Legal Counsel - USA & Canada

Objective: The Legal Counsel – USA & Canada will serve as a key member of the Business Area Americas legal team, providing strategic and practical legal support within Business Area with respect to the United States and Canada.  This role is responsible for managing all day-to-day legal matters for Business Area Americas operations based on Calvert, Alabama, as well as advising all other business functions (i.e., sales, operations, procurement, finance, supply chain, human resources, and IT) on legal risks, compliance, and business initiatives.  The Legal Counsel will also be part of the broader global legal team of Outokumpu Corporation, the parent company based on Helsinki, Finland, and will interact periodically with other members of the global legal team who are located throughout Europe. In addition to traditional legal responsibilities, this role plays a critical part in legal operations, including process design, legal intake management, and optimization of workflows within the company’s contract lifecycle management (CLM) system, LawVu. The Legal Counsel will directly manage a Contracts Specialist and collaborate cross-functionally to improve how legal requests are triaged, tracked, and executed.

Travel : 1 time per year to Helsinki, Finland and  2-3 times per year to San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Requirements:

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school
• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
• 5+ years of relevant legal experience, with a strong focus on commercial contracting
• In-house experience preferred, particularly in manufacturing, industrial, or related sectors

Technical & Operational Expertise

• Demonstrated experience drafting and negotiating complex cross-border agreements
• Hands-on experience with LawVu or similar contract lifecycle management (CLM) tools
• Strong understanding of legal operations, including intake management, workflow design, and process optimization

• Experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment (preferred)
• Experience implementing or optimizing CLM systems and legal workflows (preferred)

Competencies and skills:

• Experience managing or mentoring legal or operations staff
• Strong project management and organizational skills
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities
• Ability to balance legal risk with business objectives in a practical, solutions-oriented manner
• High attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Interest in legal innovation, automation, and continuous improvement

Responsibilities:

1. Commercial Contracts

• Draft, review, and negotiate sale-side agreements, including sales agreements, customer contracts, and related commercial documents
• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of procurement and buy-side agreements, including supplier agreements, raw material purchase agreements, master services agreements, logistics and transportation contracts, equipment purchase agreements, warehousing agreements, and SaaS agreements
• Provide clear, risk-based legal guidance to internal stakeholders across all other business functions
• Develop standard contract templates and playbooks to support efficient commercial operations
• Ensure contracts align with internal policies, risk tolerance, and applicable U.S. and Canadian laws and regulations
• Support strategic initiatives and third party negotiations with practical legal guidance

2. Legal Advisory

• Serve as the primary legal advisor for all day-to-day matters related to all other business functions in Calvert, Alabama
• Identify risks and advise internal stakeholders on how to mitigate those risks while still enabling them to execute their strategy and meet their business objectives
• Partner with business leaders to support strategic initiatives and resolve legal challenges proactively

3. Legal Operations & LawVu Management

• Utilize LawVu to manage day-to-day contracting workflows and broader legal operations
• Design, implement, and continuously improve legal intake, triage, and workflow processes within LawVu
• Develop and maintain templates, playbooks, and automated workflows to increase efficiency and consistency
• Monitor and report on key legal metrics, including contract turnaround time and workload tracking

4. Team Leadership

• Manage and mentor the Contracts Specialist responsible for administering LawVu and supporting contract lifecycle processes
• Provide guidance on prioritization, workflow optimization, and system utilization
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence within the legal function

5. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with all other business functions to streamline legal processes
• Train internal stakeholders on legal processes, contract templates, and use of LawVu
• Act as a bridge between legal and business teams to enhance communication and efficiency

Salary: USD.121,800-152,200

What we offer:

•           10 paid observed holidays plus 2 additional floating holidays to use at your discretion. 80 hours of paid time off annually, prorated based on hire date.

•           401(k) retirement plan with a 100% company match on the first 6% of your contributions

•           Medical coverage with HDHP and PPO plan options featuring affordable premiums and deductibles

•           Employer HSA contribution of $1,000 (individual) or $2,000 (family) for team members enrolled in the HDHP plan

•           Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

•           Dental and Vision coverage

•           Employer paid Short Term and Long Term Disability Insurance

•           Employer paid Group Life and AD&D insurance equal to 2½ times annual salary, with optional Supplemental Life and AD&D coverage

•           Voluntary benefits, including Aflac supplemental plans, Aura Identity and Fraud protection, and Legal Insurance

•           Employer paid wellness programs, including Calm Health, Hinge Health, and Lark