Legal Counsel

Key Responsibilities:

1. Legal Advisory & Compliance

• Provide timely and practical legal advice on commercial, regulatory, and operational matters to support business activities in the U.S. and Canada, including:
• Steel(e.g., Cold-Roll, Hot-Roll, Automotive)
• Chemicals
• Agro-commodities (e.g., Grain, Corn)
• Energy projects (e.g., LNG, CCS)
• Ensure ongoing compliance with applicable U.S. federal, state, and local laws, as well as Canadian regulations where relevant (e.g., trade, customs, tariffs & duties, chemical reporting, hazardous materials, anti-corruption, human-resource issues)
• Assist in internal audits, compliance monitoring, and risk assessments.

2. Contract Review & Negotiation

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of contracts, including:
• Sales and Purchase agreements
• Logistics, Warehouse, Agency and other Service agreements
• NDAs, MOUs, Investment agreements (e.g., Joint venture, Partnership and Shareholder agreements)
• Financial agreements (e.g., Loan Agreements, Guarantees & Collaterals)
• Human-Resource, General management related agreements (e.g., Employment Contracts, Severance Agreements, Lease Agreements)
• Ensure contracts comply with U.S. legal standards while considering Korean parent company practices.

3. Dispute Resolution & Risk Management

• Manage and respond to legal disputes and claims involving customers, vendors, employees or other third parties.
• Coordinate with external counsel for litigation, employment matters, or regulatory investigations as needed.
• Support the implementation of risk mitigation policies across business units.

4. Corporate & Governance Matters

• Oversee U.S. entity governance and corporate filings (including NY and NJ requirements).
• Support business license renewals and compliance for U.S. HQ and branch offices.
• Liaise with the Korea HQ regarding global compliance alignment and reporting.
• Ensure compliance with internal by-laws and coordinate Board of Directors meetings and approvals as needed.

5. Regional Office Support

• Provide legal support to branch offices in Houston, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Toronto, including reviewing contracts, advising on employment and local regulatory matters.
• Periodic travel to branch offices as needed.

6. Bilingual Support & HQ Coordination (Preferred)

• Translate and summarize legal documents and correspondence (Korean ↔ English) when required.
• Help align U.S. legal operations with Korea HQ’s policies and risk management framework

Qualifications:

• Licensed to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (J.D. degree from an accredited U.S. law school preferred)
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant legal experience in a law firm or in-house legal department
• Strong understanding of U.S. regulatory requirements (customs, trade, corporate law)
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work cross-functionally and across time zones with HQ in Korea

Preferred Experience:

• Bilingual in Korean and English preferred (not required, but highly advantageous)
• Experience in the international trade, commercial transactions, corporate compliance or logistics sectors
• Previous in-house experience with a Korean or global trading company

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $80,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $80,000 - $120,000