Senior Counsel, Labor & Employment

Ford; Dearborn (MI); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO

Retirement plans

Stock plans

Incentive pay

Growth opportunities

Vehicle discounts

Tuition assistance

ERGs

Paid holidays

Job summary

Ford Motor Company seeks a Senior Counsel, Labor & Employment to serve as a lead legal expert and strategic advisor to HR, senior leadership, and operations. The role focuses on proactive guidance, risk mitigation, and compliance with U.S. employment laws while supporting a high‑performance culture.

The candidate will oversee employment litigation, internal investigations, and policy development, partnering with executives on day‑to‑day matters and organizational changes.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.
• Active bar admission in at least one U.S. state.
• 8–10 years of dedicated labor and employment law experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead and defend employment-related litigation, including class actions and administrative charges.
• Provide proactive day‑to‑day employment counseling to HR and leadership.
• Develop scalable, compliant policies aligning with business objectives.
• Advise on wage/hour, leave laws, and workplace investigations.
• Review and negotiate employment agreements and policies.

Skills

Labor & employment law

Litigation management

Policy development

FLSA/ADA/FMLA knowledge

Counseling executives

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Active State Bar admission

Job description

The Senior Counsel, Labor & Employment will serve as a lead legal expert, strategic advisor, and trusted partner to the Human Resources department, senior business leadership, and operational teams. This role is primarily focused on providing proactive, day‑to‑day legal advice and counseling to mitigate organizational risk, ensure compliance with U.S. federal, state, and local employment laws, and support a high‑performance workplace culture.

While this role involves overseeing employment litigation, administrative charges, and labor‑related matters, the ideal candidate will prioritize proactive advisory functions—building scalable, compliant policies and providing real‑time, practical guidance that aligns with the company’s strategic business objectives and values.

You Will...

• Manage and develop the defense strategy for employment-related litigation, including class actions, single‑plaintiff lawsuits, and administrative charges.
• Direct and manage a large, active docket of employment-related litigation, including class actions, collective actions, and single‑plaintiff lawsuits (claims involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour, and wrongful termination).
• Develop and execute comprehensive defense strategies from inception through resolution, including driving early case assessments, determining settlement vs. trial strategies, and managing discovery.
• Early Dispute Resolution: Evaluate pre‑litigation demands and internal escalations; negotiate strategic resolutions to minimize financial exposure and operational disruption.
• Act as the primary legal partner to HR and business leaders on a wide range of day‑to‑day employment matters, including recruiting, hiring, performance management, accommodations, discipline, terminations, and organizational restructurings/RIFs.
• Balance legal risks with business goals, demonstrating a strong ability to find creative, compliant pathways to achieve business objectives (finding the 'yes' through risk‑calibrated solutions).
• Provide expert guidance on FLSA classifications, state‑specific wage and hour laws, pay transparency requirements, pay equity initiatives, and compensation practices.
• Advise on complex disability, religious, and leave of absence issues involving the ADA, FMLA, Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), and various state‑level paid leave programs.
• Provide legal oversight, strategy, and guidance on sensitive internal investigations into allegations of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, fraud, or other violations of company policy.
• Advise and review workplace policies, employee handbooks, and employment‑related agreements (e.g., executive offer letters, separation agreements, and confidentiality/restrictive covenant agreements).

You’ll Have...

• Education: Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
• Bar Admission: Active member in good standing of at least one U.S. State Bar (with the ability to register as in‑house counsel if relocating).
• Experience: Minimum of 8–10 years of dedicated experience practicing labor and employment law.
• Jurisdictional Reach: Proven experience managing employment law issues across multiple U.S. jurisdictions, with a deep understanding of state‑specific variations (e.g., California, Illinois, New York).
• Dual Experience: A combination of rigorous training at a major law firm and subsequent in‑house corporate legal experience.
• Legal Expertise: Comprehensive, up‑to‑date knowledge of U.S. federal and state employment laws (Title VII, ADEA, ADA, FMLA, FLSA, NLRA, etc.).
• Communication Skills: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to translate complex legal concepts into clear, actionable, and business‑friendly advice.
• Executive Presence: Strong interpersonal skills and the professional maturity to advise, influence, and build trust with senior executives and stakeholders.

You May also Have…

• Industry Experience: Experience providing legal support within the automotive, manufacturing, supply chain, or industrial sectors.
• Change Management: Experience advising on employment matters related to corporate mergers, acquisitions, integrations, or major business transformations.

What you’ll receive in return…

As part of the Ford family, you’ll enjoy excellent compensation, and a comprehensive benefits package that includes generous PTO, retirement, savings and stock investment plans, incentive compensation, and much more. You’ll also experience exciting opportunities for professional and personal growth and recognition.

Our benefits summary can be found here:

2026-New-Hire-Benefit-Summary-LL4.pdf

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp‑up programs, subsidized back‑up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is a leadership level 4.
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is remote, requiring one to two weeks of business travel per month #LI-Remote #LI-MB3