Associate General Counsel, Ben & Jerry's

at  Unilever

Job Location: Englewood Cliffs, NJ or Burlington, VT (hybrid), or Remote, US may be considered
Travel: Less than 30% of the time

BACKGROUND & PURPOSE OF THE JOB:

We have an opportunity for an exceptional and accomplished qualified lawyer to serve as the Ben & Jerry’s General Counsel. Ben & Jerry’s is a beloved and iconic brand that makes delicious ice cream and that has inspired passionate fans around the world. Ben & Jerry’s is known as much for its commitment to a progressive social mission as for its ice cream. Ben & Jerry’s was founded in in Vermont and 1978 by its two namesake partners who sought to combine their love for ice cream with their passion for progressive social causes. They set out a three-part mission – to succeed financially, make great ice cream, and work to make our society more just and sustainable – that continues to guide and inspire the business today.
Ben & Jerry’s was acquired by Unilever in 2000, but the company’s social mission was to be carried forward under a unique acquisition agreement that placed primary responsibility for upholding that mission and the integrity of the Ben & Jerry’s brand in the hands of an independent board of directors. Under the agreement, the board works within its defined purpose, together with the Ben & Jerry’s CEO and Unilever, to guide the business in a manner that respects its history and tradition of activism.

WHO YOU ARE & WHAT YOU’LL DO:

The primary responsibility of the Ben & Jerry’s General Counsel revolves around the governance issues that arise under this unique agreement. These issues may arise in a wide range of circumstances involving media and communications, sourcing and supply chain, performance appraisal and compensation, litigation and dispute resolution, and more. The successful candidate must possess strong communications and interpersonal skills and an ability to navigate complexity where there is often little legal precedent available to serve as a guide. The candidate must also be capable of partnering effectively with multiple stakeholders with often divergent interests and priorities.
Cross-functional collaboration, both within the legal function as well as with individuals and departments outside of it, is an essential component of the job. All members of the legal team and business leadership are considered important stakeholders, including privacy, compliance, labor & employment, HR, IT, Quality, Safety, Sustainability, Communications, Finance, Security, Marketing, and Supply Chain.
The successful candidate for this role will have broad legal experience across a range of issues to include intellectual property, compliance, commercial transactions, franchising, labor and employment, competition, consumer law, and more. The candidate must be able to negotiate and resolve difficult issues with both firmness and tact.

The Ben & Jerry’s GC may be expected to “double hat” in an adjacent role, which might encompass, Americas region (partnering the Americas GM), litigation, ethics and compliance, investigations, privacy, or other subjects. The position reports to the Ice Cream General Counsel and will be a member of her leadership team. Periodic travel to Burlington, Vermont as well as to Rotterdam, Netherlands and elsewhere to attend leadership meetings can be expected.

• Advise the Unilever, Ice Cream business, and Ben & Jerry’s leadership on key issues involving corporate governance, with particular attention to the merger agreement, shareholder agreement and related documents setting out the roles and responsibilities of the Ben & Jerry’s independent board and the parent company of Ben & Jerry’s.
• Mediate and resolve disputes among multiple stakeholders that may arise under the unique corporate governance structure of Ben & Jerry’s.
• Oversee litigation involving the company, including responding to claims, demands, suits and third-party subpoenas; engage and oversee outside counsel and other advisors; and respond to regulatory issues and proceedings
• Manage and oversee contracts and commercial negotiations and disputes, franchise matters, intellectual property rights, and competition/antitrust issues.
• Partner with Marketing teams to support the innovation process, making sure the relevant IP is protected and product and campaigns are compliant with relevant laws and regulations.
• Partner with Human Resources, Finance and other functions to address and resolve cross-functional issues
• Create and manage budgets and develop practices and procedures to minimize external spend
• Develop and give presentations on current legal issues to senior management and other stakeholders.
• Serve as the subject matter expert on issues related to merger agreement, shareholder agreement, articles of incorporation, by-laws and other key documents and agreements concerning the relationship of the independent board to the parent company.