Lead Counsel, Labor & Employment

As a global leader in advanced mobility solutions, our outstanding team of legal professionals helps us navigate the continually changing legal and regulatory landscape. In our Office of General Counsel, you’ll be part of an organization that collaborates with outside counsel to operate as a global team and deliver world-class legal, tax and audit services to client groups throughout the company.

In this position... 

Ford Motor Company’s Office of the General Counsel is seeking a highly skilled and hands-on Employment Counsel to join our Employment legal team at our corporate headquarters in Dearborn, MI. This role is primarily responsible for managing employment-related disputes, litigation, and agency claims, as well as providing expert legal advice on U.S. employment law compliance and wage and hour issues. The successful candidate will proactively identify legal risks and develop mitigation strategies. A key focus of this role is the internal management of legal matters, including the direct handling of administrative charges. This position is based in Dearborn, MI, and candidates must be local to the area.

What you'll do...

• Directly manage and respond to government agency charges (e.g., EEOC, MDCR, and other state/local agencies), including conducting internal fact-finding and drafting high-quality position statements and legal responses without the use of outside counsel.
• Provide strategic legal advice and guidance to Human Resources and business leadership on U.S. employment law compliance, specifically focusing on wage and hour issues (FLSA), hiring, discipline, and terminations.
• Manage and resolve pre-litigation demands and employment-related disputes through direct negotiation or mediation.
• Oversee a portfolio of employment litigation, directing strategy and cost-effective resolution for matters handled by outside counsel while identifying opportunities to pull lower-level work in-house.
• Identify and assess systemic legal risks across the enterprise and develop proactive mitigation strategies, compliance protocols, and policy updates.
• Draft, review, and update corporate employment policies, employee handbooks, and separation/settlement agreements.
• Design and deliver legal training for managers and HR professionals on litigation avoidance, wage and hour compliance, and employment law best practices.

You'll have...

• Minimum of 5–8 years of dedicated experience practicing employment law.
• Significant, recent experience drafting responses to EEOC and other agency charges is required.
• Significant experience in employment litigation and/or advising large corporate clients is required.
• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
• Active member in good standing of a U.S. State Bar.
• If not currently licensed in Michigan, must be eligible for admission to the Michigan Bar or for a Michigan special certificate for in-house counsel. 
• Exceptional legal writing and drafting skills, with a proven ability to produce persuasive, high-quality position statements and legal briefs internally.
• Deep substantive knowledge of federal and state employment laws, including Title VII, ADA, FMLA, ADEA, and a strong emphasis on FLSA/wage and hour regulations.
• Strong "practitioner" mindset with the ability to manage the administrative lifecycle of a claim from intake to resolution.
• Ability to provide practical, business-oriented legal solutions that balance legal risk with operational needs.
• Strong advocacy and negotiation skills, with experience in mediation and alternative dispute resolution.
• Ability to work independently and efficiently in a fast-paced environment, managing a high volume of active matters and competing priorities.
• High level of integrity and the ability to maintain confidentiality in sensitive and high-profile matters.
  

Even better, you may have...

• A combination of experience at a law firm and a corporate in-house legal department is highly preferred.
• Experience in the automotive, manufacturing, or technology sectors.

You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:
• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service 
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day 
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time. 

This position is leadership level 5 and ranges from $141,700-$268,300.  
Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/LL5

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is hybrid. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week. #LI-Hybrid

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