Description:

A Small Operator & Developer of Applebee’s Restaurants seeks an exceptional employment attorney to serve as Senior Employment Counsel, reporting directly to the General Counsel.

This is a unique opportunity to join a dynamic in-house legal department that directly handles many of its own employment litigation and arbitration matters.

Responsibilities:

Litigate! You will lead your own litigation and arbitration matters, from investigation through discovery and mediation or trial. You will interview witnesses, take depositions, handle motions practice, engage in pre-trial dispute resolution, and first-chair arbitration and/or trial. This job is perfect for an employment litigator ready to leave behind law firm billable hour and business development requirements, but who still wants to be in the courtroom.
Handle agency charges, government audits, and demand letters.
Provide advice and counseling across a broad spectrum of employment issues, including wage and hour, payroll, benefits, hiring, performance management, internal investigations, leaves of absence, discipline, terminations, employee classification, and employee privacy.
Collaborate with HR, Payroll, Operations, Risk, and Training on employment-related compliance matters, including designing and overseeing wage and hour compliance audits, identifying additional areas of employment-related compliance opportunities, advising on preventative and corrective action plans, and supporting training initiatives.
Monitor federal, state, and local legislation, regulations, and case law on employment-related matters pertinent to the company; communicate updates and recommendations as needed.
Travel involved (subject to ongoing health advisories and restrictions).

Requirements:

8+ years of employment law experience, including California wage and hour litigation.
Juris Doctor from an accredited law school; must have California Bar admission in good standing.
Significant experience running all facets of employment litigation through trial/arbitration, as well as excellent knowledge of federal and state employment laws and regulations (including Title VII, ADA, FMLA, FLSA, FEHA, PAGA, etc.) and experience with federal and state agencies (DOL, EEOC, DLSE, DFEH etc.).
Experience with both class/collective actions and single-plaintiff cases.
Entrepreneurial mindset that enables you to work independently with little guidance, but also to use good judgment and escalate issues when needed.
Ability to operate as a team player who can effectively work with and manage legal staff and collaborate with business partners across the company.
Exceptional written and oral communication skills.
Sound and practical business judgment, along with good old-fashioned common sense.
A sense of humor and an upbeat, can-do attitude, in keeping with the company's “Own It!” philosophy.
And you should love being a lawyer!