Director, Litigation Counsel

Overview

The organization is seeking a Director, Litigation Counsel to manage and support a broad portfolio of disputes and contested matters. This role reports to the Vice President, Assistant General Counsel, with a dotted-line relationship to the Chief Legal & Compliance Officer.

Responsibilities span pre-litigation labor and employment claims, commercial contract disputes, regulatory filings and disputes, mediations, collections, intellectual property matters, privacy and data protection matters, and workers’ compensation claims. The position requires cross-functional collaboration and early risk assessment with a focus on efficient resolution.

Responsibilities

• Manage labor and employment claims: Handle and defend employment-related claims and administrative charges involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage-and-hour, wrongful termination, and leave or accommodation disputes; advise Human Resources and management on litigation risk; oversee outside employment counsel.
• Resolve commercial contract disputes: Manage disputes arising from commercial agreements, including breach-of-contract, indemnification, and payment matters; evaluate claims and defenses, quantify exposure, and develop resolution strategies from negotiation through trial.
• Lead regulatory matters: Prepare and manage regulatory filings and responses to inquiries, investigations, and enforcement actions; represent the company in contested regulatory and administrative proceedings, including matters involving fire code application, subpoenas, civil investigative demands, and information requests.
• Guide mediations and settlements: Represent the organization in mediations and alternative dispute resolution proceedings; prepare mediation statements; evaluate settlement ranges; develop negotiation strategies; secure settlement authority; draft or review agreements and releases.
• Support collections: Partner with Finance and Accounts Receivable on affirmative collection matters, including unpaid accounts, nonpayment claims, and judgment enforcement; evaluate cost-effectiveness and pursue demand letters, litigation, or other recovery methods as appropriate.
• Manage intellectual property matters: Handle trademark, copyright, patent, and trade-secret disputes where the organization is a defendant or claimant; manage cease-and-desist demands, infringement claims, and specialist outside counsel.
• Address privacy and data protection risk: Manage disputes, claims, investigations, and regulatory inquiries involving consumer data rights, data incidents, and the organization’s collection, use, sharing, and protection of personal information.
• Partner on workers’ compensation and third-party claims: Support Risk Management in defending workers’ compensation and third-party claims; coordinate with Human Resources, Operations, insurers, third-party administrators, brokers, and outside counsel; use claim insights to recommend improvements to safety, training, documentation, return-to-work processes, and loss prevention.
• Own matters from intake through resolution: Lead case assessment, discovery, motion practice, hearings, and trial preparation; implement litigation holds; coordinate e-discovery and document preservation.
• Manage outside counsel and spend: Select, direct, and manage outside counsel; control litigation budgets, strategy, and settlement posture.
• Advise business leaders: Translate complex legal issues into practical, business-oriented guidance for executives and cross-functional partners.
• Report on risk and exposure: Prepare periodic reporting for senior leadership on matter status, exposure, reserves, and key developments.

Requirements

• Litigation experience: Approximately 4–7 years of litigation experience in a law firm, corporate legal department, or a combination; ability to manage matters independently from intake through resolution.
• Broad practice exposure: Substantive experience across several relevant areas, particularly employment, commercial, privacy, consumer protection, regulatory, intellectual property, or workers’ compensation matters.
• Strategic judgment: Strong command of litigation strategy, procedure, mediation, and negotiation, with sound judgment in assessing risk and exposure.
• Business partnership: Ability to translate legal issues into practical advice and communicate clearly with executives, business teams, and external stakeholders.
• Caseload management: Ability to manage a high-volume, multi-practice caseload and prioritize effectively across competing deadlines.
• Outside counsel oversight: Experience selecting and managing outside counsel, litigation strategy, budgets, and spend.
• Advocacy experience: Excellent written and oral advocacy skills; first- or second-chair trial, arbitration, or hearing experience is preferred.
• In-house perspective: Prior experience supporting a corporate legal department is preferred.
• Privacy and consumer protection knowledge: Familiarity with major privacy and consumer protection regimes, including state comprehensive privacy laws, the FTC Act, and analogous state statutes, is preferred.
• Education and licensure: Juris Doctor from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing in at least one state bar where the organization operates; ability to obtain any required admission or in-house counsel authorization.
• Multi-jurisdiction capability: Admission in multiple jurisdictions is preferred.
• Collaborative approach: Self-directed, collaborative, and comfortable operating with limited supervision in a fast-paced environment.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary Range: $115,000 - $157,000
• Bonus: 15% of annual salary
• Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family; HSA with employer contributions; Flexible Spending Accounts; 401(k) with company match; life and disability insurance; AD&D; business travel coverage.
• Time Off: No preset accruals; manage your time and work-life balance your way; 10 company-paid holidays.
• Professional Development: Tuition reimbursement up to $5,250 per year; access to an online education center.
• Additional Perks: Referral bonuses, pet insurance, associate assistance programs, discount programs, rewards, recognition, and free access to Torch Fitness virtual programs.
• Final compensation note: Final compensation offered will be determined based on factors including candidate location, level of experience, and skill set, and may fall outside the posted range.

Location & Work Environment

• Work environment: Remote-first; Tampa-based candidates preferred.
• Travel: Approximately 10%.
• Physical requirements: Sedentary work primarily involving sitting or standing while working on a computer.

Application Timeline

The application window is anticipated to close 60 days from the date the job is posted.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The organization is an Equal Opportunity Employer and recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.