Assistant General Counsel

Smithfield Foods, Inc.; Smithfield, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 243,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation package

Job summary

Smithfield Foods, Inc. is seeking an Assistant General Counsel onsite in Smithfield, VA. The role provides broad legal advisory support to the company and reports to the Associate General Counsel for Labor and Employment.

You will collaborate with HR and business leaders, manage litigation and discovery, and guide government investigations while ensuring legal and ethical compliance within the organization.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school.
• Bar admission to at least one U.S. state.
• Minimum 5+ years of substantive business law experience in a corporate or law firm.
• Strong leadership, risk management, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice to the Company on labor and employment matters.
• Advise HR and business leaders on wage/hour, workplace safety, discrimination, privacy, labor-management relations, and immigration.
• Conduct EEO and ethics investigations and assist with government investigations.
• Manage employment litigation strategy, pleadings, e-discovery, and outside counsel relationships.
• Oversee discovery requests, subpoenas, and information production.

Skills

Communication skills

Leadership

Analytical ability

Collaborative

Risk management

Education

Juris Doctorate

Bar admission

Job description

## Assistant General CounselApply: Onsite: Smithfield, VA: Full time: Posted Today: R-2026-12516**If you are currently employed at Smithfield, please log into Workday and submit your application through the Jobs Hub.**Have a seat at our table. When you join Smithfield, you become part of something special – a company that's sustainably feeding people around the world, producing good food the right way with respect for our people, animals, communities and planet. With opportunities across locations and functions, a culture grounded in our Core Four values - gratitude, communication, respect and accountability - and a strong commitment to learning, collaboration, and innovation, Smithfield offers challenging and rewarding careers where you can grow, contribute and make a real impact. **Apply Now!*** **THE VALUE YOU’LL BRING:** The position summary states the general nature and purpose of the job. Overall accountabilities are defined in this section. This position provides legal advice to the Company and generally assists the Legal Department and individual business units with a wide range of labor and employment matters. The attorney reports to the Company’s Associate General Counsel for Labor and Employment and works closely with other members of the Legal Department and individual business units to achieve business objectives within acceptable risk profiles. The attorney performs duties consistent with legal and ethical requirements as well as Company values, standards, culture and business practices. **WHAT YOU’LL DO:** The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. May perform other duties as assigned. **Labor & Employment Strategy:** Stay abreast of labor and employment laws, regulatory developments, and industry trends, and partner with the Associate General Counsel and business leaders to develop proactive workforce risk, compliance, and litigation-avoidance strategies. **Employment Law Counsel:** Advise Human Resources and business leaders on all labor and employment matters, including wage and hour, workplace safety, discrimination, privacy, labor-management relations, and immigration. **Investigations & Government Response:** Conduct EEO and ethics hotline investigations, and assist Chief Legal Officer and Associate General Counsel for Labor and Employment with government investigations, including fact-finding, response preparation, and coordination with internal stakeholders. **Litigation Management:** Engage in all aspects of labor and employment litigation, including risk assessment, case strategy, litigation holds, pleadings review, e-discovery compliance, and partnership with outside counsel. **Discovery & Information Requests:** Manage the Company's response to discovery requests, subpoenas, third-party information requests, and other legal document production requirements. **Outside Counsel & Budget Oversight:** Manage outside labor and employment counsel, managing performance, legal spending, budgets, and overall case costs. **Settlement & Trial Preparation:** Assist in preparing witnesses for depositions and trial testimony, prepare for and attend mediations and settlement conferences, and draft and or review settlement agreements, confidentiality agreements, and protective orders. **Law Department Operations:** Support the Chief Legal Officer and Associate General Counsel for Labor and Employment with departmental planning, budgeting, administrative matters, and overall legal strategy. **WHAT WE’RE SEEKING**: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions. **Education & Experience:**Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school and 10+ years of relevant experience required. **Bar Admission:** Must be admitted to practice in at least one U.S. state. **Legal Background:** Minimum 5+ years of substantive business law experience with a corporate legal department or a well regarded law firm. **Project & Risk Management:**Demonstrated ability to manage multiple matters, balance shifting priorities, and provide sound risk-based counsel while delivering timely, accurate results. **Communication & Influence:** Excellent oral and written communication, organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills with the ability to simplify complex concepts for diverse audiences. **Judgment** **& Problem Solving:** Sound judgment; ability to clearly make reasoned recommendations and determine who should be kept informed. **Leadership & Work Ethic**: Performance-driven with good business sense, strong ownership, urgency, honesty, fairness, and the ability to inspire confidence. **Collaboration & Culture Fit:**Team-oriented with a collaborative, respectful, and approachable style that fosters trust and positive working relationships. **Adaptability & Resilience:** Calm under pressure with the self-confidence to serve as an engaged partner to internal clients in a highly dynamic environment. **Flexibility:** Willingness to travel occasionally in support of business and legal needs.The expected pay range for this position is $200,000 - $242,500 annually.*Smithfield Foods provides pay ranges that reflect its good faith estimate of the salary or hourly wage the company reasonably expects to pay for a position at the time of hire. Individual compensation will be determined based on several factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the role, location of the position, the candidate’s qualifications and experience, internal equity, external market pay for comparable positions and budget considerations. At Smithfield Foods, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive total rewards package.* *Learn more about our benefits package here.*Relocation Package AvailableYes