Labor and Employment Counsel

Specialty Building Products; Duluth (GA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

Company-Paid Life Insurance & Dis

401(k) with Company Match

Company-Paid Time Off

Paid Holidays & Floating Holidays

Plus Additional Perks

Job summary

Specialty Building Products is seeking a Corporate Counsel – Labor & Employment to join the Legal team in the United States. The role serves as a trusted advisor to Human Resources, Operations, Safety, DOT, and executives, delivering practical guidance on employment, compliance, and corporate matters.

The ideal candidate is collaborative, solutions-oriented, and capable of navigating complex employment laws to support business objectives across a growing, multi-state organization.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• 10+ years of labor and employment law experience with a mix of law firm and in-house.
• Extensive knowledge of federal employment laws across multiple states.
• Experience advising senior leaders and HR on complex employee relations.
• Experience managing employment litigation, regulatory matters, and coordinating with outside counsel.
• Strong legal research, analytical, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication skills translating complex issues into practical business guidance.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary legal advisor on labor and employment matters across multiple states.
• Advise HR and business leaders on employee relations, investigations, performance management, disciplinary actions, accommodations, leaves, wage/hour compliance, and terminations.
• Draft, review, and update employment agreements, separation agreements, policies, handbooks, and HR procedures.
• Monitor changes in federal, state, and local employment laws and advise on impact to operations.
• Lead compliance initiatives involving wage/hour regulations, background checks, safety, privacy, and hiring practices.
• Manage employment litigation, regulatory matters, and outside counsel collaborations.
• Assist with workers' compensation, automobile liability, and other insured claims with internal/external teams.
• Provide guidance on labor relations matters and union-related issues when applicable.
• Develop and deliver practical employment law training for HR and leadership.

Skills

Labor & Employment Law

Cross-state practice

Legal advisory

Communication

Risk assessment

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Job description

Specialty Building Products (SBP), a leading provider of building products and services throughout North America, is seeking an experienced Corporate Counsel – Labor & Employment to join our Legal team.

This position will serve as a trusted legal advisor to Human Resources, Operations, Safety, DOT, and executive leadership, providing practical, business-focused legal guidance across a wide range of employment, compliance, and corporate matters.

The ideal candidate is a collaborative, solutions-oriented attorney who can navigate complex employment laws, identify and mitigate legal risks, and support business objectives across a growing, multi-state organization.

Key Responsibilities

Employment Law & Legal Advisory

• Serve as a primary legal advisor on labor and employment matters across multiple states, partnering with Canadian employment counsel as needed.
• Advise HR and business leaders on employee relations, performance management, investigations, disciplinary actions, accommodations, leaves of absence, wage and hour compliance, reductions in force, and terminations.
• Provide practical legal guidance that balances regulatory compliance with operational and business needs.
• Draft, review, and update employment agreements, separation agreements, workplace policies, employee handbooks, and HR procedures.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Monitor changes in federal, state, and local employment laws and advise on their impact on business operations.
• Lead and support compliance initiatives involving wage and hour regulations, pay transparency, background checks, workplace safety, employee privacy, and hiring practices.
• Partner with HR and business leaders to develop scalable processes, policies, and training programs that promote compliance and reduce organizational risk.
• Provide guidance on employment-related matters involving DOT regulations, OSHA, and workplace safety.

Litigation & Outside Counsel Management

• Manage employment litigation, administrative charges, and regulatory investigations involving agencies such as the EEOC, DOL, OSHA, and state labor agencies.
• Partner with outside counsel to develop litigation strategies, manage legal expenses, and support dispute resolution.
• Assist with workers' compensation, automobile liability, general liability, and other insured claims in partnership with internal teams and external providers.
• Provide guidance on labor relations matters, including union-related issues and collective bargaining, when applicable.

Business Partnership & Strategic Support

• Partner with HR, Operations, Payroll, Benefits, Safety, Compliance, and executive leadership on legal and business initiatives.
• Support mergers, acquisitions, and organizational integrations through employment-related due diligence and post-acquisition guidance.
• Coordinate with outside immigration counsel on employment-based immigration and work authorization matters.
• Develop and deliver practical employment law training for HR professionals and business leaders.
• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements, including customer, supplier/vendor, confidentiality, and other business contracts.

Required Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• 10+ years of labor and employment law experience, preferably with a combination of law firm and in-house corporate experience.
• Extensive knowledge of federal employment laws and experience advising employers across multiple states.
• Experience supporting organizations with nationwide operations.
• Demonstrated experience advising senior leaders and HR professionals on complex employee relations and employment law matters.
• Experience managing employment litigation, regulatory matters, and outside counsel.
• Strong legal research, analytical, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, actionable business guidance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous in-house counsel experience within a large, multi-location organization.
• Experience with employment-based immigration matters.
• Experience supporting mergers, acquisitions, and employment-related due diligence.
• Familiarity with distribution, manufacturing, transportation, logistics, or industrial operations.
• Knowledge of DOT regulations, OSHA requirements, and workplace safety matters.
• Experience developing and implementing enterprise-wide employment compliance programs.

What We're Looking For

• A collaborative business partner who builds strong relationships and credibility across all levels of the organization.
• A practical, solutions-oriented attorney who can balance legal risk with business objectives.
• Strong judgment, integrity, professionalism, and discretion.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and complex legal matters in a fast-paced environment.
• A proactive mindset focused on risk mitigation, process improvement, and continuous improvement.
• Someone who enjoys working cross-functionally and contributing to the organization's long-term success.

Why Join Specialty Building Products?

At SBP, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact across a dynamic organization with operations throughout North America.

As Corporate Counsel – Labor & Employment, you will work closely with business leaders, influence company policies and practices, support strategic initiatives, and help shape a compliant, collaborative, and high-performing workplace.

Join a team where your legal expertise, business partnership, and strategic guidance will make a difference.

Being a part of SBP you will be eligible for many benefits. Full-Time benefits would include:

• Medical, Dental, Vision given on the 1 st of the month following 30 days of employment
• Company-Paid Life Insurance & Disability
• 401(k) with Company Match
• Company-Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays & Floating Holidays
• PLUS ADDITIONAL PERKS!

We are proud to have the best team in our industry. We have experienced a tremendous amount of growth as a company. This growth has served not only our customer base but has also provided significant opportunities for advancement amongst our employees.

Specialty Building Products is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy of Specialty Building Products not to discriminate in hiring and employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age, military status, genetic information, or other protected class status in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.