Chief Legal Counsel (CLO)

M.C. Dean, Inc.; Tysons (VA); Hybrid; USD 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

401k retirement plan

Military Reserve pay offset

Paid maternity leave

Job summary

M.C. Dean, Inc. seeks a Chief Legal Officer to lead the enterprise legal function, advise the CEO, and align legal with contracts, compliance, security, and risk across the organization.

The CLO will direct outside counsel, manage budgets and staffing, and report to the Board on enterprise legal matters. The successful candidate will have extensive experience with large construction contractors and federal contracting, strong communication skills, and the ability to provide risk-based guidance.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor or LLM from an accredited law school and U.S. bar admission.
• 12+ years of legal experience in law firms or in-house roles including construction contracting.
• Experience representing large construction contractors and federal contractors on contracting and compliance matters.
• Experience advising on technology/IP matters including drafting and negotiating technology agreements.
• Strong oral and written communication skills; ability to present advice clearly and concisely.
• Ability to identify legal risk and provide risk-based solutions to GC and business leaders.
• Eligible for a security clearance (not required).
• Entrepreneurial and willing to find practical compliance and legal solutions.
• Able to solve challenges through innovation and work with minimal direction and supervision.
• Forward-looking in issue identification and avoidance.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the Company’s enterprise legal strategy.
• Advise the CEO and governing leadership on significant legal matters.
• Oversee attorney-client privilege and legal professional standards across the Company.
• Direct material investigations, disputes, and strategic transactions.
• Select, engage, and manage outside counsel.
• Manage the legal department’s budget, staffing, and operating model.
• Coordinate with Contracts, Ethics and Compliance, Security, Export, Risk, HR, Finance and Operations; recommend improvements.

Skills

Communication skills

Legal risk assessment

Independent judgment

Entrepreneurial mindset

Innovative problem solving

Forward-looking

Education

JD or LLM degree

Bachelor's degree with 12+ years of legal experience

Job description

Overview

About M.C. Dean

M.C. Dean is Building Intelligence. We design, build, operate, and maintain cyber-physical solutions for the nation’s most mission-critical facilities, secure environments, complex infrastructure, and global enterprises. With over 7,000 employees, our capabilities span electrical, electronic security, telecommunications, life safety, automation and controls, audiovisual, and IT systems. Headquarters in Tysons, Virginia, M.C. Dean delivers resilient, secure, and innovative power and technology solutions through engineering expertise and smart systems integration.

Why Join Us?

Our people are passionate about engineering innovation that improves lives and drives impactful change. Guided by our core values—agility, expertise, and trust, we foster a collaborative and forward-thinking work environment. At M.C. Dean, we are committed to building the next generation of technical leaders in electrical, engineering, and cybersecurity industries.

Responsibilities

The Chief Legal Officer serves as the Company’s senior legal executive and leads its enterprise legal function. The CLO advises the Chief Executive Officer and governing leadership on legal strategy and matters affecting the Company. All attorneys and legal professionals employed by the Company or its controlled affiliates report to the CLO, directly or indirectly.

• Develop and lead the Company’s enterprise legal strategy.
• Advise the Chief Executive Officer and governing leadership on significant legal matters.
• Oversee attorney-client privilege and legal professional standards across the Company.
• Direct material investigations, disputes, and strategic transactions.
• Select, engage, and manage outside counsel.
• Manage the legal department’s budget, staffing recommendations, and operating model.
• Assess how Legal works with Contracts, Ethics and Compliance, Security, Export, Risk, Human Resources, Finance, and Operations; recommend organizational or process improvements.

Scope of Authority

Within approved Company budgets and policies, the CLO has authority to structure and manage the legal function, allocate legal work, and engage and manage outside counsel. The CLO may recommend staffing and other resources and has direct access to the Company’s Board or other governing leadership when reasonably necessary to fulfill the role’s responsibilities.

Before the appointment is announced, the CLO will align on the internal communication describing the CLO’s title, reporting relationship, and enterprise mandate.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree with 12+ years of relevant legal experience in a law firm and/or similar in-house position which could include:
  • Experience representing large construction contractors (subcontractor or general contractor) on complex construction projects
  • Experience with large federal contractor in contracting and compliance matters
  • Litigation experience on construction contract claims, bond claims, liens or other disputes
  • Experience advising on various legal risks and obligations relating to technology and intellectual property matters including drafting and negotiating technology agreements
• Juris Doctor or LLM degree from an accredited law school, and licensed to practice law in the U.S.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including the ability to present advice clearly and concisely.
• Ability to identify and communicate legal risk and risk-based solutions to General Counsel and business leaders.
• Eligible for a security clearance (although current clearance is not required)
• Possess practical, independent judgment and self-confidence.

• Be entrepreneurial and willing to find a practical solution to compliance and legal questions.
• Be able and willing to solve challenges through innovation; able to work with minimal direction and supervision; proactive, not reactive.
• Be forward-looking in issue identification and avoidance

We offer an excellent benefits package including:

• A competitive salary
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance
• Paid time off
• Tuition reimbursement
• 401k Retirement Plan
• Military Reserve pay offset
• Paid maternity leave

Abilities:

• Exposure to computer screens for an extended period of time.
• Sitting for extended periods of time.
• Reach by extending hands or arms in any direction.
• Have finger dexterity in order to manipulate objects with fingers rather than whole hands or arms, for example, using a keyboard.
• Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Identify and understand the speech of another person.