Senior Counsel, Employment & Labor

PG&E’s Law Department provides timely, efficient, and business-focused legal services to the company as part of the General Counsel, Ethics, Risk, and Compliance business unit. The Employment & Labor section advises on all aspects of employment and labor law, manages pre-litigation disputes, and handles state and federal court litigation, mediation, and labor arbitration.

About the role

PG&E is seeking a highly skilled Senior Counsel with a minimum of seven years of substantive employment and labor experience to join the litigation team. The Senior Counsel provides legal advice on employee matters and represents PG&E through all stages of employment litigation and labor disputes. This hybrid position requires working from both a remote office and an assigned work location within the PG&E Service Territory.

Responsibilities

• Provide advice and counsel to internal clients on all aspects of the employment experience, including recruitment, hiring, benefits, wage and hour, discipline, performance management, collective bargaining, labor law compliance, labor negotiations, and termination of employment.
• Manage employment litigation and pre-litigation matters, including preparing or reviewing motions, briefs, pleadings, deposition preparation, court appearances, argument, mediation, and trial.
• Represent the Company in arbitration proceedings involving labor or employment disputes.
• Manage eDiscovery processes, including preservation, legal hold, and the use of eDiscovery platforms such as Relativity.
• Utilize approved AI tools to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of litigation and eDiscovery tasks.
• Select, supervise, and partner with outside counsel on select matters or issues.
• Collaborate and coordinate with a broader legal team of attorneys, paralegals, claims investigators, and internal subject matter experts.
• Develop and manage legal matter budgets and costs for outside counsel, consultants, experts, and eDiscovery.
• Provide advice and counsel to business units on legal and litigation risks.
• Communicate with PG&E’s management and leadership concerning key human resource legal issues, strategy, and status of litigation, disputes, and recommended resolution.
• Collaborate and assist other attorneys in the Law Department on complex legal issues and litigation matters.
• Identify and implement lessons learned from litigation to improve practices within the company.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience.
• Active U.S. state bar membership in good standing; California Bar admission preferred.
• Registered In-House Counsel permit in California.
• Minimum of 10 years of legal experience post-JD, with at least 7 years as an attorney.
• Litigation experience at the trial and/or appellate level in state and/or federal courts.
• Experience selecting and overseeing outside counsel, consultants, and/or experts.
• Experience litigating employment disputes and responding to agency charges.
• Experience providing advice and counsel on wage and hour issues, hiring, accommodations, performance management, labor negotiations, and other employment-related matters.

Skills

• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to tailor communications to different audiences.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to provide clear legal advice to management and leadership.
• Competency in building strong, diverse teams that leverage varied skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.
• Desire and aptitude to work collaboratively in a high-performing legal team environment.

Leadership Qualities

• Strategic Mindset: Anticipates future possibilities and translates them into actionable strategies; operates effectively in uncertain situations.
• A Leader in the Community and Industry: Builds formal and informal networks inside and outside the organization; balances the needs of multiple stakeholders.
• Demonstrates Safety Leadership: Champions safety in words and actions for both employee and public safety; fosters a speak-up culture free of retaliation.
• Influences and Inspires: Uses effective communication to address the needs of diverse audiences; navigates complex policy, process, and people-related dynamics.
• Optimizes Team Performance: Builds cohesive teams with a strong identity; creates a motivating climate for development and high performance.
• Values Inclusion and Respects Individual Differences: Recognizes the value of diverse perspectives and cultures in driving organizational success.
• Fiscally Responsible: Interprets key financial indicators to make informed business decisions; aligns work with organizational goals.
• Leads Ethically and in a Compliant Manner: Promotes a high-integrity, speak-up culture prioritizing safety, compliance, and ethics; maintains industry and subject-matter expertise.
• Provides a High Level of Customer Service: Builds strong customer relationships and delivers solutions tailored to their needs.

Pay

PG&E is providing a salary range of $212,000 to $306,000 for this position, based on factors such as skills, education, licenses or certifications, experience, market value, geographic location, and internal equity. This leadership role is also eligible for an annual Short Term Incentive Plan (STIP) award and a Long Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) grant.

Schedule

This is a hybrid position, requiring work from both a remote office and an assigned work location within the PG&E Service Territory based on business need.