Senior Counsel - Labor & Employment Law (Cambridge, MA)
Philips
Summary
As Senior Counsel – Labor & Employment Law, you will report to the Head of Labor and Employment Law – US and be based in our Cambridge, MA office. You will join a busy, multidisciplinary legal team and work collaboratively across the Legal and People functions, as well as with business stakeholders in the U.S. and globally.
Job description
Your role
- Advise the People Function and People Leaders on a broad range of employment law matters, including recruiting, hiring, performance management, discrimination, harassment, discipline, reductions in force, and restrictive covenants. Review, draft, and advise on HR policies and procedures for U.S. and global application. Develop and deliver employment law training.
- Manage labor-related legal matters, including advising on collective bargaining agreements, supporting grievance processes and related records, preparing for and conducting arbitrations, and developing and interpreting policies and programs for represented employees. Defend, supervise, and manage employment-related claims and litigation, including overseeing outside counsel, responding to administrative charges, complaints, attorney letters, settlement demands, and claims, and negotiating appropriate resolutions. Support efforts to maintain, assess, and remediate employment law, compensation, and benefits compliance issues affecting the company’s global operations.
- Advise on workforce transformations, organizational changes, acquisitions, and divestments. Monitor legislative and judicial developments to support ongoing compliance with multi-jurisdictional employment regulations. Support HR, Labor, Benefits and Immigration colleagues.
You're the right fit if
- You have acquired 10+ years of law firm and/or in-house experience, with substantive experience supporting complex, multi-state labor and employment matters. A combination of law firm and in-house experience is preferred. Benefits law experience is a plus!
- Your skills include experience working successfully within a global, regulated organization; with the ability to analyze legal requirements and apply them to complex business situations. Additionally, you have experience with emerging legal technologies and AI applications in decision-making and legal operations
- You should also have strong proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and Artificial Intelligence such as Co-Pilot and ChatGPT, required and Adobe, preferred.
- You have a J.D. from an accredited U.S. Law School and admission to at least one State Bar.
- You must be able to successfully perform the following minimum Physical, Cognitive and Environmental job requirements with or without accommodation for this position.
- You're an excellent communicator (written and oral), with sound judgment, and the ability to build relationships and credibility as a trusted advisor. You possess interest in medical technology; a commitment to continuous improvement, as well as a collaborative approach and appreciation for colleagues.
Requirements
- 10+ years of law firm and/or in-house experience
- Substantive experience supporting complex, multi-state labor and employment matters
- Experience working successfully within a global, regulated organization
- Ability to analyze legal requirements and apply them to complex business situations
- Experience with emerging legal technologies and AI applications in decision-making and legal operations
- Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
- Proficiency with Artificial Intelligence such as Co-Pilot and ChatGPT
- J.D. from an accredited U.S. Law School
- Admission to at least one State Bar
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Sound judgment and ability to build relationships and credibility as a trusted advisor
- Must reside in or within commuting distance to Cambridge, MA
Benefits
- Generous PTO
- 401(k) up to 7% match
- HSA with company contribution
- Stock purchase plan
- Education reimbursement
- Annual incentive bonus
- Long-term incentives
Company overview
Koninklijke Philips N.V., commonly known as Philips, is a Dutch multinational health technology company that has evolved from its origins as a consumer electronics conglomerate into a leading global healthcare solutions provider. Founded in 1891 in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Philips has transformed its business focus since the 2010s to concentrate exclusively on health technology. The company operates through three main divisions: Diagnosis and Treatment, which manufactures advanced medical imaging equipment including MRI, CT, and ultrasound scanners; Connected Care, specializing in patient monitoring systems and respiratory care products under the Respironics brand; and Personal Health, producing consumer healthcare products like electric shavers, Sonicare toothbrushes, and Avent childcare items. With 68,419 employees worldwide and annual revenues of €18.02 billion (2024), Philips maintains its global headquarters in Amsterdam while operating manufacturing, R&D, and sales facilities across 26 countries. The company has strategically divested its consumer electronics, lighting, and home appliance businesses to become a pure-play health technology organization, positioning itself at the forefront of medical innovation and digital healthcare solutions.