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Grainger · 2 days ago

Asst General Counsel, Litigation

Lake Forest, IL

Full-time

Hybrid

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

10+ years exp

Grainger is a leading company seeking an Assistant General Counsel, Litigation to oversee its global litigation and disputes portfolio. This role involves managing enterprise litigation, advising senior executives, and collaborating across departments to minimize risk and enhance operational effectiveness.

HospitalityIndustrialManufacturingOffice SuppliesSupply Chain Management

Comp. & Benefits

Responsibilities

Lead Grainger’s global portfolio of litigation, claims, and disputes, including products/tort, commercial, intellectual property, employment, and regulatory matters

Develop and implement litigation strategies that balance legal, financial, and reputational considerations to achieve favorable outcomes

Manage and evaluate outside counsel, ensuring performance excellence, effective staffing, and cost-efficient representation

Oversee discovery strategy, eDiscovery processes, and document management systems, ensuring compliance and operational effectiveness

Provide strategic counsel to senior executives and the Board of Directors on significant litigation matters, emerging risks, trends, and potential business impacts

Prepare Board materials and litigation updates, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and alignment with enterprise priorities

Serve as a trusted advisor and thought partner on dispute resolution, settlement strategy, and risk mitigation; provide trainings on litigation-related topics

Partner closely with Finance, Controllership, and external auditors to support accruals, reserves, and litigation-related financial reporting

Champion operational discipline through robust data management, spend analytics, matter reporting, and performance dashboards; establish KPIs to evaluate litigation performance

Enhance internal processes for case tracking, matter budgeting, forecasting, and trend analysis to improve transparency and productivity

Lead and mentor a team of legal professionals—including direct report(s) and supporting team members—ensuring strong performance, development, and engagement

Foster a culture of continuous improvement within the legal function

Strengthen cross-functional alignment with internal partners to ensure consistent, enterprise-wide litigation strategy and readiness

Qualification

Juris Doctor (JD)Litigation experienceEdiscovery experienceDocument management systemsStrategic thinkingNegotiation skillsBusiness acumenCommunication skillsLeadership capabilityProblem-solving

Required

Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school; licensed to practice law in Illinois

Minimum 10+ years of litigation experience, including at least 4 years of in-house experience and prior experience trying or litigating cases in private practice or at a government agency

Proven ability to manage complex litigation portfolios and outside counsel

Strong business acumen and ability to influence senior stakeholders

Must have experience with ediscovery and document management systems

Strategic thinking and problem-solving

Excellent negotiation and communication skills

Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

The ability to build strong working relationships – internally within Grainger, external partners and counsel, and to communicate complex legal concepts to non-legal stakeholders

Must have impeccable judgment and the highest ethical standards, that is, someone who will always do the right thing

Company

Grainger

Glassdoor4.1

As a leading business-to-business organization, more than 4.5 million customers worldwide rely on Grainger for products in categories such as safety, material handling and metalworking, along with services like inventory management and technical support.

Founded in 1927

Savannah, Georgia, USA

10001+ employees