Role SummaryThe General Counsel serves as the Company's chief legal officer and a strategic advisor to the Chief Executive Officer, Executive Leadership team, and Board of Directors. As the Company prepares for and executes a transition to becoming a publicly traded company, this role will play a critical leadership position in building and overseeing a sophisticated, public-company-ready legal function.
The General Counsel is responsible for managing all legal affairs of a complex, multistate organization with significant field operations, union and non-union workforces, and expanding regulatory, disclosure, and governance obligations. The role provides practical, risk-aware, business-oriented legal guidance that supports operational execution, labor stability, regulatory compliance, capital markets readiness, and long-term enterprise growth.
Key ResponsibilitiesPublic Company Readiness & Securities Compliance- Lead the Company's legal readiness for an initial public offering (IPO) and ongoing life as a public company.
- Oversee compliance with U.S. securities laws and regulations, including the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, SEC reporting obligations, and related disclosure requirements.
- Partner closely with Finance, Accounting, and external advisors on SEC filings, including registration statements, Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K, proxy statements, and investor presentations.
- Support development, implementation, and maintenance of public-company governance policies, codes of conduct, insider-trading policies, and disclosure controls and procedures.
- Advise on matters related to SOX compliance, internal controls, and risk oversight, in collaboration with Finance, Audit, and Internal Audit functions.
Corporate Governance & Board Advisory- Serve as a trusted legal advisor to the CEO and Board of Directors, including Audit, Compensation, and Governance Committees.
- Prepare and support Board and committee meetings, resolutions, and materials consistent with public-company governance standards.
- Oversee corporate governance matters, including entity management, charter documents, committee charters, policies, and Board independence requirements.
- Monitor evolving regulatory, governance, and investor expectations applicable to public companies.
Labor & Employment / Union Relations- Serve as the primary legal advisor on labor relations in a unionized, multistate environment, including interpretation and administration of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs).
- Support management during grievances, arbitrations, and labor-management disputes.
- Advise HR and operations leadership on union contract compliance, jurisdictional issues, discipline, terminations, workforce restructuring, and reductions in force.
- Counsel on federal, state, and local labor and employment laws, including NLRA, FLSA, OSHA, wage-and-hour, leave laws, and employee classification matters.
Litigation & Dispute Management- Oversee all litigation, claims, and administrative proceedings, including employment, labor, commercial, securities-related, and regulatory matters.
- Develop and execute litigation and dispute-resolution strategies aligned with business and public-company risk considerations.
- Select, manage, and oversee outside counsel, ensuring effective representation and cost control.
- Manage responses to government audits, subpoenas, investigations, and regulatory inquiries.
Commercial & Operational Legal Support- Review, draft, and negotiate complex commercial agreements, including customer contracts, vendor agreements, subcontractor arrangements, strategic partnerships, and joint ventures.
- Advise operations and field leadership on contractual risk allocation, compliance, and dispute avoidance.
- Establish standardized templates, playbooks, and training programs to support scalable, consistent legal support across business units and geographies.
Regulatory Compliance & Enterprise Risk Management- Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations across all jurisdictions.
- Oversee enterprise compliance programs, including ethics, privacy, safety, insurance, and regulatory reporting.
- Partner with Finance, HR, Operations, and Risk Management on enterprise risk management (ERM) initiatives and disclosures.
M&A, Growth & Strategic Transactions- Lead legal due diligence, structuring, and execution for mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and other strategic transactions.
- Advise on labor, employment, union, governance, and disclosure implications of transactions.
- Support post-transaction integration from a legal, compliance, and governance perspective.
Legal Function Leadership- Build, scale, and lead an in-house legal function appropriate for a public company with a large, distributed workforce.
- Establish legal department structure, processes, and controls aligned with public-company expectations.
- Manage legal budgets, outside counsel spend, and vendor relationships with a focus on efficiency and governance.
- Provide training and guidance to executives and business leaders on legal, compliance, and governance responsibilities.
QualificationsRequired- Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school. Active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
- 15+ of progressive legal experience including 5+ years managing teams
- Prior General Counsel or senior legal leadership experience in a public company or IPO-ready organization.
- Direct experience with SEC reporting, securities law compliance, and public-company governance.
- Significant experience in labor and employment law within a unionized, multistate environment.
- Demonstrated experience advising senior executives and Boards of Directors on legal risk, governance, and strategy.
Preferred- Experience in construction, infrastructure, telecommunications, or other labor-intensive industries.
- M&A transaction and post-integration experience
- Proven capability to build and scale an in-house legal department supporting rapid growth and increased regulatory scrutiny.
In addition to competitive base pay, Network Connex offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your physical, mental, and financial health and you can begin participating in our programs on the first of the month following your start date.
Join our Vanguard 401(k) plan, with immediate vesting and a generous 5% company match to help you build long-term financial security. Our team also enjoys 10 paid company holidays, a generous PTO accrual schedule, and access to discounts on useful products and services.
