General Counsel

The General Counsel is responsible for leading and managing the legal function for a group of privately held businesses headquartered out of Zeeland Michigan. The General Counsel reports to the ZFS Board and ZFS’s Co-Presidents and works closely with stakeholders across the organization with regard to areas such as legal advice on company initiatives, policies, contracts, agreements, strategies, and related implementation. These stakeholders range from the board level to team members throughout the organization. The General Counsel is directly involved in complex business transactions and negotiating critical contracts.

• Participates in the definition and development of corporate policies, procedures and programs and provides continuing counsel and guidance on legal matters and on the legal implications of all matters.
• Drafts, reviews, and maintains a wide variety of legal documents that define business being transacted. Examples include agreements related to confidentiality, purchase and sales contracts, form contracts covering daily grain, feed, fuel, and related commodity transactions, extension of credit to customers, business relationships, acquisitions, joint ventures, and corporate structure and governance.
• Gives accurate and timely counsel to senior management on a variety of legal topics such as labor law, tax law, regulations, permits, business ventures, corporate governance etc.
• Serves as key legal advisor on all major business transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures. Identify risks and proposes alternative legal structures to mitigate risks involved in potential transactions. Draft and review transactional documents dealing with acquisitions, financing and dispositions.
• Advises senior management on litigation cases and manage them where appropriate. Judges the merits of court cases filed against or on behalf of the company, works with the appropriate managers to define legal strategy and approves settlements and outcomes where warranted.
• Provides asset and corporate level due diligence.
• Assumes ultimate responsibility for ensuring that the companies of the organization conduct its business in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Specify internal governance policies and regularly monitor compliance.
• Structures and manages the company’s internal legal function. Provide counsel and work as a team with management members as necessary within other business units.
• Determines when outside legal counsel should be retained on certain matters. When outside legal counsel is used, oversees the selection, retention, management and evaluation of outside legal work being performed and amounts billed for the work.
• Provides estate planning and other legal services typically associated with a family office.
• Conforms with and abides by all regulations, policies, work procedures, instruction, and all safety requirements.
• Provides a “Customer Service” attitude when interacting with internal and external customers while accomplishing work, production, and achieving quality standards.
• Maintains a clean, orderly, and safe workstation/environment at all times.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Education: Other – Juris Doctorate Degrees from ABA approved Law School
• Experience : 7-10 years
• Admitted to the Bar

• Experience working on matters of corporate governance and with a board of directors. Experience managing other attorneys and supervising support staff in a corporation; experience with cost-effective management of outside legal resources.
• Familiarity and understanding of legislation related to all company business endeavors. Experience in directing strategy and managing complex litigation cases.
• History of maintaining licensing without reprimand or suspension in the State Bar of Michigan or another state, and membership in business oriented sections of such Bar and the American Bar Association.
• General knowledge of the agriculture industry, processing facilities, and sales and purchases involving US and possible foreign transactions.
• Proficiently working with various software and programs.
• Planning, directing, coordinating, and budgeting, activities.
• Ability to maintain good attendance habits.
• Ability to communicate effectively with co-workers and management.
• Basic math and communication skills.
• Able to be aware of all relevant SOPs as per Company policy as they are related to the position covered by this Job Description
• Able to comply with the company’s safety, quality, and environmental policies at all times
  

• Arrives at meetings and appointments on time.

• Ability to stand, bend, kneel to lift objects of 50 pounds or more.
• Ability to use stairs and ladders.
• Ability to be confined to a designated work area and stand for a long period of time.
• Ability to carry out tasks in a fast-paced environment, handling multiple tasks at once .
• Frequently required to walk, stand, sit.
• Occasionally lift and/or move 50 pounds or more.

• Operate in an office and production environment, the employee is usually in an office environment. The noise level in the office environment is usually quiet.