Associate General Counsel - US

American Axle & Mfg., Inc.; Detroit (MI); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

American Axle & Manufacturing Inc. seeks an Associate General Counsel to serve as a strategic, business-oriented legal partner for the Americas.

The role focuses on leading commercial contracting, HR and employment matters, litigation management, and real estate work from Detroit, MI, with regular travel and collaboration across functions. The successful candidate will have a J.D., Michigan licensure, and 7+ years of experience in commercial transactions and employment law, with automotive

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree required.
• Licensed to practice in Michigan in good standing.
• 7+ years in commercial, employment, and manufacturing law; automotive experience preferred.
• Experience drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements with OEMs and suppliers.
• Advising on HR, labor, and multi-state employment matters.
• Knowledge of export controls, sanctions, and trade compliance.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements including supply, tooling, services, logistics, and trade.
• Provide pragmatic, business-oriented legal counsel to stakeholders across sales, procurement, HR, engineering, operations, quality, finance, IT, and EHS.
• Identify and mitigate legal and commercial risks; propose alternative structures or solutions.
• Support HR and labor matters including hiring, separations, policies, investigations, wage-hour issues, and EEOC claims.
• Advise on property and real estate matters including leases and transactions.
• Coordinate outside counsel, manage budgets, and ensure cost-effective legal services.
• Develop and deliver training and playbooks for commercial and employment practices.
• Manage litigation and pre-litigation strategy; assist with dispute resolution.

Skills

Contract drafting

Negotiation

HR/Labor counseling

Risk assessment

Cross-functional collaboration

Leadership

Multi-state employment

Export controls & trade compliance

Commercial transactions

Education

Juris Doctor Degree

Licensed to practice law in Michigan

Job description

Job Posting Title

Associate General Counsel - US

Legal Entity

American Axle & Manufacturing Inc

Job Description Summary

Dauch is looking for an Associate General Counsel to join our team in Detroit, MI. This individual will serve as a strategic, business-oriented legal partner to Dauch's Americas operations, supporting teams across the United States. Reporting to the Deputy General Counsel for the Americas, this role will lead and manage a broad range of commercial contracting matters, provide practical and actionable legal advice to cross-functional stakeholders, actively support HR and employment matters, manage litigation and dispute resolution, and advise on day-to-day business activities. The successful candidate will demonstrate sound legal judgment, strong leadership, and a solutions-driven, collaborative approach suited to a fast-paced manufacturing and supply chain environment.

Job Description

• Drafts, reviews, and negotiates a wide range of commercial agreements, including supply, procurement, tooling, services, logistics, customs and trade, confidentiality, quality, warranty, and technology agreements, ensuring alignment with company policies, applicable laws, and risk tolerance.

• Provides timely, pragmatic, and solution-oriented legal counseling to business stakeholders in sales, procurement, HR, engineering, operations, quality, finance, IT, and EHS, ensuring legal risks are clearly communicated, and business objectives are supported.

• Identifies, assesses, and mitigates legal and commercial risks, escalating issues as appropriate and proposing alternative structures or solutions that achieve business objectives while ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

• Supports HR and labor and employment matters, including hiring and separations, policies, investigations, accommodations, wage-and-hour issues, EEOC claims, training, and employee relations, coordinating with external counsel as appropriate and ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local laws.

• Supports and provides guidance on a broad range of property and real estate matters, including commercial leases, acquisitions, dispositions, and property-related disputes.

• Manages and coordinates outside counsel effectively and cost-efficiently, including matter scoping, budgeting, performance monitoring, and ensuring alignment with company objectives and cost controls.

• Develops and delivers legal training and playbooks for commercial and employment best practices.

• Manages litigation and assist with dispute management and pre-litigation strategy, including claim evaluation, correspondence, and negotiated resolutions.
• All other duties as assigned.

Required Skills and Education

• Juris Doctor Degree.

• Licensed and able to practice law in the State of Michigan and in good standing.

• 7+ years of relevant legal experience in a law firm and/or in-house legal department, with a strong focus on commercial transactions and employment and labor; manufacturing or automotive experience strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated experience drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements with OEMs, Tier 1/Tier 2 suppliers, and service providers.

• Experience advising business clients on day-to-day operational issues with clear, pragmatic guidance, strong stakeholder management, and the ability to translate legal concepts into actionable business advice.

• Demonstrated experience with HR/labor and employment counseling for multi-state U.S. operations.

• Understanding of property/real estate laws and experience supporting property contracts and transactions, including commercial leases and purchase and sale agreements.

• Strong contract interpretation, issue-spotting, and risk assessment skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage a diverse and high-volume workload in a dynamic environment.

• Knowledge of export controls, sanctions, and trade compliance frameworks applicable to the automotive sector.

• Familiarity with warranty and recall concerns or campaigns, and supply assurance strategies common in automotive supply chains, including risk mitigation and contingency planning.

Core Competencies

• Strong business judgment and solution orientation, with the ability to balance legal risk and commercial objectives while supporting business growth.

• Excellent drafting and negotiation skills, with clear, concise, and decisive written and verbal communication, and the ability to present complex legal concepts to non-legal audiences.

• Proven ability to build relationships and collaborate effectively across functions, cultures, and time zones, fostering a team-oriented environment.

• Demonstrated ownership, accountability, and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.

• Discretion, integrity, and sound professional ethics.

• Strategic thinking with a continuous improvement mindset for processes, templates, training, and legal operations.

Travel and Work Arrangement

• Hybrid rolebased in Detroit, Michigan with regular onsite collaboration.

• Occasional domestic and international travel required (approximately 10-15%).

About Dauch:

Dauch Corporation is a premier Driveline and Metal Forming supplier serving the global automotive industry with a powertrain-agnostic product portfolio that supports electric, hybrid, and internal combustion vehicles. The company is headquartered in Detroit, MI, with operations that span 24 countries and more than 175 locations. Formed through the acquisition of Dowlais Group plc and its subsidiaries - GKN Automotive and GKN Powder Metallurgy, Dauch unites deep engineering roots with global manufacturing capabilities and an entrepreneurial spirit to move mobility forward. Visit www.dauch.com to learn more.

Dauch will not discriminate against any Associate or applicant for employment because of age, race, color, gender, religion, weight, height, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic history or information, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, national origin, or other characteristic protected by law. Dauch will take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that Associates are treated equally during employment, without regard to their age, race, color, gender, religion, weight, height, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic history or information, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, national origin, or other characteristic protected by law. For the Disabled Job Seeker: We offer reasonable accommodations for qualified disabled individuals who are applicants for employment. To request assistance or accommodations, please e‑mail [e-mail]. Dauch is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.