This Senior Corporate Counsel position works on site at the Ruan Campus located downtown Des Moines
Lead the Company's management of litigation and employment-related legal matters across a nationwide transportation and logistics operation. Responsible for overseeing auto liability, workers' compensation, employment, labor, and commercial litigation; managing outside counsel; providing strategic legal advice to Human Resources and business leaders; and handling agency matters involving the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), and other regulatory agencies.
Responsibilities:
Carrying out the Company's organizational values and operating in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and Company policies are required functions. Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Develop and implement litigation strategy for complex auto liability, catastrophic injury, workers' compensation, employment, labor, and commercial disputes throughout the United States. Direct case management from inception through resolution and provide regular reporting on risk, exposure, litigation trends, and reserve adequacy.
- Provide day-to-day legal counsel to Human Resources and business leaders regarding employment, labor, employee relations, discipline, termination, accommodation, leave management, wage and hour, policy interpretation, and other workplace matters. Conduct workplace investigations and manage responses to EEOC, NLRB, and similar agency charges, including drafting position statements and coordinating agency responses.
- Select, retain, and oversee outside counsel. Evaluate liability exposure, establish litigation and settlement strategies, conduct negotiations, and serve as the Company's representative at mediations, arbitrations, administrative hearings, and trials. Manage legal spend and ensure effective and efficient representation of the Company's interests.
- Partner with Claims, Operations, Safety, and Human Resources to manage transportation-related claims, including commercial auto liability, workers' compensation, accident investigations, reserve evaluations, and claims resolution strategies. Assist in identifying legal trends and implementing proactive risk-mitigation initiatives.
- Support labor-management initiatives, including union-related matters, collective bargaining support, grievance administration, unfair labor practice charges, and related NLRB proceedings, as needed.
- Review, develop, and maintain company policies and procedures, including oversight of legal hold, records retention, and document management programs. Support compliance initiatives and internal investigations as needed.
- Conduct legal research, draft legal opinions, and advise senior leadership regarding legal, regulatory, operational, and employment-related issues. Monitor legislative and regulatory developments and provide practical business-focused guidance regarding their impact on Company operations.
- Perform other job-related duties and special projects as assigned.
Requirements:
JOB REQUIREMENTS/MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Education: Bachelors Degree or equivalent work experience.
Course(s) of Study: Bachelors degree from an accredited college or university. Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school. Licensed to practice law in Iowa or eligible to obtain admission to the Iowa Bar.
Experience: 10+ years
Type of Experience: Ten (10) or more years of legal experience with significant responsibility for litigation management and employment/labor counseling. Combination of in-house and private practice experience preferred. Significant experience managing complex litigation matters, including the oversight of outside counsel and multi-jurisdictional disputes. Experience managing auto liability and workers' compensation claims and litigation strongly preferred. Experience within the transportation, logistics, trucking, fleet-based, or similar operational industry preferred. Demonstrated experience responding to EEOC charges, NLRB matters, labor disputes, and other administrative agency proceedings preferred.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Must be able to commit to Ruan's value statement by acting with integrity in everything we do.
- Must be able to meet behavioral expectations and perform in alignment with our guiding principles: people first, safety focus, enduring partnerships, exceptional performance, and continuous improvement.
- Excellent verbal, written, negotiation, and interpersonal communication skills. Demonstrated ability to manage high-volume litigation portfolios and coordinate outside counsel across multiple jurisdictions. Strong working knowledge of litigation management, workers' compensation, auto liability, employment law, labor law, and administrative agency proceedings. Ability to balance legal risk with practical business objectives and manage multiple priorities.
Physical Demands Of The Job:
Operating office equipment including, telephone, calculator, personal computer, and copier. Work in excess of eight hours per day and forty hours per week. Considerable phone and computer work. Overnight travel is infrequent, but required.
Environmental Demands Of The Job:
Office setting, vehicle maintenance locations or warehouse/distribution centers. Sites may be loud, dusty, and greasy. Employee at times may be required to work around moving machinery.
Reporting Relationships:
Reports To: VP and General Counsel
Direct Reports: None
Benefits: Ruan provides benefits which include: Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, Life, as well as 401k and Paid Time Off.
