Assistant General Counsel – Employment
Foley Hoag LLP
$269,000 - $337,000 / year
Need a reasonable accommodation to apply or interview? Contact us.
JobMinglr uses automated technology to recommend jobs based on profile information and job preferences. Match Score does not determine eligibility for a position, prevent a user from viewing or applying to a job, or make hiring decisions on behalf of an employer.
Description
The Assistant General Counsel – Employment (“AGC”) serves as the Firm's primary legal advisor on labor and employment law matters, with a particular focus on ensuring compliance with applicable federal, state and local employment laws, developing internal employment policies, and partnering with Human Resources and Firm management on employee relations issues. This role is responsible for providing day-to-day counseling on workplace compliance, advising on disciplinary and corrective action matters, and mitigating legal risk arising from employment-related decisions. The AGC will work cross-functionally with Firm management, Human Resources, the Standing Committee, and department managers to promote a legally compliant and fair work environment.
This hybrid role requires an in-office presence at least three days per week to foster collaboration and connection. The onsite expectations are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of each week.
Employment Counsel Responsibilities:
- Advise Firm management and Human Resources on compliance with federal, state, and local labor and employment laws, including Title VII, the ADA, FMLA, FLSA, NLRA, and applicable state/local equivalents.
- Develop, review, and update internal employment policies, procedures, and employee handbooks to ensure legal compliance and alignment with industry best practices.
- Conduct periodic audits of Firm policies and procedures to identify gaps, recommend corrective actions, and oversee implementation of updates.
- Advise and collaborate with Human Resources on all employee relations matters, including workplace investigations, performance management, disciplinary actions, grievances, and terminations.
- Curate and deliver employment-related training; ensure compliance with training requirements in the various jurisdictions in which we operate.
- Provide guidance on accommodation requests, leave administration, and return-to-work issues.
- Draft and review employment agreements, separation agreements, severance packages, and other employment-related documents.
- Advise on wage and hour compliance, classification of employees and independent contractors, and payroll-related legal issues.
- Develop and draft responses to charges filed with the EEOC, state human rights agencies, and other administrative bodies. Coordinate with insurers regarding same.
- Collaborate with the Firm’s Standing Committee on workplace investigations related to harassment, discrimination, and retaliation issues.
- Monitor legislative and regulatory developments in labor and employment law and communicate potential impacts to Firm leadership.
- Collaborate with outside counsel as needed on complex litigation, arbitration, or regulatory matters.
- Maintain records and documentation related to legal advice, investigations, and policy changes in accordance with the Firm's document retention policies.
Additional Office of the General Counsel Responsibilities (“OGC”):
- Assist other members of the OGC on various Firm risk matters, including subpoena responses; claims/circumstances; and professional responsibility matters as needed.
- When appropriate, work on billable client related work in area of expertise.
- Comfortable representing the Firm in court, if necessary.
Qualifications:
- Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
- Active membership in good standing with the state bar in the jurisdiction(s) where the Firm operates.
- Minimum of 5–7 years of experience practicing labor and employment law, with substantial experience advising on workplace policies, employee relations, and other HR compliance matters.
- Demonstrated knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
- Experience conducting or overseeing workplace investigations.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and written and oral communication skills.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment and maintain confidentiality in sensitive matters.
- Proven ability to work collaboratively with HR professionals, management, and cross-functional teams.
- Experience developing and delivering compliance training programs preferred.
Compensation range is $269,000 to $337,000 commensurate with related experience and qualifications. The salary of the candidate selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to internal equity, experience, specialty, and training. The above salary range (or hiring range) represents the Firm's reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.
Terms and Conditions | By submitting this application, I acknowledge receipt of and agree to the terms of Foley Hoag's Privacy Statement. I certify that answers given herein are true and complete to the best of my knowledge. In the event of employment, I understand that false or misleading information given in my application constitutes grounds for immediate termination. I hereby authorize Foley Hoag LLP to investigate the information on this application, my references, work record, education and other matters related to my suitability for employment. Furthermore, I understand that just as I am free to resign at any time, Foley Hoag LLP reserves the right to terminate my employment at any time and for any reason. I understand that no representative of Foley Hoag LLP has the authority to make assurances to the contrary. Foley Hoag LLP uses Greenhouse as a platform for our recruiting and hiring activities. Greenhouse may collect and use personal data that I provide, after anonymizing the data, to train their AI large language models. By applying to Foley Hoag LLP, I consent to Greenhouse’s use of my data in this manner.
Accessibility | Foley Hoag is committed to affording equal access to job opportunities to qualified applicants with disabilities. Individuals with a disability who require accommodation or assistance in the job application process for a posted position may contact BusinessServicesRecruiting@foleyhoag.com. This information will be treated as confidential and used only for the purpose of determining an appropriate accommodation for the interview process.
Foley Hoag LLP is an equal opportunity employer. This means that Foley Hoag LLP considers applicants for employment, and makes employment decisions without unlawful regard to sex, race, color, religion, citizenship, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital or domestic partner/civil union status, military service, or veteran status, disability, and any other characteristic covered by applicable federal, state or local nondiscrimination laws.
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
We do not pay search firm or agency fees when speculative and unsolicited candidate profiles are submitted. Please be advised that at this time we are not considering new agreements with search firms/agencies not currently on our preferred supplier list for Business Services Professionals recruitment.
Benefits
- stock options
About this role
Foley Hoag seeks an experienced employment lawyer to serve as the firm's primary in-house counsel on labor and employment matters. You would advise firm leadership and Human Resources on federal, state, and local compliance, manage workplace investigations, develop and update employment policies, and handle the full spectrum of employee relations issues—from accommodation requests and disciplinary actions to EEOC responses and separation agreements. The role demands both strategic policy work and day-to-day counseling on workplace legal risk.
This position requires at least five to seven years of employment law practice, with demonstrated expertise in HR compliance, workplace investigations, and policy development. You'll work cross-functionally across the firm, collaborate with outside counsel on complex matters when needed, and occasionally take on billable client work within your area of expertise. The hybrid arrangement requires in-office presence Tuesdays through Thursdays, with a salary range of $269,000 to $337,000 based on experience and qualifications.
The role suits someone who has built solid employment law credentials in either private practice or in-house settings and is ready to own compliance and risk mitigation for a 300-lawyer firm across multiple jurisdictions. You should be comfortable balancing detailed policy work with sensitive investigations and have the judgment and communication skills to advise leadership on high-stakes employment decisions.
This role's local market on JobMinglr
Pay for this role
$269,000 to $337,000 per year
That is the employer's posted range, and where you land in it is usually decided in one conversation. Before that conversation, run the numbers: analyze an offer for this role.
Before you apply, worth reading
How JobMinglr reads this job
Every listing here is scored against your profile before you apply: skills overlap, experience level, location and work arrangement, each weighted and explained. You see the score and the reasons, not just a list. How the matching works.