Legal Counsel @ NewCold

Counselwell Inc.; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 145.000 - 165.000; Vollzeit

Benefits dieser Stelle

Health insurance

Retirement savings plan

Life and disability insurance

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Zusammenfassung

NewCold is seeking a dynamic Legal Counsel to join its North American legal team at the Chicago headquarters. The attorney will partner across the business on commercial contracts, M&A, labor & employment, compliance, and corporate governance in a fast‑growing, global organization.

The role reports to the VP of Legal, North America, and offers a chance to influence strategic decisions within automated, temperature‑controlled logistics facilities across North America.

Qualifikationen

• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to provide practical, business‑oriented legal guidance.
• Proactive, self‑starting mindset with initiative and end‑to‑end ownership of workstreams.
• Clear and confident communication, translating complex legal concepts for non‑legal stakeholders.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work under pressure.
• Internal client‑focused approach with timely, actionable legal guidance.
• Strong drafting skills to simplify, clarify, and negotiate contractual terms.
• Five to seven years of post‑JD legal experience, ideally with in‑house and law‑firm exposure.
• Hands‑on experience advising on labor and employment issues with OSHA exposure.
• Active Illinois bar license.

Aufgaben

• Serve as a trusted legal advisor to North American leadership and operations, giving practical guidance across matters.
• Partner with HR on employment issues, wage/hour compliance, terminations, leaves, and investigations.
• Lead workplace safety matters, OSHA compliance, incident response, and regulator interactions.
• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements including customer warehousing, vendor, and SaaS contracts.
• Support corporate M&A transactions from due diligence to closing and integration.
• Assist with financing activities, incentives, grants, and debt facilities as needed.

Kenntnisse

Commercial awareness

Self-starter

Communication skills

Prioritization

Client-focused

Drafting skills

Legal project management

Ausbildung

Juris Doctor (JD)

Jobbeschreibung

Build the future of food

At NewCold, we’re shaping the future of the food supply chain. Our warehouses and transport network connect the world’s major food manufacturers with retailers and food service providers.

Join a collaborative team of doers, innovators, and engineers who are dedicated to making a real impact. Together with advanced robotics and cutting‑edge technology, we’re not just keeping up with the times – we’re pioneering smarter, more sustainable operations to keep the world’s food fresh and safe.

To support our rapid growth, we’re constantly looking for talented people to join our team. Want to be a part of a dynamic, forward‑thinking environment? Join us!

Your role as a Legal Counsel

We are looking for a dynamic and highly motivated Legal Counsel to join its North American legal team at the company’s regional headquarters in Chicago, IL. This role offers a rare and exciting opportunity for an attorney to gain broad, hands‑on experience across a wide range of legal disciplines within a fast‑paced, high‑growth, and global organization.

Pay Range

The typical pay range for this role is $145,000 - $165,000. This position is eligible for a bonus in addition to the base pay. The base salary will depend on experience, education, geography and other factors.

Benefits

NewCold also provides eligible employees with access to a full range of competitive benefit programs, generally including health insurance, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance, and programs that provide for paid and unpaid time away from work. Employees receive 4 weeks of accrued paid time off and paid holidays throughout the calendar year. Specific programs and options vary by eligibility factors such as geographic location and date of hire.

Position Overview

Reporting directly to the Vice President of Legal, North America, the Legal Counsel will serve as a strategic legal partner to the business, supporting the development and expansion of NewCold’s state‑of‑the‑art, automated, temperature‑controlled logistics facilities across North America. This high‑impact position involves legal support for commercial contracts, M&A, labor & employment, compliance, workplace safety, finance, and corporate governance.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted legal advisor to NewCold’s North American leadership and operational teams, delivering practical, business‑oriented legal guidance across a wide range of matters and disciplines.
• Partner with HR and business leaders on the full spectrum of employment matters, including hiring, wage and hour compliance, terminations, accommodations, leaves, restrictive covenants, and internal investigations.
• Serve as legal lead on workplace safety matters across NewCold’s automated cold storage network, advising on federal and state OSHA compliance, incident response, root‑cause investigations, citation defense, and regulator interactions.
• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad portfolio of commercial agreements that power NewCold’s daily operations and growth, including customer warehousing and logistics contracts, vendor and supplier arrangements, technology and SaaS agreements, equipment leases, and services agreements.
• Support execution of corporate M&A transactions from initial evaluation through closing, including due diligence, deal structuring, drafting and negotiating purchase agreements, and managing post‑closing integration matters.
• Support financing that fuels NewCold’s expansion, including construction loans, term facilities, refinancings, and equipment leases, as well as state and local economic incentives such as tax abatements and grants.

Candidate Profile

We are seeking motivated and forward‑thinking individuals who thrive in collaborative and fast‑moving environments. Our ideal candidate has:

• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to provide practical, solutions‑oriented legal advice that aligns with business goals and operational realities.
• A proactive, self‑starting mindset with the confidence to take initiative, own workstreams end‑to‑end, and drive matters forward with limited oversight.
• Clear and confident communication skills, capable of translating complex legal concepts into accessible guidance for non‑legal stakeholders at all levels.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously, track key deadlines, and work efficiently under pressure in a fast‑paced, evolving environment.
• Internal client‑focused approach with a strong desire to build trust, anticipate needs, and deliver timely, actionable legal guidance tailored to the audience.
• Strong drafting skills with the ability to simplify, clarify, and negotiate contractual terms in a way that safeguards the business without over‑lawyering.
• Five to seven years of post‑JD legal experience, ideally with a combination of in‑house and law‑firm experience.
• Hands‑on experience advising on labor and employment issues, with exposure to workplace safety and OSHA compliance.
• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school and an active license to practice law in Illinois.

Ready to make an impact?

Our goal is to keep the world’s food fresh and safe with our proprietary technologies and innovative solutions. Join our team and help build a more efficient, innovative, and sustainable food supply chain. Your next career chapter starts at NewCold.

Whether you’re a seasoned expert or just starting your career, NewCold provides the opportunities and challenges that allow you to grow and excel. Ready to turn your curiosity into impact?

NewCold provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, results of genetic testing, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), or service in the military. Equal employment opportunity applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training.

NewCold expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment or discrimination based on any of the characteristics mentioned above. Improper interference with the ability of other employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated.