Sr. Legal Counsel, Employment

Job Description:

Rakuten International is a division of Rakuten Group, Inc., a Japanese global technology leader in services that empower individuals, communities, businesses and society. Headquartered in San Mateo, California with more than 4,000 employees worldwide, the Rakuten International business portfolio includes market leaders in e-commerce, digital marketing, advertising, communications and entertainment. We create products and services that provide exceptional value by aligning members and the businesses that want to engage them in a shared community.   

You will serve as an established and productive individual contributor, managing defined components of legal projects or processes within your area of responsibility. You will apply practical knowledge of corporate and financial law to support the company's business operations in the online retail broker industry.

Job Summary:

As our Senior Legal Counsel, Labor and Employment, you will be a trusted legal partner to Human Resources and business leaders across our global workforce. You will lead U.S. employment law matters with a focus on California, manage employment litigation and workplace investigations, and work with local counsel to support our teams in Canada, Brazil, Europe, Australia and Singapore. You will also help shape how we approach emerging issues such as pay transparency and the use of artificial intelligence in employment decisions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead labor and employment law support in the United States, with particular focus on California, and partner with local counsel to support Canada, Brazil, Europe, Australia, Singapore and other regions as assigned

• Lead the strategy and development of legally sound policies and programs in all areas of employment law, including equal employment opportunity, accommodations, pay equity and pay transparency initiatives, family and medical leave, talent acquisition, employee data privacy, contingent workforce, joint employment, wage and hour compliance, immigration, and the use of artificial intelligence in employment decisions

• Partner with Human Resources and business managers to provide timely, practical legal counsel and strategic guidance on employee relations issues, such as performance management and employee misconduct

• Lead internal investigations into employee complaints, including those received through the company helpline

• Manage employment litigation including retention and direction of outside counsel and partnership with applicable Employment Practices Liability insurance carriers

• Support the business during strategic restructurings, reductions in force, acquisitions and divestitures, including due diligence and post-merger integration

• Conduct commercial review of HR related contracts, including those for benefit providers, and draft and manage intercompany agreements for the secondment of workers

• Evaluate and respond to attorney demand letters, agency charges, complaints, and other employment claims, including developing defense strategies and negotiating and drafting settlements

• Monitor and analyze developments in labor and employment law, including pending law changes, and partner with Human Resources on proactive compliance strategies and policy recommendations

• Perform risk assessments related to proposed initiatives, corporate activities and industry developments, recommending alternative courses of action to achieve business objectives while limiting liability and risk

• Develop and deliver training for Human Resources professionals, business managers and others on employment law trends and developments that may affect the workplace

• Partner with attorneys across the Legal department on Company-wide employment issues and support other litigation and legal functions as needed

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Broad background in providing advice and counsel to human resources and operating business managers in complex employment related matters

• Employment litigation experience

• Up-to-date knowledge of labor and employment issues and case law

• Strong leadership skills and good judgment, and the ability to think strategically both from a business and legal perspective

• Ability to build trusted relationships across the organization

• Excellent conflict management skills and the ability to influence and build consensus

• Proven written and oral communication and negotiating skills

• Ability to quickly identify and analyze issues and provide practical, legally sound recommendations that support business goals

• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and take ownership of issues through resolution

Minimum Requirements:

• 6+ years of experience as a practicing attorney with a focus on labor and employment law

• J.D. degree

• Active bar membership in good standing in the jurisdiction where you will practice (required upon hire)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Employment litigation experience at both a law firm and in-house

• Experience working with government agencies that oversee employment matters, such as the EEOC, DOL or California Civil Rights Department

• Experience advising on employment matters across multiple countries

• California bar admission, or eligibility to register as California Registered In-House Counsel

#LI-TL1

Five Principles for Success
Our worldwide practices describe specific behaviors that make Rakuten unique and united across the world. We expect Rakuten employees to model these 5 Shugi Principles of Success.

Always improve, Always Advance - Only be satisfied with complete success - Kaizen
Passionately Professional - Take an uncompromising approach to your work and be determined to be the best
Hypothesize - Practice - Validate – Shikumika - Use the Rakuten Cycle to succeed in unknown territory
Maximize Customer Satisfaction - The greatest satisfaction for our teams is seeing their customers smile
Speed!! Speed!! Speed!! - Always be conscious of time - take charge, set clear goals, and engage your team

Rakuten provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type. Rakuten considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, provincial or local laws.

As part of our Rakuten interview process, we encourage applicants to use their own words, rather than AI-generated content. Tell us your story in a way that's personal and authentic.

At the time of posting, Rakuten expects the base compensation for this role to be within the range shown below. Individual compensation will vary based on job-related factors, including the skills, qualifications, and experience of the successful candidate as well as business need and geographic location. The successful applicant for this role will be eligible for discretionary bonus, health, vision, dental insurance, 401k matching, PTO, Volunteer Time Off (VTO), and other employee benefits as the company implements.

USD $113,157.00 - $211,032.00 annually