Senior Legal Manager US (NY Based)

Position Overview

As Joe & the Juice continues its rapid expansion across the United States, we are seeking a senior legal leader to serve as the primary legal partner for the U.S. business. This role will provide strategic and practical legal guidance across a broad range of commercial, operational, employment, real estate, compliance, and corporate matters while helping build the legal infrastructure necessary to support long-term growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted legal advisor to the U.S. Executive Leadership Team.
• Partner with senior leaders across Operations, People, Finance, Procurement, Development, Marketing, and Technology to support business objectives.
• Provide practical, commercially focused legal guidance that enables growth while appropriately managing risk.
• Advise strategic initiatives, market expansion, organizational changes, and business transformation efforts.
• Lead the drafting, review, negotiation, and execution of complex commercial agreements.
• Support vendor, supplier, procurement, technology, licensing, marketing, and service agreements.
• Advisory stakeholders on contractual obligations, risk exposure, and negotiation strategy.
• Support corporate governance, entity management, board-related matters, and internal governance frameworks.
• Establish scalable contract management and legal review processes.
• Serve as the legal partner for all U.S. real estate, development, and store growth activities.
• Review and negotiate leases, amendments, renewals, landlord disputes, and occupancy-related matters.
• Partner closely with Development, Operations, and Retail leadership to support the store pipeline, new store openings, and market expansion.
• Provide legal guidance on real estate transactions, obligations, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Support the continued scaling of the U.S. business by helping build the right legal processes, structure, and team support as the market grows.
• Advise leadership on employment-related legal matters and workplace risk.
• Partner closely with the People Team and external counsel on employee relations, investigations, claims, and litigation matters.
• Support policy development, handbook updates, compliance initiatives, and workplace governance.
• Monitor and advise on evolving federal, state, and local employment regulations impacting the U.S. business.
• Develop and strengthen legal, compliance, and governance frameworks across the U.S. organization.
• Identify emerging legal and business risks and implement proactive mitigation strategies.
• Create scalable legal processes, controls, and documentation standards to support future growth.
• Oversee relationships with external counsel and manage legal spend effectively.
• Support enterprise risk management initiatives and regulatory compliance efforts.

Desired Candidate Profile

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
• Licensed attorney in good standing.
• 8–12+ years of legal experience.
• Combination of top law firm and in-house counsel experience strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting multi-unit retail, hospitality, restaurant, consumer, franchise, or other high-growth organizations preferred.
• Strong background in commercial contracting, corporate law, and business transactions.
• Experience supporting real estate, employment, compliance, and operational matters.
• Proven ability to influence and advise senior executives.
• Strategic thinker with a practical, solutions-oriented approach.
• Comfortable operating independently in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

Success Measures

• Effective legal support across all U.S. operations and growth initiatives.
• Timely and strategic review of commercial agreements and business transactions.
• Reduced legal, regulatory, and compliance risk.
• Strong governance frameworks and scalable legal processes.
• Trusted partnership with executive leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Successful support of new market expansion and development initiatives.
• Establishment of a legal function capable of scaling alongside the continued growth of the U.S. business.

Competitive Compensation

Starting at $185,000

About Joe & the Juice

JOE & THE JUICE is a healthy fast-casual concept founded in Copenhagen in 2002; since then, we have grown to more than 500 locations across 20 countries and now employ more than 4,500 people worldwide. From day one, our ambition has been to prove that there should be no trade-off between taste and health.

We serve high-quality, freshly prepared juices, shakes, coffee, and sandwiches in relaxed, contemporary concept cafés that combine convenience with distinct urban atmospheres. JOE & THE JUICE goes beyond products toward the full experience around the bar, creating a consistent universe for guests and Juicers in all our locations.

We invest heavily in internal development through our Moneyball career system and a culture where most leaders, including C-suite, VPs, and directors, have started behind the bar. We continue to evolve our people-centric and sustainability agenda that is part of our Nordic heritage and our commitment to a better future.