Interim General Counsel - Employment & Commercial
Interim / Contract to Hire | Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Location: Rancho Cucamonga, California; onsite presence required, with potential flexibility for a hybrid schedule. Exact onsite expectations will be confirmed during the interview process.
Schedule: 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday, standard Pacific Time business hours
Duration: Approximately three months initially, with the potential to convert to permanent employment; candidates seeking a strictly interim engagement will also be considered
Interim Compensation: $100-$130 per hour W2, with access to medical benefits, PTO and a 401(k)
Start Date: As soon as the selected candidate is available
Korn Ferry is partnering with a privately held food and beverage company to identify a hands-on, business-minded General Counsel to serve as its primary day-to-day legal resource.
Reporting directly to the CEO, with a dotted line to the Board of Directors, this leader will advise senior management, oversee and support the HR function, and handle a broad range of legal matters in a lean internal environment. California employment law, commercial contracting and practical business judgment are central to the role.
The ideal candidate is an experienced in-house generalist who can personally handle day-to-day legal work, establish priorities and engage outside counsel selectively for specialized matters.
Provide legal and business leadership: Advise the CEO, senior leadership and Board on legal risks, business decisions and operational matters, delivering clear, practical recommendations.
Oversee and support HR: Advise on California employment and labor law, including employee relations, hiring, termination, wage and hour requirements and workplace issues.
Manage commercial contracting: Draft, review and negotiate customer, vendor and other business agreements, including sophisticated contracts with large retailers and enterprise customers.
Support corporate governance: Handle Board matters, corporate records, entity issues and related governance responsibilities.
Support transactions: Provide legal support for M&A activity, including due diligence and transaction-related work.
Manage disputes and outside counsel: Oversee litigation, claims and disputes; coordinate external law firms and manage legal spend.
Advise on compliance: Address regulatory, product, marketing, advertising, labeling and consumer matters, as well as privacy, data security and vendor privacy terms as needed.
Improve legal operations: Strengthen policies, contracting workflows and legal processes while addressing the varied needs of a lean legal department.
Strong General Counsel or senior in-house generalist experience, with the breadth to serve as the primary legal resource for a small or mid-market business.
Substantial California employment and labor law experience, including employee relations, wage and hour matters, hiring, termination and workplace issues.
Experience overseeing HR or working closely with HR leaders on personnel matters.
Strong commercial contracting experience, including customer and vendor agreements with large retail or enterprise customers.
Corporate governance and Board experience.
Experience managing outside counsel and overseeing litigation, claims and disputes.
Sound business judgment, executive presence and the ability to translate legal issues into actionable commercial advice.
Ability to work independently, prioritize competing demands and personally handle legal matters with limited internal resources.
Availability for a full-time engagement and the ability to work onsite in Rancho Cucamonga.
Food and beverage, consumer packaged goods, retail or manufacturing industry experience.
Prior General Counsel or Head of Legal responsibility.
Experience in an interim or transitional legal leadership role.
M&A, consumer-facing regulatory compliance, product labeling, marketing and advertising, or privacy and data security experience.
The consultant will be employed by Korn Ferry on a W2 basis during the interim engagement. LLC and corporation-to-corporation arrangements are not available for this assignment.
The company's objective is to hire a permanent General Counsel, with a potential transition around the three-month mark. Candidates interested in providing interim coverage without converting will also be considered. Any permanent conversion and final compensation terms will be determined by the client.
About Korn Ferry
Korn Ferry unleashes potential in people, teams, and organizations. We work with our clients to design optimal organization structures, roles, and responsibilities. We help them hire the right people and advise them on how to reward and motivate their workforce while developing professionals as they navigate and advance their careers. To learn more, please visit Korn Ferry at www.Kornferry.com
