Legal Counsel

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Hard Rock International seeks a Legal Counsel - Labor Relations to advise on collective bargaining, union relations, and compliance across gaming and hospitality operations. The role involves negotiation support, grievance handling, investigations, and policy drafting to ensure lawful, business-minded guidance for management.

You will interact with HR, operations, and outside counsel, handling notices, charges, and arbitrations while traveling to union negotiations as needed.

Qualifications

• Experience advising on labor relations and collective bargaining agreements.
• Strong analytical, writing, and legal research skills.
• Ability to provide practical business-minded advice to non-lawyers.
• Experience with union-side or management labor-law matters is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Advise property management and human resources on labor relations matters, including CBAs.
• Support collective bargaining negotiations with proposals, issue research, costs, and language drafting.
• Manage and help resolve grievances and support labor arbitrations.
• Respond to unfair labor practice charges and NLRB proceedings.
• Advise on union organizing and lawful management communications during campaigns.
• Provide day-to-day guidance on employment law issues, discipline, leaves, wage/hour, and discrimination compliance.
• Assist in agency charges and audits (EEOC, DOL, state agencies).
• Support outside counsel in employment litigation and discovery management.
• Draft and review employment policies, handbooks, and separation agreements.
• Deliver manager training on labor relations and CBA compliance.
• Stay updated on federal, state, local, and tribal labor law developments.
• Attend union negotiations at various properties, requiring regular US travel.

Skills

Labor relations

CBAs

NLRB

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Job description

Our team members are the key to our company's success, and their health and well-being, as well as that of their families, is very important to us. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that allows our team members stay healthy, plan for their future and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Benefits may vary with employment status. To see our fill list of Team Member Benefits please visit our career site: https://www.gotoworkhappy.com/benefits

Job Description:

Overview: Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies with venues in over 70 countries spanning 265 locations that include owned/licensed or managed Rock Shops®, Live Performance Venues and Cafes. HRI also launched a joint venture named Hard Rock Digital in 2020, an online sportsbook, retail sportsbook and internet gaming platform. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world's largest and most valuable collection of authentic music memorabilia at more than 86,000 pieces, which are displayed at its locations around the globe. In 2022, Hard Rock Hotels was honored as the number one brand in Outstanding Guest Satisfaction for the second year in a row among Upper Upscale Hotels in J.D. Power's North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study. This designation is the fourth consecutive year the iconic brand has been among top brands in this category. HRI is the first privately-owned gaming company designated U.S. Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal for the second year. Hard Rock was also honored as one of Forbes' Best Employers for Women, Diversity and New Grads and a Top Large Employer in the Travel & Leisure, Gaming, and Entertainment Industry. In 2021, Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos received first place ranking in the Casino Gaming Executive Satisfaction Survey conducted by Bristol Associates Inc. and Spectrum Gaming Group for six of the last seven years. For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com or shop.hardrock.com. The Legal Counsel - Labor Relations will advise on traditional labor and employment matters across our gaming and hospitality operations. This role is a strong fit for an early-career attorney who wants hands‑on experience in collective bargaining, union relations, workplace compliance, and employment litigation in a fast‑paced, heavily regulated industry.

Key Responsibilities:

• Advise property management and human resources on labor relations matters, including how to interpret and apply collective bargaining agreements (CBAs).
• Support collective bargaining negotiations by preparing proposals, researching issues, analyzing costs, and drafting agreement language.
• Manage and help resolve grievances, and prepare for and support labor arbitrations.
• Help respond to unfair labor practice charges, representation petitions, and other proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) [and applicable tribal or state labor authorities].
• Advise on union organizing activity and on lawful management communications during campaigns.
• Provide day-to-day guidance on employment law issues, including discipline and terminations, leaves of absence, accommodations, wage and hour compliance (including tipped-employee and tip-pooling rules), and anti-discrimination and anti-harassment compliance.
• Help respond to agency charges and audits from bodies such as the EEOC, the Department of Labor, and state workforce agencies.
• Support outside counsel in employment litigation, and manage discovery, document collection, and case strategy as assigned.
• Draft and review employment policies, handbooks, separation agreements, and related documents.
• Run training for managers on labor relations, CBA compliance, and employment law topics.
• Keep up with changes in federal, state, local, and tribal labor and employment law that are relevant to our operations.
• Will attend union negotiations at the Company's various properties, so regular US travel is required.

Qualifications Required:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
• Active bar license in good standing.
• 2–5 years of labor law experience at a law firm, in-house legal department, government agency, or union‑side practice.
• Working knowledge of the National Labor Relations Act and core federal employment statutes (e.g., Title VII, ADA, FMLA, FLSA).
• Excellent legal research, writing, and analytical skills.
• Sound judgment and the ability to give practical, business‑minded advice to non‑lawyers.
• Ability to handle several matters at once and meet deadlines in a fast‑paced setting.
• Preferred: Experience in the gaming, hospitality, or entertainment industries.
• Exposure to collective bargaining, grievance arbitration, and NLRB proceedings.

Hard Rock International is an equal opportunity employer. We live our motto LOVE ALL - SERVE ALL, and strive to foster an inclusive workplace culture for every team member. Hard Rock welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is the policy of Hard Rock to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact a member of our Human Resources team.

Disclaimer While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the current job or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change, (e.g. emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs or technical developments).

Be Iconic represents the roots of our culture. The Seminole Tribe of Florida remains the only unconquered tribe in the United States of America. The Tribe established Seminole Gaming in 1979, when it opened the first high‑stakes bingo hall in the United States. Building on its rich heritage of courageous and groundbreaking achievements, the Seminole Tribe of Florida acquired Hard Rock International in March 2007 - the first transaction of its kind by a Native American tribe. Today, Hard Rock International remains one of the most globally recognized companies in the world, with Hard Rock Hotel, Casino, Cafe and Rock Shop® venues in over 74 countries. With the continued growth of Seminole Gaming and Hard Rock International, Seminole Hard Rock Support Services was created to support all of our brands and lines of business. With the largest global footprint in the hospitality industry for over 50 years, our number‑one job is to bring fun and excitement to our team members and our guests!