Legal Counsel

Job Summary:

Support all aspects of commercial matters, including proposals, agreement negotiations, dispute resolution, and related strategic and administrative initiatives for the business areas within Messer North America. Identify potential compliance issues as they arise and work directly with internal and external compliance counsel, as applicable, to address them. Develop and revise agreement forms as required. Support training for relevant departments regarding agreement forms and document generation software, and negotiation strategies consistent with company policies.

Principal Responsibilities:

- The first point of contact and interface for management and operational staff on all assigned commercial legal matters, consistently providing effective, efficient, value-added counsel with a business focus.

- Lead counsel for routine and complex transactions, with support from attorneys in the Legal and Compliance (“L&C) Commercial group, including the Assistant General Counsel – Commercial as necessary.

- Support the L&C Commercial group attorneys with strategic and administrative commercial initiatives and projects (e.g., transaction process reviews, training, form agreement development and revision, and technology enhancements), and informal commercial dispute resolution.

- Support the L&C Commercial group attorneys, in discussion with the relevant business teams, to deliver and continuously improve the legal commercial risk management strategy.

- Keep Assistant General Counsel – Commercial informed of key issues through regular contact.

- Collaborate and communicate as necessary with other local and global lawyers and specialists in L&C, business stakeholders, and external advisors, to meet L&C and business objectives.

- Work directly with customer and supplier counsel as necessary to advance agreement negotiations and the resolution of commercial disputes, with support from L&C Commercial group attorneys as necessary.

- Transition commercial disputes to Legal & Compliance (“L&C”) litigation counsel as required to support litigation, arbitration, or mediation.

Required Skills:

- Strong analytical and interpersonal skills.

- Excellent, reading, writing, and communication skills, with a focus on attention to detail, accuracy, and precision.

- Ability to understand the business, its people and its organizational structures.

- Strong project management and negotiation skills.

- Ability to understand legal and commercial risk management policies and the means for ensuring compliance with those policies while balancing business objectives.

- Ability to challenge assumptions in a constructive way, identify opportunities for and implement changes for process improvements.

- Excellent time management skills.

- Strong commitment to ethics.

Qualifications:

- A. or B.S. required

- Juris Doctor required

- Experience drafting agreements and negotiating commercial transactions and supporting commercial initiatives and projects at a law firm or internal legal department in a similar manufacturing and sales environment, with 2-3 years’ experience preferred.

- Active membership in accredited state bar association

The salary range for this position is $113,000-$167,000. Messer provides medical, dental, vision, short term disability, life insurance and paid time off as well as other voluntary benefits, such as, long term disability in accordance with the terms and conditions of these Plans. Employees are eligible to enroll in Messer’s 401(k) Plan. Employees may be eligible to participate in the company’s bonus program.

About Messer:

Messer’s safety culture, commitment to providing dependable supply and innovative gas technology solutions help customers unlock opportunities to be safer, more sustainable, more productive and more efficient, so their business thrives. We nurture lasting, meaningful relationships with customers, our communities, and with one another.

We offer comprehensive benefits and appreciable pay, with steady schedules and opportunities for ongoing training and career progression. We prioritize and invest in our people at every level of our organization – the dedication, knowledge, customer focus and entrepreneurial spirit of our employees is what make Messer refreshingly different.

If you need assistance with the application or would like to request accommodation, call (877) 243-1030.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

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