Senior Counsel - Labor & Employment

Pet Smart
Senior Counsel – Labor & Employment

Location: Phoenix, AZ
Employment Type: Full Time
Date Posted: 10/11/2025

Reporting to the Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, this role provides strategic guidance and support to management and human resources professionals on routine and complex labor and employment matters and manages employment litigation matters.

• Serve as point of contact for HR and provide subject‑matter expertise on U.S. labor and employment matters.
• Advise management on day‑to‑day employment matters: hiring, termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, accommodations, leaves, wage and hour, restrictive covenants, and investigations.
• Review legislative trends and proactively advise the business on changes in the law.
• Research legal matters, draft memoranda, and provide legal advice to the company.
• Investigate and represent the company at the federal and state administrative level (EEOC, DOL, and state/local agencies) and prepare position statements with outside counsel when appropriate.
• Manage employment litigation: develop strategy, facilitate discovery, consult on key decisions, and represent the company in mediations and negotiate settlement agreements.
• Develop, deliver, and provide proactive training to HR professionals and business leaders on employment law matters.
• Manage outside counsel resources and legal fees in accordance with budgetary commitments and with an eye toward lowering legal costs.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.
• Admitted to a state Bar with in‑house admission in Arizona.
• Minimum of 5 years related and relevant experience.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strategic high‑level legal counsel experience with senior business leaders and HR professionals.
• Good business judgment and effective interpersonal skills.
• Ability to prioritize and manage numerous matters simultaneously.
• Prior in‑house experience preferred, but not required.

• Defending wage and hour class actions (California or other U.S. jurisdictions).
• Labor experience.
• Advising internal clients on wage and hour exposure compliance and risk mitigation (California or other U.S. jurisdictions).
• Retail experience a plus.

• Collaboration, teamwork, and face‑to‑face interaction with colleagues, leaders, and clients.
• On‑site presence in accordance with the Flex Smart policy supports culture, mentorship, and engagement.

Pet Smart provides an equal opportunity for all associates and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics.