Overview

Group: Communications

Position: Lead Counsel

Location: Indianapolis, IN (on site)

 

The Lead Counsel serves as the firm’s senior legal advisor and is responsible for directing, managing, and coordinating legal affairs across the organization.

 

This position oversees corporate legal matters, claims, contract review and administration, compliance, risk management, outside counsel relationships, and legal support for business operations. They will partner closely with executive leadership, operations, human resources, finance, and project teams to provide practical legal guidance that supports the firm’s strategic objectives while protecting the organization from legal and commercial risk.

 

Responsibilities

• Lead the contracts function, including review, negotiation, approval processes, contract templates, risk allocation, and coordination with project managers and business leaders.
• Serve as the firm’s lead legal advisor on corporate governance, contracts, claims, compliance, employment, risk management, insurance, leases, licensing, and other legal matters.
• Assist in coordinating the firm’s claims process with the CFO, including internal coordination, negotiation strategy, documentation, resolution efforts, and management of outside counsel or consultants as needed.
• Advise executive leadership and internal stakeholders on legal risks, contractual obligations, dispute avoidance, and business decisions requiring legal judgment.
• Manage outside counsel relationships, including scope, budget, performance, strategy, and alignment with firm objectives.
• Develop, maintain, and improve legal policies, procedures, templates, and training to support consistent legal and contracting practices across the firm.
• Support human resources on employment-related matters, workplace investigations, policy interpretation, and compliance issues.
• Provide legal support for corporate transactions, leases, insurance matters, state licensure, regulatory compliance, and other corporate requirements.
• Promote a proactive risk management culture by identifying emerging legal issues, recommending solutions, and helping teams resolve project or business roadblocks.
• Other duties as assigned

 

Leadership and Management Responsibilities:

 

• Provide leadership, direction, and development for legal and contracts personnel, including workload management, professional development, training, and performance feedback.
• Coordinate legal and contract workflow with executive leadership, managers, project teams, and other internal departments to ensure timely and practical support.
• Identify staffing needs, support recruiting and interviewing efforts, and help build a capable legal and contracts team aligned with the firm’s needs.
• Mentor staff, strengthen technical capabilities, and encourage professional growth within the team and across the organization.
• Maintain a collaborative, responsive, and service-oriented legal function that supports business objectives while upholding sound legal standards.

 

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school and active license to practice law in good standing
• Ability to practice law in Indiana
• Significant experience handling corporate legal matters, contracts, claims, employment issues, compliance, risk management, and outside counsel coordination
• Experience advising executive leadership and translating legal analysis into practical business guidance
• Strong contract drafting, negotiation, issue-spotting, problem-solving, and communication skills
• Demonstrated leadership ability, including oversight of legal or contracts personnel and development of team capabilities
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and work constructively with internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to work in the company’s headquarters office in Indianapolis

 

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Ability to see at close range for computer work and proofreading
• Occasional standing, walking, bending, or reaching as required
• Ability to lift up to 10–15 pounds for proposal assembly and document delivery
• Regular, reliable attendance and punctuality