Licensed to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (J.D. degree from an accredited U.S. law school preferred)
Minimum of 5 years of relevant legal experience in a law firm or in-house legal department
Strong understanding of U.S. regulatory requirements (customs, trade, corporate law)
Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills
Ability to work cross-functionally and across time zones with HQ in Korea
Responsibilities
Provide legal advice on commercial, regulatory, and operational matters for U.S. and Canada
Ensure compliance with U.S. and Canadian regulations across various sectors
Draft, review, and negotiate diverse contracts related to business operations
Manage legal disputes and claims, coordinating with external counsel when necessary
Oversee corporate governance and compliance with regional filing requirements
Provide legal support to regional offices in the U.S. and Canada
Benefits
Comprehensive health insurance
401K
Paid time off (PTO)
Full Job Description
Job Summary
We are seeking a detail-oriented and business-minded In-House Legal Counsel to support our U.S. operations. This role will be based at our U.S. headquarters (a New York corporation located in New Jersey) and will manage a wide range of legal and compliance matters across our U.S. and Canadian operations, working closely with internal business teams and HQ in Korea to manage legal risks and ensure compliance with U.S. and international laws relevant to global trade and commerce. Job Description
Key Responsibilities:
1. Legal Advisory & Compliance
- Provide timely and practical legal advice on commercial, regulatory, and operational matters to support business activities in the U.S. and Canada, including:
* Steel(e.g., Cold-Roll, Hot-Roll, Automotive)
* Chemicals
* Agro-commodities (e.g., Grain, Corn)
* Energy projects (e.g., LNG, CCS)
- Ensure ongoing compliance with applicable U.S. federal, state, and local laws, as well as Canadian regulations where relevant (e.g., trade, customs, tariffs & duties, chemical reporting, hazardous materials, anti-corruption, human-resource issues)
- Assist in internal audits, compliance monitoring, and risk assessments.
2. Contract Review & Negotiation
- Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of contracts, including:
* Sales and Purchase agreements
* Logistics, Warehouse, Agency and other Service agreements
* Human-Resource, General management related agreements (e.g., Employment Contracts, Severance Agreements, Lease Agreements)
- Ensure contracts comply with U.S. legal standards while considering Korean parent company practices.
3. Dispute Resolution & Risk Management
- Manage and respond to legal disputes and claims involving customers, vendors, employees or other third parties.
- Coordinate with external counsel for litigation, employment matters, or regulatory investigations as needed.
- Support the implementation of risk mitigation policies across business units.
4. Corporate & Governance Matters
- Oversee U.S. entity governance and corporate filings (including NY and NJ requirements).
- Support business license renewals and compliance for U.S. HQ and branch offices.
- Liaise with the Korea HQ regarding global compliance alignment and reporting.
- Ensure compliance with internal by-laws and coordinate Board of Directors meetings and approvals as needed.
5. Regional Office Support
- Provide legal support to branch offices in Houston, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Toronto, including reviewing contracts, advising on employment and local regulatory matters.
- Periodic travel to branch offices as needed.
6. Bilingual Support & HQ Coordination (Preferred)
- Translate and summarize legal documents and correspondence (Korean ↔ English) when required.
- Help align U.S. legal operations with Korea HQ's policies and risk management framework
Qualifications
- Licensed to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (J.D. degree from an accredited U.S. law school preferred)
- Minimum of 5 years of relevant legal experience in a law firm or in-house legal department
- Strong understanding of U.S. regulatory requirements (customs, trade, corporate law)
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work cross-functionally and across time zones with HQ in Korea
Preferred Experience:
- Bilingual in Korean and English preferred (not required, but highly advantageous)
- Experience in the international trade, commercial transactions, corporate compliance or logistics sectors
- Previous in-house experience with a Korean or global trading company
What's On Offer
Comprehensive health insurance, 401K, PTO
Apply online or feel free to contact us directly for more information about the opportunity. Due to the high volume of applicant, we regret to inform that only shortlisted candidates will be notified. Thank you for your understanding.
