Description:
At Corbion, we exist to champion preservation in all its forms, preserving food and food production, health, and our planet.We are seeking to fill a Legal Counsel – North America (NAM) role that will support our North American businesses by providing high‑quality, pragmatic legal advice and will report to the Senior Legal Counsel NAM. In this role, you will be a trusted legal business partner for regional stakeholders. The role is designed to build broad in‑house legal experience across commercial contracting, dispute resolution, operations, and compliance.
You will have significant exposure to senior business leaders, cross‑functional teams, and complex international matters, within a supportive environment focused on professional growth and development. This is a hybrid role that will be based in Lenexa, KS.
Key Responsibilities:
Legal Support & Business Partnership
- Act as a legal point of contact for business colleagues (including sales, procurement, finance, operations, HR), providing day‑to‑day legal support and advice.
- Attend leadership and project meetings to understand business priorities, risks, and decision‑making processes.
- Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements, including but not limited to: NDAs and MTAs (globally), supply and purchase agreements, distribution and agency agreements, and consulting and service agreements.
- Assist in contract risk assessment and ensure alignment with Corbion's policies, playbooks, and approval processes.
- Partner with IP colleagues to help protect Corbion's intellectual property in commercial agreements, including drafting IP-related contractual provisions.
- Support litigation and dispute matters in partnership with the Senior Legal Counsel NAM including information and document collection, stakeholder coordination, and review of draft pleadings and correspondence from external counsel.
- Partner with business teams to address commercial disputes involving suppliers, vendors, and contractors.
- Assist manufacturing sites with responses to regulatory or agency inquiries and inspections (e.g., OSHA).
- Support legal aspects of capital expenditure (CapEx) projects across North America, including contract review and negotiation support.
- Contribute to mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic or transactional projects across the region, in partnership with the Senior Legal Counsel NAM and Global M&A Counsel.
- Partner with HR colleagues on early‑stage employment‑related matters, such as internal investigations, evidence preservation (in coordination with IT), and issue‑spotting.
- Support the delivery of legal and compliance training to business colleagues across North America.
- Maintain and improve legal templates, policies, and standard documents.
- Assist with business registrations and liaison with registered agent vendors.
- Partner with Finance on insurance‑related matters, annual reporting inputs, and related activities.
Qualifications & Experience:
- Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited U.S. law school.
- Active license to practice law in Kansas, or ability to obtain Kansas licensure within one year through reciprocity or under a single-employer restricted license.
- 3+ years of relevant legal experience, gained in a law firm and/or an in‑house legal department
- Foundational experience in commercial contracting, litigation, and/or transactional matters.
- Basic understanding of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) and competition/antitrust concepts.
- Exceptional legal drafting and analytical skills, with attention to detail.
- Collaborative, approachable, and service‑oriented working style.
- Ability to communicate clearly and pragmatically with non‑legal stakeholders.
- Organized and reliable, with the ability to manage multiple matters and deadlines.
- Comfortable with legal technology and digital tools, including Office 365 and contract management systems.
- Willingness and ability to travel occasionally, both domestically and internationally.
