Legal Counsel

PURPOSE:

The Legal Counsel supports Gentex’s enterprise legal and contracts functions by handling day-to-day legal matters, with primary responsibility for routine commercial contracting and support for government contracts activities. The Legal Counsel is expected to provide practical, business-oriented legal support, escalate material risks appropriately, and operate effectively in a fast-paced environment requiring sound judgment, responsiveness, and collaboration across functions. This role works closely with the General Counsel, who has responsibility for overall organizational legal strategy, and the role has a dotted line to the Director of Contracts, who has responsibility for all customer-facing contractual activities. This role will have the opportunity to grow both within the legal and contracts organizations, with increasing responsibilities and more complex work coming with additional experience.

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES & ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Draft, review, and negotiate routine commercial agreements, including NDAs, supply, distribution, bailment, consulting, vendor, and other standard business contracts, subject to General Counsel direction and review.
• Maintain and update contract templates, standard terms and conditions, and legal playbooks for routine agreements.
• Review marketing and other external-facing business materials for general legal risk and compliance.
• Conduct legal research and provide initial advice on certain general legal and commercial matters.
• Develop and deliver training on legal topics and support creation of practical legal guidance for business teams.
• Assist with major projects and legal department initiatives.
• Support government contracts matters in coordination with the General Counsel and Director of Contracts, including contract review, bid and proposal support, and post-award contract administration.
• Identify and escalate non-routine, high-risk, or strategically significant matters to the General Counsel.

EDUCATION AND/OR PROFESSIONAL LICENSE(s):

The individual shall possess a juris doctor (or equivalent) degree from an accredited U.S. law school. The individual must have active membership in good standing in at least one U.S. state bar.

EXPERIENCE: 

The individual shall have at least three (3) years of relevant legal experience either in-house and/or at a law firm, with meaningful experience in commercial contracting. Experience with or exposure to government contracts, including FAR/DFARs is preferred, but not required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Individual Should:

• Possess strong contract drafting and negotiation skills.
• Be able to identify risks and escalate risks appropriately within the organization.
• Be able to adapt to a variety of business situations, quickly identify and address critical issues, and influence business decisions.
• Have a strong attention to detail.
• Be proactive and able to search for pragmatic solutions to complex problems.
• Possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills (both written and oral).
• Be self-motivated, and able to work independently but also collaboratively with a large group of personnel across the enterprise.
• Be ethical and act with integrity, with the ability to support corporate goals in a complex regulatory and multi-national corporate environment.
• Have good computer skills, including experience with Microsoft programs

POSITION SUPERVISES:

Individual contributor, no direct reports.

CONTACT WITH OTHERS:

The individual interacts with all departments within the Company and within the global enterprise on a regular basis.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Works majority of the day in a climate-controlled environment, with the exception of occasionally performing work in the factory/warehouse, which is subject to moderate changes in temperature.

TRAVEL:

Limited travel required 

LOCATION:

Gentex’s Carbondale facility is located in Northeastern Pennsylvania in Lackawanna County. Carbondale, PA is about twenty miles north of Scranton, PA, 50 miles south of Binghamton, NY, and about 125 miles from New York City and Philadelphia. The area hosts numerous nearby state parks, nature preserves and local colleges and universities, including The University of Scranton and Marywood University. Northeast Pennsylvania is a beautiful area and offers an excellent cost of living. It is a great place to work, recreate, meet people, raise a family and live!

Gentex Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard for any applicable state or federal protected class. Gentex is an E-Verify Participant. Pre-employment drug/alcohol/background screening is required.