Interim Litigation & Employment Counsel

Supporting the Chief Litigation & Employment Counsel in directly handling – and oversee outside counsel in cost-effectively handling – employment issues in LAC and APAC. This may include performance management, risk management, regulatory compliance, regulatory employment guidelines and requirements and strategy;
Establishing a cross-functional relationship with HR teams in Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, and/or Guyana) and Asia (India, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, and/or Vietnam) and to help provide guidance on employee matters and Offering employment risk management advice to staff at all levels of the business;
Reviewing and drafting a broad range of employment agreements;
Researching, monitoring, analysing, and informing (on a proactive cadence) the Legal and HR team of local employment regulations, statutes, and guidance, as well as industry developments, best practices and trends;
Working with outside counsel to address updates in employment regulations, statutes, and guidance, as well obtaining advice to address employee relations matters;
Providing advice and working directly with Human Resources to develop and update employment policies and templates;
Developing relationships with external counsel in jurisdictions where necessary and managing budgets.
Apply knowledge of industry best practices to identify trends and reduce ERM’s exposure in employment matters;
Work closely with HR leadership and Chief Litigation & Employment Counsel on a variety of employment issues such as non-compete reviews, employment investigations and negotiations, separations, claims, employment compliance, drafting policies and procedures, and many other HR-related projects;
Work closely with the Global Litigation & Employment Paralegal to carry out investigations, and many other tasks;
Enforcing ERM’s corporate governance and compliance policies;
Co-ordinate with the Company’s insurers and brokers on claims as appropriate; and
Perform other legal duties as may be directed by the Chief Litigation & Employment Counsel.


COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS: 

The successful candidate will display a high level of technical proficiency, excellent written and verbal communication skills, and enthusiasm for working with a highly collaborative team.
This position requires consistent interaction with the General Counsel, Chief Litigation & Employment Counsel, regional attorneys, and others of the global Legal team, in addition to ERM consultants, support staff, and clients. Specifically, the following skills are required:

• Experience as an employment attorney specifically in the following jurisdictions: Latin America and Asia
• Application of practical, legal, institutional, and commercial judgment to ambiguous situations;
• Effective negotiation, risk mitigation, and litigation prevention;Desire and ability to be a go-to legal team member with a value-add approach to business counselling and problem solving;
• Ability to balance independent judgment with the need for collaborative teamwork;
• Commitment to adhering to the highest level of professional and ethical behaviour;
• Excellent time-management to handle many competing priorities and to think and work systematically;
• Ability to be comfortable in dealing with consultants, who are working under the pressure of deadlines;
• Appropriately responding to a variety of non-routine – and often complex – requests and demands;
• Ability to meet critical objectives while considering the impact of the decisions and activities on the ability to achieve long-term organizational goals; and
• Willingness to do whatever else is necessary (e.g., assisting with acquisitions, insurance issues, or any number of other needs that may arise).PRIMARY METRICS: 
• Must have appropriate work from home space with access secure internet.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to explain clearly (in writing and orally) complex legal or technical information to managers and professionals who practice in different disciplines in English and Spanish;
• Work collaboratively with legal colleagues;
• Display technical expertise, legal analysis, and business counseling;
• Work to develop employment litigation strategy, communications plans, and risk management programs, including protocols and training for in-house clients;
• Assist in preparing reports and disclosures regarding ERM’s current and past claims and litigation history, as well as reports on litigation trends and emerging issues. These will include analysis of the root causes of a claim and proposed measures to prevent future claims and mitigate losses; and
• Turn around high-quality work product – in a fast-paced, and often time-sensitive, environment with a high volume of requests – within appropriate project timeframes, including providing expedited service when necessary.REQUIREMENTS: Must be able to consistently work irregular work hours, including evenings for calls with Asia. ERM is open to non-traditional flexible working hours such as 12p to 8p CST or 10-2p and 5-9p
• High level of Spanish and English (spoken and written/legal drafting),Be registered to practice law in Mexico/North America, with at least 6 years post qualification legal experience;
• Have gained your legal experience in an international law firm (preferably in the NA/LAC/APAC), and worked for at least 3 years as part of an in-house legal team (ideally for an international company);
• Must possess a well-developed understanding of commercial, contract and risk management issues (including a good understanding of the compliance issues) facing a global business;
• Proven experience delivering employment legal advice to support business needs;Proven success in consistently employment counseling and litigation matters to efficient and economically sensible outcomes;
• Maintain a creative and pragmatic approach to problem-solving;Be able to work as part of a team, but also able to work independently and take the lead when necessary;
• Prioritize good client relations and be sensitive to cultural differences presented by ERM’s operations;
• Be professional, calm under pressure, well-organized, proactive, able to grasp concepts quickly and able to meet challenging deadlines;
• Possess excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Track record of using technology to implement process improvements;
• Must have a suitable environment for working at home (including by video conference) as the need arises.