Associate In-House Counsel

Location

Fargo, ND or Minnesota

January 15, 2026

Be part of a growing, successful company in an exciting and challenging field. Border States is 100% employee-owned, which means you're empowered to make decisions, find solutions and receive rewards for your hard work.

Supports the Legal Department in all aspects of its day-to-day business. Primarily responsible for the review of new and existing business contracts to ensure regulatory and procedural compliance based on company standards. Supports the goals of the Legal Department by conducting legal research or other legal work, as directed. Performs all work in compliance with appropriate laws, regulations, company policies, and business unit procedures.

Essential Functions

• Assists in providing legal guidance and legal strategy to the business.
• Communicates contract requirements and expected best practices to both corporate and branch personnel.
• Negotiates terms with internal and external parties to ensure compliance of contract terms to approved business standards.
• Ensures contract terms and conditions are communicated to or shared with relevant parties and coordinates the enforcement of terms when required.
• Supports the contracts process to review terms and conditions with vendors, customers, and service providers.
• Manages the contract change control process.
• Maintains accurate records of new contacts and renewals.
• Reports on legal matters to executive leadership, as directed.

Non-essential Functions

• Coordinates with other departments and branch locations, as needed, to ensure insurance and bond contract requirements and are identified and properly documented.
• Modifies agreement templates, as needed or directed, to meet unique business needs.
• Participates in Lean/Six Sigma and other quality programs associated with contracts.
• Performs other legal duties and tasks, as assigned by manager or other designate.

• Requires a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an ABA-accredited law school, with strong academic credentials.
• Must be an attorney in good standing with an active license to practice law in the United States. If not licensed in North Dakota, must be eligible to register as an in-house attorney in North Dakota.
• Requires a minimum of 4 years of prior legal experience, with specific legal experience handling a variety of commercial contracts and legal knowledge of handling business processes and procedures with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Previous in-house counsel experience preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication, and reading skills.
• Working knowledge of business organizations and an understanding of the legal department's strategic role required.
• Advanced working knowledge of PC for Windows and Microsoft Office preferred (Excel, Word, Access, and PowerPoint).

• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work with other teams and oversee and direct other directors, managers, and senior managers across multiple departments and areas of the company.
• Strong customer service skills in order to participate in cross-functional teams and actively engage both internal business owners and external customers and vendors.
• Excellent customer service skills include being competent, accurate, responsive, and engaged.
• Well-organized and able to manage multiple projects under deadline pressure.
• Ability to maintain a high level of initiative.

Frequency at which you would carry/lift in a typical day:

Occasionally 0 - 33% Frequently 34 - 66% Continuously: 67 - 100%

• Lift from Waist: