Associate General Counsel - Mergers & Acquisitions / Transactions

McCormick & Company, Incorporated; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career growth opportunities

Flexibility and Support for Diverse St

Wellbeing programs including Physical,

Job summary

McCormick & Company seeks an Associate General Counsel – Mergers & Acquisitions / Transactions to lead domestic and international deals from structuring through post-closing integration. You will advise senior leadership on deal strategy, governance, and regulatory considerations in a fast-paced, multinational environment.

The role offers hybrid work at our Global Headquarters and a broad view of McCormick’s growth initiatives across consumer products and manufacturing sectors.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar.
• 4–6 years of relevant legal experience with significant M&A and corporate transactional experience.
• Strong working knowledge of corporate governance matters.
• Experience with cross-border transactions and managing international counsel preferred.
• Exceptional drafting, negotiation, and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex matters simultaneously.
• Strong executive presence and ability to interact effectively with senior leadership and Board members.
• Willingness and flexibility to learn and master new and different legal practice areas
• Ability to adapt to changing situations and handle an array of legal issues
• Ability to develop, foster, and maintain long‑term effective working relationships at all levels of the company
• Excellent organizational, communication (verbal and written), and interpersonal skills; sound legal and business judgment
• Strategic thinker with strong business acumen.
• Sound judgment and ability to assess legal risk in a commercial context.
• High degree of integrity and discretion.
• Collaborative, team‑oriented mindset.
• Ability to operate independently while effectively managing stakeholders.
• Experience in the consumer products and/or manufacturing and distribution sectors a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead legal execution of domestic and international acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, minority investments, and strategic partnerships.
• Manage transaction lifecycle from initial structuring and diligence through negotiation, signing, closing, and post-closing integration support.
• Draft and negotiate purchase agreements, joint venture agreements, shareholder agreements, transition services agreements, and related transaction documentation.
• Coordinate and oversee external counsel across jurisdictions, ensuring cost-effectiveness and high-quality legal support.
• Advise business leaders on transaction structure, risk allocation, regulatory considerations, and integration strategy.
• Structure and negotiate joint ventures and other collaborative arrangements.
• Advise on governance frameworks, capital structures, exit mechanisms, and dispute resolution provisions.
• Support ongoing JV governance and partner relationship management.
• Support and lead legal aspects of corporate financing transactions, including revolving credit facilities, term loans, bridge facilities, public debt offerings, refinancing transactions and debt amendments.
• Draft and negotiate credit agreements, indentures, guarantee agreements, security documents, intercreditor agreements, and related financing documentation.
• Support rating agency engagement and disclosure considerations relating to financing transactions.
• Provide legal oversight for cash management structures, intercompany lending arrangements, and global treasury operations.
• Oversee global subsidiary governance framework to ensure compliance with local corporate law requirements and internal policies.
• Support formation, dissolution, restructuring, recapitalization, and integration of domestic and international entities.
• Coordinate with regional legal teams and external counsel to maintain statutory filings, board appointments, powers of attorney, and corporate records.
• Support enterprise-wide strategic initiatives, including restructurings and internal reorganizations.
• Develop and maintain legal templates, playbooks, and internal best practices for strategic transactions.

Skills

M&A experience

Cross-border transactions

Negotiation skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Executive presence

Negotiation

Team collaboration

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Bar admission (US state bar)

Job description

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Associate General Counsel - Mergers & Acquisitions / Transactions

HUNT VALLEY, MD, US, 21031

You may know McCormick as a leader in herbs, spices, seasonings, and condiments – and we’re only getting started. At McCormick, we’re always looking for new people to bring their unique flavor to our team.

McCormick employees – all 14,000 of us across the world – are what makes this company a great place to work.

We are looking to hire an The Associate General Counsel – Mergers & Acquisitions / Transactions immediately in a Hybrid (50/50) capacity at our Global Headquarters in Hunt Valley, Maryland.

What We Bring To The Table:

• Career growth opportunities
• Flexibility and Support for Diverse Life Stages and Choices
• Wellbeing programs including Physical, Mental and Financial wellness

As part of McCormick’s Legal Department, this position is an exciting opportunity to join a collegial, dynamic legal department and work with other in-house attorneys and professionals. The Associate General Counsel – Mergers & Acquisitions / Transactions will serve as a key legal advisor supporting McCormick’s global strategic growth initiatives. This role will lead and manage a variety of strategic transactions, including complex mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, minority investments, and complex finance and other corporate transactions while also advising on corporate governance and other strategic initiatives.

The position requires strong transactional expertise, sound business judgment, and the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, cross-functional, multinational environment. This role offers the opportunity to play a central role in shaping the company’s strategic growth agenda while working closely with senior leadership across a global organization.

Responsibilities

Mergers & Acquisitions & Strategic Transactions

• Lead legal execution of domestic and international acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, minority investments, and strategic partnerships.
• Manage transaction lifecycle from initial structuring and diligence through negotiation, signing, closing, and post-closing integration support.
• Draft and negotiate purchase agreements, joint venture agreements, shareholder agreements, transition services agreements, and related transaction documentation.
• Coordinate and oversee external counsel across jurisdictions, ensuring cost-effectiveness and high-quality legal support.
• Advise business leaders on transaction structure, risk allocation, regulatory considerations, and integration strategy.

Joint Ventures & Strategic Alliances

• Structure and negotiate joint ventures and other collaborative arrangements.
• Advise on governance frameworks, capital structures, exit mechanisms, and dispute resolution provisions.
• Support ongoing JV governance and partner relationship management.

Capital Markets and Related Transactions

• Support and lead legal aspects of corporate financing transactions, including revolving credit facilities, term loans, bridge facilities, public debt offerings, refinancing transactions and debt amendments.
• Draft and negotiate credit agreements, indentures, guarantee agreements, security documents, intercreditor agreements, and related financing documentation.
• Support rating agency engagement and disclosure considerations relating to financing transactions.
• Provide legal oversight for cash management structures, intercompany lending arrangements, and global treasury operations.

Subsidiary Governance and Other Strategic Initiatives

• Oversee global subsidiary governance framework to ensure compliance with local corporate law requirements and internal policies.
• Support formation, dissolution, restructuring, recapitalization, and integration of domestic and international entities.
• Coordinate with regional legal teams and external counsel to maintain statutory filings, board appointments, powers of attorney, and corporate records.
• Support enterprise-wide strategic initiatives, including restructurings and internal reorganizations.
• Develop and maintain legal templates, playbooks, and internal best practices for strategic transactions.

Candidate profile

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar.
• 4–6 years of relevant legal experience, with significant M&A and corporate transactional experience at a nationally recognized law firm and/or in-house legal department.
• Strong working knowledge of corporate governance matters.
• Experience with cross-border transactions and managing international counsel preferred.
• Exceptional drafting, negotiation, and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex matters simultaneously.
• Strong executive presence and ability to interact effectively with senior leadership and Board members.
• Willingness and flexibility to learn and master new and different legal practice areas
• Ability to adapt to changing situations and handle an array of legal issues
• Ability to develop, foster, and maintain long‑term effective working relationships at all levels of the company
• Excellent organizational, communication (verbal and written), and interpersonal skills; sound legal and business judgment
• Strategic thinker with strong business acumen.
• Sound judgment and ability to assess legal risk in a commercial context.
• High degree of integrity and discretion.
• Collaborative, team‑oriented mindset.
• Ability to operate independently while effectively managing stakeholders.
• Experience in the consumer products and/or manufacturing and distribution sectors a plus.

#LI-DNI

Base salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as geographic location, skills, education, experience for this role, and/or internal equity of our current employees as part of any final offer. This position is also eligible to participate in McCormick’s Incentive Bonus (MIB) Plan/ McCormick’s Sales Incentive Bonus (SIB) Plan/ McCormick’s Dividend Program. In addition to a competitive compensation package, permanent employees of McCormick are eligible for our extensive Total Rewards programs that include:

• Comprehensive health plans covering medical, vision, dental, life and disability benefits
• Family‑friendly benefits such as paid parental leave, fertility benefits, Employee Assistance Program, and caregiver support
• Retirement and investment programs including 401(k) and profit‑sharing plans

McCormick & Company is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

As a general policy, McCormick does not offer employment visa sponsorships upon hire or in the future.

WHY WORK AT MCCORMICK?

As a McCormick employee you’ll be empowered to focus on more than your individual responsibilities. You’ll have the opportunity to be part of something bigger than yourself—to have a say in where the company is going and how it’s growing.

Between our passion for flavor, our 130-year history of leadership and integrity, the competitive and comprehensive benefits we offer, and our culture, which is built on respect and opportunities for growth, there are many reasons to join us at McCormick.