Corporate Counsel, Employment Litigation
Job Summary
West Pharmaceutical Services is seeking an experienced employment and litigation attorney to join its Governance, Securities & Employment/Litigation Center of Excellence in its global Legal department.
Essential Duties And Responsibilities
Provide day-to-day legal advice to Human Resources and management on U.S. and global employment matters, including employee relations, discipline, terminations, reductions in force, reorganizations, disability and religious accommodations, wage and hour compliance, restrictive covenants, and workplace policies and procedures.
Advise on employment-related legal risk in connection with strategic initiatives, restructurings, integrations, divestitures and acquisitions, and operational changes.
Draft, review, and update employment-related agreements, policies, handbooks, separation and release agreements, and executive employment arrangements.
Partner with Human Resources and Compliance to address escalations in sensitive internal investigations, including matters involving allegations of misconduct, harassment, retaliation, or Code of Conduct violations.
Stay abreast of and ensure global compliance with evolving employment regulations and labor standards.
Manage employment-related litigation and administrative agency proceedings (e.g., EEOC, OSHA, DOL, IRS and other US and non-US government agency inquiries).
Oversee commercial and other corporate litigation matters as assigned.
Develop case strategy in partnership with outside counsel and internal stakeholders.
Direct outside counsel, including scope definition, budget management, and performance oversight.
Evaluate litigation exposure and advise leadership on risk mitigation, settlement strategy, and reserves where appropriate.
Support e-discovery strategy and document retention practices in collaboration with IT and outside counsel.
Basic Qualifications
Law degree and bar admittance or license to practice law in at least one US jurisdiction.
Minimum of 10+ years of legal work experience with a minimum 5-8 preferably combining large law firm and in-house experience.
Preferred Knowledge, Skills And Abilities
Preferred experience in pharmaceutical, medical device, biotech, or manufacturing industries.
Preferred familiarity with regulated environments and operational business models.
Demonstrated ability to embrace simplification of legal processes.
Strong subject matter expertise in global employment law.
Demonstrated experience managing complex litigation and partnering effectively with outside counsel.
Ability to balance legal risk with business objectives and provide practical, solution-oriented guidance.
Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and handle sensitive matters with discretion.
Extensive experience advising multinational clients regarding matters of legal and business importance and managing of related risks.
Strong analytical, negotiation, and strategic thinking skills.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Sound judgment and ability to work independently on high-impact matters.
Dependability, attention to detail with strong organizational and time management skills a must.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate effectively across functions and levels of leadership.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, matrixed global organization.
Strong subject matter expertise in global employment law.
Able to comply with the company’s safety and quality policy at all times.
Physical Requirements
Sedentary-Exerting up to 10lbs/4kgs of force occasionally, and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body.
Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time.
Additional Requirements
Must be able to communicate effectively with written and oral skills, make quick decisions, interpret data, read & write, speak in front of groups, express & exchange ideas, understand direction and adhere to procedures.
Organizational skills will enable planning, prioritization & achievement of goals especially of importance for the successful execution of related activities.
Position operates in a professional office environment. May stand or sit for extended periods of time.
This role is sedentary and routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
Read and interpret data, information and documents.
Must maintain the ability to work well with others in a variety of situations.
Must be able to multi-task, work under time constraints, problem solve, and prioritize.
Company Information
West Pharmaceutical Services is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. If you have a special need that requires accommodation in order to apply to West, please send an email to Apply.Accommodation@westpharma.com.
Where permitted by law, an offer of employment with West Pharmaceutical Services, or any of its subsidiary or affiliate companies, is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of background screening.