Associate Corporate Counsel (Employment & Labor)

About the role

The Associate Corporate Counsel, Employment & Labor reports to the General Counsel and serves as a key legal partner to the company's Human Resources team and operational leaders. This attorney handles and manages the company's employment disputes - from agency charges and demand letters through litigation and arbitration - and provides practical, day-to-day advice on employment and labor matters across the company's multi-state workforce. The role calls for sound judgment and decision-making, often with limited information and tight timeframes.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Report directly to the General Counsel and assist with the reporting to the CEO and Board of Directors as necessary on all material legal matters affecting the company.
• Agency Charges: Directly manage and respond to charges and inquiries before the EEOC, the Texas Workforce Commission, and other federal, state, and local agencies, including drafting position statements, responding to information requests, and representing the company in mediation and conciliation.
• Demand Letters & Pre-Suit Resolution: Evaluate and respond to attorney demand letters and pre-suit claims, develop resolution strategy, negotiate settlements, and draft settlement and release agreements.
• Litigation & Arbitration Management: Manage employment lawsuits and arbitrations, including wage-and-hour class and collective actions, in partnership with outside counsel. Formulate strategy, review pleadings, discovery, and motions, monitor budgets, and make recommendations to outside counsel and the General Counsel.
• Litigation Support: Draft and circulate legal holds; coordinate the preservation, collection, and production of documents, including electronic discovery with the company's IT team; communicate with current and former employees who have relevant knowledge; prepare employees for depositions and attend as needed; and respond to subpoenas and non-party discovery.
• Outside Counsel Management: Engage outside counsel as needed to assist with responsibilities. Negotiate engagement terms with outside counsel, review invoices to enforce the company's billing guidelines, ensure matters are handled efficiently with the appropriate level of counsel experience necessary for the matter, and maintain case files and matter summaries for reporting to the General Counsel.
• Terminations & Investigations: Advise Human Resources and property leadership on terminations, corrective action, and high-risk or escalated workplace investigations to ensure consistent, compliant, and fair outcomes.
• Leave, Accommodations & Return-to-Work: Advise on leave programs, disability and other accommodation requests, and return-to-work issues under federal, state, and local law.
• Policies, Handbook & Multi-State Compliance: Review and draft the employee handbook, HR policies, and employment-related agreements. Monitor developments in federal, state, and local employment and labor laws and help the company stay compliant across its multi-state footprint.
• EPLI & Insurance Claims: Partner with the company's insurance broker and carriers on employment practices liability claims, including claim notices, tenders, coverage questions, and coordination with carrier-appointed counsel.
• Training & Business Partnership: Collaborate with Human Resources and management teams to develop training materials, and provide prompt, practical legal advice that supports sound operational decision-making.
• Travel Requirement: This position may entail travel, estimated at 10% of work time annually for property visits or internal meetings.

Education & Experience

• JD from an ABA-accredited law school and active membership in good standing in at least one state bar. Attorneys not licensed in Texas must be eligible to register as in-house counsel with the Texas Board of Law Examiners.
• 3-5 years of employment and labor law experience at a law firm, in-house, or both, including handling agency charges and employment litigation.
• Experience in property management, real estate, or another multi-site industry is preferred but not required.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make sound, practical recommendations quickly.
• Direct, candid, and concise communication style, with the ability to explain legal issues in plain language to HR professionals and business leaders at all levels.
• Ability to manage a high volume of matters, prioritize effectively, and meet multiple deadlines.
• Highest ethical standards, a self-motivated and resourceful approach, and the ability to build credibility and trust with colleagues inside and outside the company.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); familiarity with HRIS and e-discovery platforms is a plus.

Additional information

This job description should not be considered all-inclusive. It is merely a guide of expected duties. The employee understands that the job description is neither complete nor permanent and may be modified at any time. At the request of their supervisor, an employee may be asked to perform additional duties or take on additional responsibilities without notice. This is a safety-sensitive position and may be subject to additional compliance requirements.

#LI-Hybrid

Pay and benefits

For individuals hired to work in California, Asset Living is required by law to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role.

This compensation range is specific to the State of California and includes the range of factors considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; certifications; etc. We would not anticipate that the individual hired into this role would be near the top end of the compensation range, but that decision will be dependent on the facts associated with each specific individual's relevant experience for the role.

A reasonable estimate of the range is below.

California Pay Range $110,000—$150,000 USD

For individuals hired to work in Colorado, Asset Living is required by law to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role.

This compensation range is specific to the State of Colorado and includes the range of factors considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; certifications; etc. We would not anticipate that the individual hired into this role would be near the top end of the compensation range, but that decision will be dependent on the facts associated with each specific individual's relevant experience for the role.

A reasonable estimate of the range is below.

Colorado Pay Range $110,000—$150,000 USD