Summary
Kent Companies’ legal team provides Executive Leadership and Stakeholders with pragmatic, business focused legal guidance across all phases of construction projects and corporate efforts. The Associate General Counsel will support the General Counsel in all legal efforts to benefit company interests. This position will also support the company in implementing its strategic initiatives as it continues to grow. The ideal candidate brings experience in construction law, excels in contract drafting and negotiation, has a strong claims management background, and effectively engages in dispute resolution.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Get to know the company, its managers, and what makes us successful.
• Continuously interact with general counsel, senior management, divisional leadership, and staff to stay abreast of corporate happenings and upcoming legal needs.
• Work with internal and external customers to negotiate agreements, address legal, and develop resolutions to legal or regulatory issues or disputes.
• Provide proactive legal advice to all internal stakeholders.
• Strive to gain expertise in construction law and ancillary legal areas applicable to a national construction company, such as labor law, contracts, subcontractor claims, bond claims, and surety law, among others.
• Partner with General Counsel and Paralegal to conduct consistent review, analysis, evaluation, and negotiation of contracts internally and externally, ensuring timely and consistent contract review application.
• At the direction of the General Counsel, assist in facilitating all aspects of litigation, including the management of outside counsel representing the company in all disputes, including public agencies, contractors, subcontractors, and vendors, including assisting with discovery, alternative disputes processes, pre-litigation, and litigation.
• Develop and maintain an understanding of insurance coverage and assist project teams in interpreting and applying basic coverage concepts, including construction defect, builder’s risk, automobile, workers’ compensation, and property damage claims.
• Maintains intergroup workflow by fostering a spirit of cooperation with Divisions and is sensitive to timing requirements and customer service considerations concerning contract review.

Required Experience, Education, and Qualifications

• 5+ years of relevant legal experience in a law firm and/or similar in-house position.
• Juris Doctor or LLM degree from an accredited law school, and licensed to practice law in the U.S.
• Experience working with engineering, procurement, and construction agreements and familiarity with construction law is plus.
• Ability to communicate complex legal concepts to non-attorney Kent team members in a concise yet thorough manner.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including presenting advice clearly and concisely.
• Be entrepreneurial and find practical solutions to compliance and legal questions.
• Be able and willing to solve challenges through innovation; able to work with minimal direction and supervision; proactive, not reactive.
• Valid driver’s license
• Must have reliable transportation to the workplace(s)/ job location(s).
• Ability to pass drug screening.
• Must be able to work in the United States without corporate sponsorship now and in the future.

Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee for this job. Duties and Responsibilities are not comprehensive and can be changed at any time, with or without notice.

Work Environment/Physical Demand
This position will work primarily in office environments, which are fast-paced, high-pressure environments with frequent deadlines. Limited travel and occasional after-hours work may be required to meet executive needs.

Position type, Trave, and Work Schedule
Position Type: Full-time, in-office position
Travel: Occasional overnight travel to is required.
Work Schedule: This role follows a standard full-time schedule; however, additional hours may be necessary to meet project deadlines. Due to construction-related demands, the position requires flexibility to work non-typical days and irregular hours. The role also requires availability to respond to phone calls outside of standard business hours.

Office Location
130 60th Street SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49548

Benefits
Kent Companies provides its employees with one of the most competitive compensation and benefits packages in the construction industry. Benefits vary by location, with a fully customized benefits package presented upon hire. Typical benefits packages include:

• Weekly pay
• PTO (Paid Time Off)
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
• Supplemental insurance options
• Retirement plans with discretionary employer-matching
• Holiday pay (New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day)
• Scholarship opportunities for dependents
• Leadership development opportunities

Perks associated with this role
Our goal is to offer an unparalleled career progression that is not precisely pre-determined; rather it builds on the teammate’s strengths, interests, and pursuits as the individual gains experience, grows, and develops in their career. You would be hard-pressed to find another ENR Top 6 Commercial Concrete Company that parallels Kent Companies.

About Kent Companies
Kent Companies is a full-service specialty trade contractor with operations across Michigan, Texas, Ohio, and the Carolinas. As a third-generation, family-owned business, we believe our people are our greatest assets. We employ over 2,000 trade professionals nationwide and deliver every project with our Four Hallmarks: Safety, Productivity, Quality, and Customer Service. Kent Companies is known as The Leaders in Concrete™ and continuously ranks in the Top 10 Concrete Contractors nationwide by ENR Magazine.

Kent Companies’ family of brands includes Kent Concrete, Kent Underlayments, Kent Facilities, Kent Foundation Solutions, and Foundation Rescue Supply.

EEO Statement
At Kent Companies, we value a diverse, inclusive workforce and we provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. Kent Companies’ does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices and personnel actions, including but not limited to hiring, recruiting, promotions, performance evaluations, termination, and compensation decisions.

The Company will strive to ensure that all employees and prospective employees will be treated equally in regard to recruitment, employment, promotions, demotions, discipline, termination, access to benefits and training, leaves of absence, and layoffs. The Company will further ensure that its management staff is aware of the Company’s commitment to this policy and each member understands their individual role in the process of administering this plan.

Kent Companies will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship.