Employment & Immigration Counsel

Employment & Immigration Counsel

• Function: Legal
• Location: Edison, New Jersey (Hybrid)
• Experience: 5-10 Years
• Employment Type: Full-Time
• Reporting To Global General Counsel

Company Overview:
Our client is a technology and engineering company that provides engineering research and development services.

1. U.S. Employment Law Advisory

• Provide day-to-day legal support regarding U.S. federal, state, and local employment laws.

• Advise management and HR on hiring and onboarding practices, performance management, disciplinary actions, workplace investigations, employee grievances, employee separations, reductions in force (RIFs), and workforce restructuring initiatives.

• Counsel stakeholders regarding ADA accommodations, FMLA, paid leave requirements, wage and hour compliance, employee classification, anti-discrimination laws, harassment prevention, workplace retaliation concerns, and whistleblower protections.

• Review and advise on executive employment arrangements and sensitive employee relations matters.

• Develop legally compliant employment practices while balancing business objectives and operational realities.

2. U.S. Business Immigration & Global Mobility

• Lead legal support for U.S. employment-based immigration programs.

• Advise HR and business stakeholders on H-1B, L-1, E-3, TN, O-1, PERM Labor Certification, I-140, Adjustment of Status, consular processing, and employer compliance obligations.

• Partner with external immigration counsel on case management and strategic immigration planning.

• Advise on immigration risks associated with workforce mobility, client deployments, acquisitions, business reorganizations, and remote work arrangements.

• Monitor developments in U.S. immigration law and provide practical guidance regarding compliance obligations.

3. Employment Litigation & Agency Matters

• Manage employment-related litigation, arbitration, mediation, agency charges, governmental investigations, and administrative proceedings.

• Coordinate responses to EEOC matters, Department of Labor investigations, state labor agency inquiries, and immigration audits and investigations.

• Partner with outside counsel to develop litigation strategies and manage budgets.

• Support internal investigations, evidence preservation activities, witness preparation, and settlement discussions.

• Track litigation trends and identify opportunities for proactive risk mitigation.

4. Employment Contracting & Workforce Documentation

• Draft, review, and negotiate employment agreements, offer letters, restrictive covenant agreements, retention and transition agreements, severance agreements and releases, independent contractor agreements, and global mobility and secondment arrangements.

• Support employment aspects of customer contracts, M&A transactions, and strategic corporate initiatives.

5. Policy, Governance & Compliance

• Draft, review, and maintain employee handbooks, workplace policies, investigation protocols, HR governance documents, and immigration compliance procedures.

• Conduct legal training for HR, recruiting teams, managers, and business leaders.

• Support compliance with modern slavery, human rights, and workplace conduct initiatives.

• Participate in internal audits and compliance reviews involving workforce practices.

6. Global Employment Law Support

• Act as the primary legal advisor for U.S. employment and immigration matters while supporting global workforce initiatives.

• Coordinate with external counsel across Europe, Canada, India, Australia, and other jurisdictions as required.

• Advise on international employee transfers, secondments, remote working arrangements, and cross-border workforce mobility issues.

• Support employment-related aspects of global acquisitions, integrations, and restructuring activities.

Qualifications

Required

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited U.S. law school.

• Admission to practice law in at least one U.S. state.

• 5-10 years of post-qualification experience in employment law.

• Significant experience advising employers on U.S. employment law matters.

• Experience supporting U.S. business immigration programs.

• Experience handling employment disputes and workplace investigations.

Preferred

• Experience supporting multinational organizations.

• Familiarity with European employment law frameworks and cross-border workforce issues.

• Experience in technology, engineering, consulting, IT services, or professional services industries.

• Prior in-house counsel experience.

• Experience managing global mobility programs.

Technical Knowledge

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act; Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA); Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA); National Labor Relations Act (NLRA); Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA);Equal Pay Act.

• State and local employment law requirements.

• Workforce restructuring and reduction-in-force programs.

• U.S. immigration frameworks and employer compliance obligations.

• Workplace investigations and employment litigation management.

Key Competencies

• Exceptional legal drafting and analytical skills.

• Strong commercial judgment and practical problem-solving abilities.

• Ability to influence senior business leaders and HR stakeholders.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Strong project management capabilities.

• Ability to manage matters across multiple jurisdictions simultaneously.

• High integrity, sound judgment, and strong professional ethics.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will be a business-oriented employment lawyer with substantial U.S. employment law and immigration experience gained in a leading law firm or multinational corporation. Experience supporting technology, engineering, consulting, or professional services businesses with large mobile workforces is particularly desirable.

The candidate should be capable of independently managing complex U.S. employment and immigration matters while collaborating effectively with HR leadership, business executives, and external counsel across multiple jurisdictions.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.