Associate General Counsel

Associate General Counsel (Employment Focus)

About Care Vet

Care Vet is a network of veterinary hospitals that focuses on acquiring and managing best-in-class hospitals throughout the United States. We look for veterinary practices that are staples of their community. Whether it's one hospital or a dozen, we focus on the standard of care delivered, the level of engagement from the team and the record of stability. We are building a network of top hospitals, doctors, and staff.

Care Vet's mission is to provide the very best care for pets. Our holistic approach to veterinary medicine focuses on practice legacy, team, veterinarians, patients and community.

Position Overview

Care Vet is seeking an Associate General Counsel (Employment Focus) to join our legal department, serving as a key advisor on employment law matters and commercial transactions. This role requires a versatile attorney who can navigate the complexities of multi-state employment compliance while also supporting the company's commercial contracting needs. The ideal candidate brings deep employment law expertise complemented by strong transactional skills.

The Associate General Counsel (Employment Focus) reports directly to the General Counsel and must be a team player, have a strong work ethic, value humor, and thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities

Employment Law

• Provide day-to-day employment counseling to People & Culture and business leaders on a wide range of workplace issues, including hiring, performance management, discipline, terminations, accommodations, and leave administration.
• Conduct and oversee internal investigations related to employee complaints, policy violations, and other workplace concerns.
• Develop, draft, and update employment policies, handbooks, and procedures to support compliance across 40+ states.
• Monitor and advise on multi-state employment law developments, including wage and hour, anti-discrimination, workplace safety, and paid leave requirements.
• Partner with People & Culture to manage employment-related disputes, agency charges, and litigation in coordination with outside counsel.
• Support M&A activity by conducting employment-related due diligence and integration planning for acquired veterinary practices.
• Manage and update legal department's Mansfield Certification as needed.

Commercial Contracts

• Draft, review, revise, and negotiate a variety of commercial agreements, including vendor contracts, service agreements, software and technology agreements, and procurement contracts.
• Work with the Legal Operations Specialist to ensure that contract lifecycle process is managed appropriately.
• Provide advice to facilitate the procurement of goods and services from third party vendors, including during the M&A integration process.
• Advise internal stakeholders on contract terms, risk allocation, and negotiation strategy.
• Prepare legal and compliance updates and translate feedback and needs of internal customers into department actions.
• Identify, develop, and provide training on self-service tools and templates for legal and business colleagues.
• Review and revise legal templates as requested by the General Counsel.

General

• Collaborate cross-functionally with People & Culture, Finance, Operations, and other departments to provide practical, business-oriented legal guidance.
• Act as a liaison between the legal department and the Clinical Advisory Operations Team regarding veterinarian matters.
• Identify and escalate legal risks and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Contribute to legal department projects and initiatives as needed.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing (Missouri admission required).
• Minimum of 5 years of legal experience across several industries and/or areas of law with an emphasis on employment law.
• Demonstrated experience in commercial contract drafting and negotiation.
• Strong knowledge of federal and state employment laws.
• Experience with employment litigation or managing outside counsel.
• Prior in-house legal experience.
• Excellent social and communication skills in English, both written and verbal.
• Proactive and solution-driven.
• Willing to embrace technology as an enabler of efficient business processes.
• Good organizational skills and detail-oriented.
• Quick learner and able to work independently in a culturally diverse environment.
• Eager, energetic and service oriented.
• Dedicated team player with a pragmatic business approach.

What We Offer

• Best-in-class medical, vision, and dental insurance
• 401k with match
• Life insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• HSA and FSA
• Employee assistance program with a licensed social worker on staff
• Unlimited paid time off
• And much more!