Assistant General Counsel

Company Overview

Why Choose Us?

Novolex is a leading manufacturer of food, beverage, and specialty packaging that supports multiple industries including foodservice, restaurant delivery and carryout, food processing, grocery and retail, and industrial sectors. Novolex manufacturing and sourcing expertise spans a diverse range of substrates including resin, paper, molded fiber, aluminum and more. We provide customers a broad array of stock and customized solutions with 120 product categories, 250 brands and over 39,000 SKUs.

Our Sustainability Commitment

The Novolex sustainability vision is built upon three pillars: our products, our operations and our people. Each is critically important to our growth and future as a business. These pillars form the foundation of our company-wide commitment to sustainability, helping us achieve our ambitious goals through our wide-ranging initiatives.

Job Description

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Associate General Counsel, Litigation to join our legal team in Charlotte, North Carolina (hybrid schedule). This role is ideal for a highly capable attorney with 7+ years of experience managing complex litigation, pre-litigation disputes, and claims in a law firm, corporate legal department, or similar environment.

The Associate General Counsel, Litigation will serve as a strategic legal advisor responsible for overseeing a diverse portfolio of commercial, product liability, employment, transportation, and other civil litigation matters. The successful candidate will have demonstrated expertise in case assessment, litigation strategy, trial preparation, alternative dispute resolution, outside counsel management, witness preparation, risk evaluation, and settlement negotiations.

This position will lead all phases of dispute management, including early case evaluation, fact investigation, discovery, e-discovery and document preservation, motion practice, mediation, trial support, and resolution. The role requires the ability to assess legal and business risk, develop practical litigation strategies, manage litigation budgets, oversee outside counsel, and communicate effectively with executive leadership and business stakeholders.

The ideal candidate will possess strong advocacy, analytical, and problem-solving skills; sound legal judgment; exceptional written and oral communication abilities; and the ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, business-oriented advice. Success in this role requires the ability to manage a significant litigation docket, coordinate cross-functional internal teams, prepare corporate representatives and witnesses, evaluate insurance and indemnity issues, and balance legal risk with business objectives in a fast-paced environment.

The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker, highly organized, and comfortable operating in a matrixed environment while partnering with internal stakeholders across operations, manufacturing, supply chain, procurement, human resources, risk management, finance, and executive leadership to protect the company's interests and drive favorable litigation outcomes.

Key Litigation Skills Highlighted

This revised summary emphasizes the following core litigation competencies:

• Early case assessment and risk evaluation
• Litigation and trial strategy development
• Management of complex litigation portfolios
• Outside counsel selection and oversight
• Discovery and e-discovery management
• Legal hold and document preservation obligations
• Mediation and settlement negotiations
• Witness and corporate representative preparation
• Expert witness management
• Insurance coverage and indemnity analysis
• Litigation budgeting and reserve management
• Executive-level reporting and communications
• Cross-functional investigations and fact development
• Dispute avoidance and risk mitigation counseling
• Trial support and courtroom readiness

Requirements and Qualifications

Associate General Counsel, Litigation

We are seeking a confident, collaborative, and business-minded attorney who brings strong legal judgment, excellent communication skills, and the ability to manage a varied and active litigation portfolio with professionalism and precision.

Required Qualifications

J.D. from an accredited law school

Active state bar membership in good standing

7 or more years of litigation experience at a law firm, in-house legal department, or comparable legal environment

Significant experience in commercial litigation, product liability litigation, employment litigation, insurance-related disputes, or other complex civil litigation

Demonstrated ability to manage outside counsel, including case strategy, budgets, staffing, and performance

Experience drafting case assessments, legal analyses, litigation reports, and executive-level summaries

Experience actively managing an active docket of litigation and pre-litigation matters

Experience supporting or participating in mediation, settlement negotiations, and alternative dispute resolution proceedings

Strong understanding of litigation processes, including discovery, motion practice, fact development, expert management, and case evaluation

Familiarity with e-discovery processes, legal holds, and document preservation obligations

Experience advising business clients regarding litigation risks and dispute resolution strategies

Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines

Strong written and oral communication skills

Sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters with professionalism

Technical / Professional Skills

Proficiency with legal research platforms and tools (such as Westlaw, LexisNexis, Practical Law, or similar)

Comfort using or learning AI-enabled legal tools for legal research, document review, issue spotting, case assessment, and productivity enhancement

Experience with Microsoft Purview, e-discovery platforms, or litigation management systems is desired but not required

Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook

Ability to synthesize complex legal issues into practical, business-oriented advice

Desired but Not Required

Training from a top-tier law firm

Judicial clerkship experience

Prior in-house experience supporting an industrial, manufacturing, distribution, consumer products, packaging, or other operationally complex business

Experience managing significant product liability, mass tort, employment, transportation, commercial, or class action litigation

Experience preparing corporate representatives, managing expert witnesses, and supporting trial teams

What Success Looks Like

In this role, success means:

Managing disputes proactively and efficiently, with strong business alignment.

Delivering practical, timely, and business-oriented advice regarding litigation risk.

Building trusted relationships with business leaders and serving as a strategic legal advisor.

Bringing discipline, visibility, and accountability to litigation oversight, outside counsel management, and internal reporting.

Achieving favorable litigation outcomes while balancing risk, cost, and business objectives.

Identifying opportunities to reduce legal exposure and improve dispute prevention efforts across the organization.

Helping the legal department operate as a modern, strategic, and solution-oriented partner to the business

Why Join Us

• This is a compelling opportunity for an attorney who wants a broad, high-impact litigation role in a growing industrial business. You will work closely with senior legal leadership, partner across the organization, and play an important role in shaping how the company manages litigation risk, resolves disputes, and protects the business's interests.
• We are looking for someone who is not only technically strong, but also curious, collaborative, and energized by the opportunity to help improve processes and drive effective outcomes. If you are ready to bring sound judgment, strong execution, and a practical mindset to a role with significant visibility and influence, we encourage you to apply

#LI-TM1

Company Benefits

What You'll Get From Us

Benefits

With safety as our top priority and a commitment to employee well-being an important focus, we offer comprehensive and competitive benefits that include medical, dental and vision insurance as well as a variety of other well-being resources focused on mental, physical and financial health. Specific benefits and well-being programs may vary depending on where you work.

Community Engagement

At Novolex, giving back to the local communities that support us is important. Our Focused Giving Program prioritizes support for organizations whose missions promote sustainability initiatives or address food and hunger needs. We also encourage facility level support of activities in the communities where our employees live and work.

Training and Development

We offer constant opportunities for advancement. From skills development to advanced education programs, training and development programs and courses are available through MyLearning. Programs include company and industry training curricula, support for formal education through the Tuition Reimbursement Program (Non-Union), and a Learning Management System that supports and enhances employee skills at all levels of the organization.

Novolex is committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all employment practices, including but not limited to selection, hiring, promotion, transfer, and compensation to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to age, race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, handicap or disability, genetics, citizenship status, service member or veteran status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law. Any individual who, because of his or her disability, needs an accommodation in connection with an aspect of the Company's application process should contact myHRservices@novolex.com.

Formerly Pactiv Evergreen