sweetgreen · 7 hours ago
Sr. Counsel, Labor & Employment, and Litigation
Los Angeles, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
$160K/yr - $200K/yr
5+ years expsweetgreen is on a mission to build healthier communities by connecting people to real food. The Sr. Counsel, Labor & Employment, and Litigation will support the company’s legal compliance and growth plans, manage litigation, and provide strategic counsel on labor and employment matters.
Food and BeverageOrganic FoodRestaurants
No H1B
Responsibilities
Provide proactive and strategic counsel on all labor and employment law matters under federal and state laws where we operate, including those related to wage and hour compliance, predictive scheduling (Fair Workweek laws), payroll, benefits, hiring, performance management, internal investigations, leaves of absence, discipline, terminations, and employee classification
Monitor federal, state, and local legislation, regulations, and case law on employment-related matters pertinent to the company; communicate updates and recommendations as needed
Assist People Team in developing and implementing policies, procedures, and training programs to drive compliance with labor and employment laws
Provide support for or lead internal investigations
Actively participate in a collaborative manner in cross-functional business teams to identify, evaluate, and resolve complex business issues and risks
Project manage and partner with cross-functional stakeholders on various initiatives to build long-term, sustainable processes and policies that support legal compliance and risk mitigation as the company scales
Draft and negotiate agreements related to employment, including employment, mandatory arbitration, non-disclosure, restrictive covenants, separation, and settlement agreements as well as independent contractor and vendor agreements
Partner with cross-functional stakeholders on configuring its HRIS system to ensure best practices for compliance with federal, state, and local labor and employment laws and provide a positive user experience
Help manage all litigation matters for the company (employment and non-employment), including hiring and overseeing outside counsel, developing litigation strategy, reviewing all pleadings and other filings, and managing litigation budgets
Help manage all aspects of dispute resolution and pre-litigation investigations, including assessing federal and state agency charges, complaints, and attorney demand letters; developing strategies to resolve them; engaging and supervising outside counsel as applicable; and providing clear, concise, and accurate guidance
Draft responses and position statements, respond to information requests, and participate in fact-finding conferences and mediations
Coordinate with Risk Management on insurance for litigation matters
Occasional travel may be required
Qualification
Required
5-8 years of related labor and employment law and general litigation experience
Member in good standing of the state of California or another bar association with the ability to register as in-house counsel in California
Deep experience with labor and employment laws in California and New York and significant experience with labor and employment laws in multiple states across a wide range of issues
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability to simplify legal concepts into appropriately risk-adjusted, business-oriented advice
Ability to appropriately balance legal risk with business objectives
Ability to marshal buy-in, drive change, and create effective and relevant presentation and training materials
Outstanding interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to navigate a dynamic workplace to identify and collaborate with key stakeholders
Demonstrated track record of successfully implementing and scaling legal solutions to achieve broad impact and sustainability
Exceptional written and communication skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective relationships
Superb organizational skills and the ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects at once
A sense of humor and an upbeat, can-do attitude, in keeping with the company's 'Build for Tomorrow' core value
Willingness to relocate to the Greater Los Angeles area if non-local
Preferred
In house experience preferred
Retail or hospitality experience preferred
Experience in a fast-paced and dynamic organization preferred
Benefits
Three different medical plans to suit your and your family's needs
Dental and Vision insurance
Flexible PTO plan
401k program
Employee HSA and FSA
Complimentary greens
A clear career path with opportunities for development, both personally and professionally
Free sweetgreen swag
Company
sweetgreen
Sweetgreen is a fast casual restaurant chain that serves simple, seasonal, and healthy salads, and grain bowls.
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$478.6MKey Investors
FidelityT. Rowe PriceRevolution
2021-11-18IPO
2019-09-19Series I· $150M
2018-11-16Series H· $200M
Leadership Team
Jonathan Neman
Co-Founder and CEO
Nicolas Jammet
Co-Founder & Chief Concept Officer
Recent News
2026-01-24
Arkansas Business — Business News, Real Estate, Law, Construction
2026-01-23
The Motley Fool
2026-01-22
Company data provided by crunchbase