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ACCO Engineered Systems · 1 day ago

Corporate Counsel, Litigation

Pasadena, CA

Full-time

Onsite

Mid, Senior Level

$160K/yr - $190K/yr

4+ years exp

ACCO Engineered Systems is one of the largest mechanical contractors in the country, seeking a Corporate Counsel, Litigation to manage various legal matters. This role focuses on construction law issues and liability insurance matters, providing legal guidance and ensuring the company's contracts are legally sound.

CommercialCommercial Real EstateConstructionReal EstateReal Estate InvestmentResidential

Growth Opportunities

Hiring Manager

Annie Lin

Responsibilities

Supervise the Company’s defense against litigation matters, primarily those covered by the Company’s traditional insurance portfolio (e.g., General Liability, Auto, Workers’ Compensation). This includes making critical decisions on case strategy, responsive evidence, risk assessment, budget approval, and settlement authority recommendations. This function also involves coordinating all aspects of the litigation process with internal stakeholders, claims adjusters, and outside counsel to ensure optimal legal outcomes and cost-effective resolution

Supervise the Company’s construction litigation claims, focusing primarily on collection actions. This position requires expertise in using statutory remedies available to construction subcontractors to preserve their payment rights

Prepare Company witnesses for depositions, and prepare Company documents for review and/or production, while working efficiently with outside counsel

Serve as the Company’s primary point of contact and subject matter expert for affirmative collection actions, and for the claims handling process for insured claims. This position may be involved in the selection of outside counsel (including panel counsel). This position continuously monitors outside counsel’s performance, efficiency, billing practices, and adherence to Company litigation strategy and guidelines

Establish and maintain effective communication with outside counsel and insurance carriers to facilitate smooth claims reporting, coverage analysis, and payment of defense and settlement

Make outside counsel more effective and more efficient by serving as the Company’s in-house expert for litigating insured claims

Prepare, review, and/or coordinate discovery responses with Company employees and outside counsel

Serve as the Company’s corporate representative at selected hearings, arbitrations, and/or trials

Using the Company’s software, establish and maintain robust processes for tracking, analyzing, and reporting on the status, financial exposure, reserves, and historical trends of all covered litigation. Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) for outside counsel and internal metrics to manage litigation budgets effectively, providing regular, detailed updates to senior management, the legal department, and the risk/finance teams on potential liabilities, and making data-driven recommendations for process improvements and risk mitigation strategies

Assist the Company in implementing improvements to Company processes using “lessons learned” from resolved claims

Respond to business-records subpoenas on the Company’s behalf

Provide training on construction contracts and construction law principles to support Project Managers and administrative support roles

Draft, review and negotiate agreements with the Company’s customers and vendors in the construction industry, including master agreements, change orders, and professional service agreements. The position may oversee the work product of others in their review of legal agreements

Facilitate decision making by preparing concise briefing documents with conclusions and recommendations

Legal research and prepare opinions that may have significant impact to the Company

Assist with corporate matters including the review, drafting and administration of Company contracts policies and procedures

Support the legal department as requested and assigned. Such assignments may include briefing documents, preparation of materials for Board and Committee meetings (including resolutions and minutes), preparing, managing and implementing corporate policies

Create and maintain in-house legal library of forms and agreement templates

Qualification

Construction law expertiseCivil litigation experienceContract negotiationLegal research skillsClaims handling processRisk assessmentCommunication skillsProactivityTechnical curiosityTeamworkDecision-makingInterpersonal skillsMotivation

Required

J.D. from an ABA-approved law school, and an active member in good standing of the Bar in California

Minimum 4+ years of substantive experience as a practicing construction attorney with civil litigation experience – construction industry experience and in-house experience a plus

Understanding of construction law, including statutory remedies, and drafting and reviewing construction contracts

Demonstrated ability to conduct quick, accurate legal research on matters outside the attorney's primary area of expertise

Excellent writing skills. Excellent draftsmanship of contracts and policy documents

Some domestic travel will be required

Standing, walking, hearing and listening, typing, viewing screens and reading documents in print and electronic format. Accurate reading comprehension, vision, using hands and fingers to manipulate software outputs

Working inside an office setting with other co-workers

Strong decision-making ability, with a significant sense of ownership and accountability

Self-driven, motivated and results oriented

Thrives in an environment where you need to roll-up your sleeves and own outcomes

Motivated to partner/collaborate with internal and external teams, building relationships to accomplish shared objectives in a dynamic and complex environment

Proven record of successful leadership, strength of character and ability to articulate and objectively defend business approaches

Effective interpersonal and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate effectively (both oral and written) with others at all levels of the Company

Excellent proficiency using information technology tools of a modern in-house legal team, including Gmail, Google Drive, Smartsheet, Box, Microsoft Office suite, Westlaw, OneLegal, etc