Job Title: General Counsel
Department: Legal
Reports to: CFO
FSLA Status: Exempt
About Us
Common Citizen is proud to be a Michigan-based cannabis company committed to changing the social stigma that prevents people from enjoying the greater quality of life that cannabis can provide. Our company is founded on two principles: ‘cannabis for humanity’ and ‘change for the better’. ‘Cannabis for humanity’ meaning we put people first in everything we do – from our safe, high quality cannabis plants to our world-class customer experience to our caring workplace environment. ‘Change for the better’ meaning that we have an insatiable desire to make ourselves, our product, and our team experience better each and every day. In fact, we are working hard to become and be recognized as a Great Place to Work® Best Workplaces in the USA.
About This Role
Every position at Common Citizen from seed to sale, is contributing to our mission to serve our fellow citizens of Michigan with the highest quality, safest cannabis product through our highly individualized and education-oriented provisioning centers. As such our growers, harvesters and trimmers are all called Cultivation Citizens. The General Counsel is responsible for leading corporate strategic and tactical legal initiatives for the firm and provides senior management with quick and thoughtful advice on a variety of matters. This role is responsible for driving strategic initiatives and their implementation, managing the company’s legal affairs, and overseeing the work of outside counsel. The General Counsel is directly involved in complex business transactions, including drafting, and negotiating various types of business-critical contracts and providing a broad range of legal counsel and expertise to senior management and various departments.
Responsibilities
Outlined below is what we see you doing at this point in time. We are a fast-growing company looking for people that are excited to grow along with us. Responsibilities include but not limited to:
- Counsels’ leadership on a broad array of issues in order to assess legal implications for the firm. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, provides advice and counsel to teammates.
- Provides practical legal advice that furthers business objectives. Provides direct transactional legal support to document, diligence, and close transactions
- Identifies risks inherent in contract terms and business and develops solutions to complex problems that mitigate risk.
- Provides legal oversight and guidance to ensure the Company’s compliance with laws, rules, and regulations.
- Lead & negotiate all corporate, finance, M&A, and complex commercial and IP matters.
- Provides accurate, cost-effective, and timely legal support to the firm.
- Manages legal risks and assist in managing business risks and resolving pre-litigation disputes.
- Apprise business and legal partners of pertinent legislative and regulatory developments.
- Participates in the development of corporate policies, procedures and programs and provides counsel and guidance upon key legal matters
- Builds, structures, and manages the company’s internal legal function and staff.
- Oversees the selection, retention, management, and evaluation of all outside counsel. Manages the company’s litigation through coordination with outside counsel
- Collaborates with the company’s accounting and finance departments to manage regulatory affairs, corporate governance, and risk management initiatives.
- Responsible for ensuring that the company conducts its multi-State business operations in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
- Responsible for reviewing, drafting, and negotiating key contracts, including major subcontracts, purchase agreements, and financing documents. Reviews, drafts, and negotiates a broad range of contracts and agreements for the business
- Researches and advises on a broad range of legal-related issues, including employment law, tax law, contractor disputes, real property law and landlord-tenant matters.
- Develops strategic policies/processes/materials and educational materials to minimize company legal exposure as well as educating/training company management on legal risks and ramifications.
- Assists real estate and development teams with in-depth due diligence in real estate transactions, including title and entitlement review and evaluation of zoning and land use issues.
- Moves the organization forward by working collaboratively with senior management colleagues to arrive at and implement short and long-term organizational decisions that utilize organizational, industry, and competitive knowledge.
The Experience You Bring and the Skills we Need:
- B.A. or B.S. and Juris Doctorate. Licensed to practice law in at least one state in good standing, and able to gain admission to the Illinois Bar
- 6+ years of experience with corporate law firm experience or strong corporate background with six or more years of significant transactional experience required, including general corporate matters. Experience with a highly regulated industry strongly preferred.
- Broad based knowledge on various legal issues. Established ability to build internal client relationships across various functions and play an integral part of the senior leadership team.
- Demonstrated ability to think and contribute to key decisions quickly, and to communicate legal issues and solutions clearly and concisely
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, including a clear and concise drafting style
- Strong organizational and interpersonal skills, including ability to work independently and effectively within a team and a fast-paced business environment
- Experience drafting complex commercial contracts or other experience demonstrating ability to manage commercial and legal negotiations, including strong negotiating skills and ability to influence and persuade.
- Demonstrated ability to perform at high level in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with shifting priorities
- Must be a team player with intangible soft skills to be successful in a team environment where agility and accountability are valued at a premium and a “roll up your sleeves” attitude is critical to success. A team player who is willing to pitch in wherever needed.
- An ability and willingness to work under time-sensitive deadlines and be productive in fast-paced environment with multiple competing priorities
- Experience working with and managing outside counsel from both a cost effectiveness and work product standpoint, particularly with respect to M&A
- Comfortable and confident in thinking independently and making his/her own decisions
- Demonstrated ability to take ownership of and solve problems, to expeditiously assess issues, and accurately recognize areas of risk/opportunity to provide sound legal advice.
- Ability to summarize key legal and business issues, including alternatives, for executive decisions.
Physical Requirements
- Regularly required to sit for long periods of time
- Use hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
- Reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.
- Occasionally required to stand and walk.
- Frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
Why You’d Love This Role
You have:
- A high level of professionalism and believe in our founding principles: “Cannabis for humanity” and “Change for the better”. As such, you enjoy being involved in the community and being a steward for the company and the positive change that we believe in.
- A passion for providing the residents and visitors of Michigan with the highest quality and safest cannabis products in the state.
- A desire to change the social perception of cannabis and a passion for humanity.
- A constant desire to learn new skills and believe in continuous improvement, both personally and professionally.
- Value integrity and honesty and want to bring those values to the cannabis industry.
- Enjoy being part of a team and sharing your skills with your fellow citizens.
- An appreciation for all stages of the production cycle of cannabis, including harvesting and trimming.
- An awareness of the contamination risk between a commercial and home grow, and thus can commit to not operating a home grow while working with us in the greenhouse
Common Citizen is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an environment of mutual respect for all people. If you are a member of an equity group, you are encouraged to self-identify, on your application, cover letter or resume.
***Must be at least 21 years of age as required by the Marijuana Regulatory Association**
Job Type: Full-time
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
License/Certification:
- Bar (Preferred)
Work Location:
- Fully Remote
Work Location: Remote
