Employment Advice & Counsel Attorney

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman is seeking a highly skilled and seasoned off-track Employment Advice & Counsel Attorney to assist with HR handbook and policy reviews, trainings, and compliance-related tasks. The ideal candidate will possess a deep knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws in multiple jurisdictions including California, coupled with the ability to craft legally compliant, practical, and business-focused workplace policies, templates, and trainings.  This role also requires the proactive monitoring of legal and regulatory changes and advising clients on best practices. A basic understanding of equity compensation, employee benefit arrangements, such as 401(k) plans, pension plans, health and welfare plans (including COBRA compliance) and executive compensation arrangements, would be beneficial, though not required. 

 This position is intended to be 60%–80% FTE, offering some flexibility. Candidates should reside in a state where Pillsbury has an office, as occasional in-office work may be required. The position can also accommodate a remote work arrangement.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Draft, revise and review employee handbooks, onboarding documents and HR policies to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws (multi-jurisdictional experience to include California preferred).

• Analyze regulatory developments and legal trends on new or amended cases and laws impacting workplace policies.

• Develop templates, FAQs, and resources for clients to use as part of their internal HR toolkits to assist with the hiring, disciplining and termination of employees.

• Perform multi-jurisdictional legal and compliance reviews on topics to include sick leave, wage and hour requirements, independent contractor arrangements, pay equity, and restrictive covenants.

• Perform disparate impact analyses and draft separation agreements and WARN notices for mass layoffs.

• Design and deliver customized training programs for HR professionals and management on topics to include employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, such as HR and in-house legal departments, to create legally compliant and business-appropriate solutions and best practices.

• Develop and organize an internal forms database to promote efficiency and easier user access within the Firm.

Candidate Qualifications and Requirements

• A bachelor's degree and a juris doctorate degree (JD) from an accredited U.S. law school, with excellent academics.

• Membership in the California Bar in good standing is required; multi-jurisdictional experience is highly preferred.

• At least 8 years of experience handling a range of employment matters, particularly in advice and counseling roles.

• Demonstrated excellence in written and verbal communication skills, strong analytical abilities, and a commitment to the highest ethical standards and professional conduct.

Qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for the position in accordance with the California Fair Chance Act.

California Pay range for this role, with final offer amount dependent on skillset and experience, is $200k - $215k.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

If you require an accommodation in order to apply for a position, please contact us at [email protected].