Employment & Litigation Counsel

Squarespace•New York City, NY

2d•$160,000 - $225,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Squarespace is looking for an experienced and pragmatic Employment & Litigation Counsel to join our Legal team. As a key part of our team, you will assist in supporting the legal needs of our People (HR) team and other internal clients across U.S. and international locations and departments on a wide range of legal, compliance and business issues. The ideal candidate is a solutions-oriented, business-minded litigator who exercises strong legal judgment and takes a practical approach to advising on complex issues, balancing compliance and business objectives in a fast-paced environment. You'll work hybrid 2-3 days a week from our NYC headquarters and report to the Senior Counsel, Employment & Litigation.

Requirements

J.D. degree (or foreign equivalent); admitted to and in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar (New York preferred).
Minimum 5+ combined years of experience as a practicing attorney managing US employment law matters and/or litigation, with a corporate in-house legal department (high-growth company experience preferred) and/or top-tier law firm with experience providing guidance to public and private clients.
Strong knowledge of applicable US federal, state and local employment laws, with an interest in learning new areas of law and business.
Comfortable working in an international context, with experience supporting jurisdictions outside the US (Ireland, Portugal a plus).
A team player with a passion for technology and a commitment to innovation who thrives on collaboration with low ego, and can effectively work cross-functionally.
Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills, and sound and clear business judgment, including the ability to distill complex legal issues to practical guidance.
Demonstrated flexibility and creativity in solving problems and dealing with ambiguity in a fast-paced environment
Proven ability to independently manage projects and multitask, adjusting readily to multiple demands, shifting priorities and rapid change with composure.
Organized, diligent and pragmatic with a high attention to detail and a commitment to operational execution and efficiency.

Nice To Haves

Strong familiarity with e-discovery strategy / management is a plus.
Experience with executive compensation matters and/or sales commissions arrangements is a plus.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary legal advisor to the People team, providing practical advice and day-to-day support on multi-jurisdictional employment law issues across hiring, performance management, leaves of absences, accommodations, diversity & inclusion, terminations, workplace concerns, internal investigations, restrictive covenants, wage and hour, and privacy issues.
Consult, review and draft employment-related agreements (e.g., offers; engagement letters, separations, consulting terms).
Partner with the Senior Counsel to support a wide range of litigation, pre-litigation and regulatory matters across multiple disciplines.
Assist in fact finding and analysis, discovery, legal research, revising pleadings and negotiations.
Provide risk assessments and develop litigation strategies aligned with business priorities.
Support the development of templates, corporate policies and procedures to promote compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Analyze judicial and legislative developments and assist internal teams in implementing strategies, training and policies/procedures to mitigate legal risk.
Collaborate with other teams within Legal and across Squarespace to support the successful execution of global projects and initiatives including by contributing to M&A employment and benefits matters (diligence, offer documents, integration activities).
Identify potential areas of risk / opportunity, and collaborate with various People team functions and internal stakeholders to develop scalable, risk-based solutions that drive business outcomes.
Provide support on a variety of non-employment topics depending on your background and interest, for example, third-party litigation, regulatory matters and/or compliance.