Description:
About the Team:Publix's Corporate Legal team provides practical, timely, and business-focused legal guidance that helps the company operate responsibly and effectively. Working alongside attorneys, compliance professionals, and partners throughout the organization, the team helps business areas understand evolving regulatory expectations, strengthen compliance programs, and make informed decisions that support Publix associates, customers, and operations.
About the Opportunity:
This is an opportunity to move beyond advising a business from the outside and become a trusted legal partner embedded in the day-to-day operations of a large organization with more than 260,000 associates. As Senior Regulatory & Compliance Attorney, you will serve as an approachable, practical resource to associates and leaders at every level. You will help teams understand legal requirements, evaluate options, and find workable paths forward as laws and regulations evolve. Your collaborative guidance will help Publix manage regulatory risk, avoid operational disruptions, and continue serving customers efficiently and responsibly. This is a fully on-site position based at Publix's corporate offices in Lakeland, Florida.
What You'll Do:
- Serve as a trusted legal advisor to Publix associates and leaders at every level across retail, transportation, corporate support, and other business operations.
- Partner with business teams to develop and strengthen practical regulatory compliance programs that support operations while addressing legal requirements.
- Serve as a legal subject matter expert for cross-functional projects involving complex or emerging regulatory issues.
- Guide business teams on matters involving food safety, environmental requirements, hazardous materials, transportation, and consumer practices.
- Develop and support regulatory training on topics such as HIPAA, records management, marketing, manufacturing and food safety best practices, and advertising claims.
- Manage regulatory inquiries, demand letters, and related disputes in partnership with internal stakeholders and outside counsel, when appropriate.
- Monitor legal and regulatory developments, communicate changes clearly, and collaborate with teams on practical adjustments that support compliant and effective operations.
- Advise the Retail and Industrial Food Safety , Environmental, Hazardous Waste, and Transportation compliance teams and other internal partners on applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
Perks of Working at Publix
- Employee ownership through our Employee Stock Ownership Plan, or ESOP.
- Free lunch at our corporate facilities.
- Meaningful, business-embedded work with opportunities to influence important operational decisions.
- Career growth and professional development within a stable, promotion-from-within culture.
Required Qualifications:
- Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
- Active admission to a state bar association within the United States and membership in good standing.
- At least seven years of regulatory and compliance law experience.
- Experience with laws and regulations in at least two relevant areas, such as food safety, environmental and hazardous materials, transportation, employee benefits, securities, consumer practices, or antitrust.
- Knowledge of laws and regulations affecting supermarket, retail, or similarly complex business operations.
- Ability to translate complex legal and regulatory requirements into clear, practical guidance that helps teams achieve business objectives.
- Strong written and verbal communication, negotiation, planning, and organizational skills.
- Demonstrated ability to build trust, collaborate effectively, and provide approachable counsel to employees and leaders with varied roles, responsibilities, and levels of legal knowledge.
- A team-oriented, solutions-focused advising style that enables progress while appropriately managing legal and regulatory risk.
- Demonstrated ability to manage projects, work independently, and bring complex matters to a successful conclusion.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and legal research platforms such as Westlaw.
- Ability to work fully on-site at Publix's corporate offices in Lakeland, Florida.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Active bar membership in good standing in a state where Publix operates.
- Eight or more years of regulatory and compliance law experience.
- Environmental regulatory and compliance experience is strongly preferred, though not required, and would bring valuable expertise in an area where Publix is seeking to expand its internal legal capabilities.
- Regulatory and compliance experience within a retail, grocery, pharmacy, manufacturing, distribution, or other consumer-facing organization.
- Experience developing or improving enterprise compliance programs and training.
- Familiarity with continuous quality improvement methodologies.