oversight of WEDC’s Legal, Compliance, and Human Resources functions while guiding the organization through complex legal, governance, regulatory, and risk management matters.

The Chief Legal Officer plays a critical role in advancing WEDC’s mission by ensuring sound governance, fostering organizational effectiveness, and delivering practical legal and business guidance in a dynamic public-sector environment. In this role, you will:

• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership and the Board of Directors on legal, governance, compliance, and strategic business matters
• Lead WEDC’s corporate governance activities, including Board and committee support, bylaws, policies, and organizational oversight
• Provide strategic leadership and direction for the Legal, Compliance, and Human Resources divisions
• Advise on legal risk, regulatory compliance, policy development, and complex organizational initiatives
• Review, draft, and analyze legislation affecting WEDC and support engagement with policymakers and stakeholders
• Oversee outside counsel relationships and support litigation and legal proceedings as needed
• Partner across the organization to identify risks, develop solutions, and advance key business objectives

Requirements

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited law school and active license to practice law in Wisconsin
• Seven or more years of legal experience, with ten or more years preferred
• Five or more years of leadership experience, including responsibility for managing teams and developing talent
• Experience advising executive leaders, boards of directors, or governing bodies on complex legal and business matters
• Strong knowledge of corporate governance, regulatory compliance, risk management, and legislative processes
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, negotiation, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate complex legal concepts into practical business guidance
• Experience in a quasi-governmental organization and/or both public and private sector environments preferred
• Occasional statewide travel (less than 20%)

Benefits

WEDC is committed to supporting the well-being and growth of our team. We offer a remote-first work environment that promotes work-life balance, supported by generous paid time off (PTO) and a culture that values flexibility. Professional development is a priority at WEDC, and we invest in our employees through dedicated training resources, internal learning opportunities, tuition reimbursement, and support for professional certifications. In addition to these development-focused offerings, employees receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes participation in the Wisconsin Retirement System; a hybrid work allowance; and health, dental, vision, and life insurance.

Summary

WEDC DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING STATEMENT

WEDC must be a diverse and inclusive organization reflective of the businesses, communities, and people in Wisconsin and beyond. We believe that diversity drives innovation and commit to create an inclusive, equitable and diverse workplace where our differences are celebrated as drivers of our organization’s performance.

TO SUPPORT A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE WORKFORCE AT WEDC, WE WILL WORK TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING GOALS:

• Increase WEDC’s racial diversity, specifically with Black/African American, Native American and Latinx populations;
• Increase LGBTQ representation across WEDC; and
• Increase the diversity of WEDC’s leadership.

TO MEET OUR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION GOALS, WEDC WILL TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS:

• Create an intentional approach to recruit minority candidates by using targeted media channels to promote open positions;
• Ensure formal offers are made only after a diverse pool of candidates have been considered at each hiring stage;
• Identify and develop a variety of employee resource groups, including groups for African Americans, Hispanics and Latinos, LGBTQ+ and more;
• Post signage to highlight WEDC’s commitment to diversity and inclusion; and
• Revisit EEO disclosures in our application process to highlight statements regarding WEDC’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution and EEO/Affirmative Action Employer committed to excellence through diversity. Employment offers are made on the basis of qualifications, and without regard to race, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, age, veteran status, or sexual orientation.

Veteran Declaration

Applicants for employment are invited to participate in affirmative action program by reporting your status as a protected veteran or other minority. In extending this invitation, we advise you that: (a) workers (applicants) are under no obligation to respond but may do so in the future if they choose; (b) responses will remain confidential within the human resource department; and (c) responses will be used only for the necessary information. Refusal to provide this information will have no bearing on your application and will not subject you to any adverse treatment.
** PROTECTED VETERAN DEFINITION

Protected veteran means a veteran who may be classified as an active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran, disabled veteran, Armed Forces service medal veteran or recently separated veteran.

Active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

Armed Forces service medal veteran means any veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985 (61 FR 1209, 3 CFR, 1996 Comp., p. 159).

Disabled veteran means (1) a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, (or)(2) a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

Recently separated veteran means a veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran’s discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service.

* EEOC RACE/ETHNIC IDENTIFICATION CATEGORIES

Hispanic or Latino – A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.

White (not Hispanic or Latino)– A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East or North Africa.

Black or African American (not Hispanic or Latino)– A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (not Hispanic or Latino)– A person having origins in any of the peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa or other Pacific Islands.

Asian (not Hispanic or Latino)– A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand and Vietnam.

American Indian or Alaska Native (not Hispanic or Latino)– A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment.

Two or more races (not Hispanic or Latino)– All persons who identify with more than one of the above races.