General Counsel – North America

Company Profile

With over 80 years of innovation, JCB is the world’s largest privately owned manufacturer of construction and agricultural equipment. Operating 23 manufacturing facilities across four continents—including the United States, the United Kingdom, India, and Brazil—JCB produces a diverse portfolio of more than 300 products, such as telescopic handlers, backhoe loaders, excavators, wheel loaders, compact excavators, skid steer loaders, compact track loaders, aerial work platforms, rough‑terrain forklifts, and tractors. As a family‑owned business, JCB is accountable to customers—not shareholders—allowing long‑term innovation, advanced technology integration, and a focus on quality and customer productivity.

Position Purpose

The General Counsel serves as the company’s chief legal advisor and strategic business partner, delivering commercially focused counsel that supports growth while protecting the organization from legal, regulatory, and operational risk. The role establishes and leads the North America legal function, oversees corporate governance and compliance, supports complex commercial matters, and guides responses to recalls, investigations, litigation, and reputational risk events. It also drives legal‑operations excellence through scalable processes, legal technology, and contract‑lifecycle‑management solutions.

Position Type

Full‑time, exempt. On‑site location: 13210 Palo Alto Road, San Antonio, TX 78224.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Paid time off and paid holidays

Major Responsibilities & Key Accountabilities

• Establish, lead, and continuously enhance the North America legal function, aligning it with business objectives, corporate‑governance standards, and global legal strategy.
• Serve as primary legal advisor to the President, Executive Leadership Team, and business stakeholders, providing strategic, risk‑based, commercially focused counsel.
• Partner with the UK Group General Counsel to align legal strategy, governance, compliance, and risk‑management initiatives across the organization.
• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a broad range of commercial agreements, including dealer, distributor, supplier, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, financing, leasing, technology, software, and customer contracts.
• Provide legal oversight and strategic guidance for dealer and distributor networks (appointments, performance management, territory rights, sponsored dealer arrangements, equity transfers, terminations).
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and international laws and regulations (product liability, safety, warranty, import/export, trade compliance, anti‑corruption, environmental, and commercial regulations).
• Advise on regulatory matters involving agencies such as EPA, CARB, ECCC, and other governmental authorities.
• Support the Board of Directors and Executive Leadership Team on governance matters, including corporate policies, governance frameworks, board resolutions, and corporate records management.
• Lead management of litigation, claims, investigations, disputes, and regulatory matters; select and oversee external counsel; manage legal budgets.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal, regulatory, operational, and reputational risks through effective controls, policies, and risk‑management practices.
• Provide counsel on real estate, property, leasing, land holdings, and dealer facility matters across North America.
• Oversee legal and compliance requirements for government and defense contracting (DFARS, CUI, DIBCAC audit readiness, contractual obligations).
• Advise Human Resources on employment law, executive employment agreements, restrictive covenants, workplace investigations, labor relations, employee disputes, and employment litigation.
• Partner with the UK Group General Counsel on intellectual‑property matters, supporting brand protection, trademark enforcement, and IP risk management.
• Lead legal support for mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic investments, business integrations, and other corporate transactions.
• Provide legal oversight and support for JCB Finance operations and related commercial financing activities throughout North America.
• Direct enterprise ethics, compliance, and internal‑investigation programs, promoting a culture of integrity, accountability, and regulatory adherence.
• Lead the company’s response to product recalls, regulatory investigations, government inquiries, compliance incidents, and other crisis or reputational‑risk events.
• Drive legal‑operations excellence through legal technology, contract‑lifecycle‑management systems, process improvements, knowledge management, and outside‑counsel governance.
• Monitor changes in legal and regulatory requirements, proactively advising leadership on emerging risks, obligations, and business impacts.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction, with ability to practice or obtain admission in Georgia and/or Texas.
• Minimum 15 years of progressive legal experience, including significant experience in both private practice and in‑house environments.
• Extensive experience drafting, negotiating, and managing complex commercial agreements.
• Demonstrated experience advising executive leadership on legal, regulatory, governance, and business matters.
• Proven experience managing litigation, external counsel, and legal budgets.
• Strong knowledge of commercial law, contract law, corporate governance, employment law, litigation management, and regulatory compliance.
• Ability to operate independently as the senior legal leader while effectively partnering with executives and business stakeholders.
• Must pass drug screens, background checks, and any pre‑employment tests as required by law.

Preferred Qualifications

• Additional qualifications or certifications in business, finance, compliance, risk management, or corporate governance.
• Experience in manufacturing, industrial, construction equipment, automotive, engineering, agriculture equipment, or other heavy‑equipment industries.
• Experience supporting dealer, distributor, franchise, or independent channel networks.
• Experience with product liability, product safety, warranty, and regulatory compliance matters.
• Experience supporting imported products, international supply chains, and global operations.
• Experience with government/defense contracting, DFARS compliance, CUI requirements, and DIBCAC audit readiness.
• Experience supporting mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic investments, and post‑acquisition integration.
• Experience establishing, building, or transforming an in‑house legal function.
• Experience implementing legal‑technology solutions, contract‑lifecycle‑management systems, and legal‑operations best practices.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities & Competencies

• Comprehensive knowledge of commercial law, contract law, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, employment law, litigation management, intellectual property, dealer/distribution networks, product liability, and international trade regulations.
• Ability to provide practical, business‑focused legal counsel while balancing legal risk with commercial objectives.
• Strong contract drafting, negotiation, dispute‑resolution, and strategic transaction‑management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence executive leadership, build trusted stakeholder relationships, and develop scalable legal and compliance frameworks.
• Exceptional analytical, problem‑solving, decision‑making, communication, and presentation abilities.
• Proven capability to manage multiple priorities, lead crisis‑response efforts, and operate effectively in a fast‑paced, evolving environment.
• High integrity, sound judgment, strong business acumen, and a proactive, solutions‑oriented mindset.
• Collaborative, resilient, and adaptable leader with a hands‑on approach, strong accountability, and the ability to build credibility across all organizational levels.

Job Conditions

Work is performed in both office environments and, occasionally, manufacturing/factory settings. The environment may involve noise and temperature changes.

Physical Requirements

• Remain stationary, operate hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, and talk or hear.
• Occasionally required to stand, move, and/or walk.
• Frequently required to move and/or transport up to 10 pounds.
• Vision requirements: close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.