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Design Group General Counsel

Design Group | Head Office | Legal + Risk Management Department

About Us

Barry-Wehmiller Design Group is the only professional services firm born from a manufacturing technology company to become an independent and fully integrated Architecture + Engineering + Construction company building the future of manufacturing and technology. As one of the largest design-build firms in the United States, we shape the built environment for manufacturing and technology by enabling clients to realize capital strategies in the Food, Beverage, Life Sciences, Advanced Technology, Data Center, and Electric Vehicle/Battery Markets, creating value for our shareholders, professionals, clients, suppliers, and communities.

Design Group Legal + Risk Management

Design Group’s Legal + Risk Management group’s mission is to position our project teams to offer, win, and validate client trust in our firm of exceptional creatives, makers, and problem-solvers.

Legal + Risk Management is responsible for contracts, insurance, licensing and governance, risk management strategy, general legal counsel, and dispute resolution. We are biased towards action on the left side of the Paulson Curve and collaborating with project teams and clients to drive high value and high impact decision-making to obtain greater certainty of outcome for our clients and their business plans. Design Group Legal + Risk is aligned with Barry-Wehmiller Group’s global Legal + Risk group.

Position Description

The Design Group General Counsel has responsibility and oversight for the firm’s legal and risk management functions. The successful candidate will bring a unique and sophisticated understanding of professional design practice, construction management, and design-build delivery to align with our vertically integrated project delivery business model. While the General Counsel will be a design and construction lawyer first and foremost, the successful candidate will also be a business leader, and keen observer of the AEC industry landscape and trends.

Leadership & Responsibilities

• Provide legal and risk thought leadership and counsel to the Executive Team and business leaders. Collaborate closely with Barry-Wehmiller Group legal, risk, and finance teams in alignment with global Barry-Wehmiller policies and practices.
• Represent Design Group in identifying, preventing, negotiating, handling, and settling disputes, lawsuits, charges, enforcement actions, and claims.
• Support client development and winning work through proactive contract development and interfacing directly with clients, client legal teams, or our internal client development teams.
• Oversee the Legal Group’s review and negotiate consulting, design, engineering, engineer-procure-construct, design-build and construction management contracts, subcontracts, bids, equipment and hardware supply contracts, review and modify industry standard (AIA, EJCDC, ConsensusDocs, DBIA) and client-drafted contracts.
• Counsel teams on project selection criteria, appropriate project delivery methodology, and aligning with the firm’s commercial, legal, and risk management objectives.
• Provide project teams with counsel during project delivery, including providing project-level contract guidance and support (contract compliance, interpretation, subcontract alignment, notice requirements, close-out procedures) from kickoff to final completion.
• Oversee strategy and compliance for firm-level professional licensing requirements applicable to architecture, professional engineering, and general contracting services. Provide counsel and guidance for governance and organization of corporate entities holding certificates of authorization for architecture, engineering, and construction services.
• Oversee development, updates, and maintenance of the firm’s library of standard contracts, forms, and templates.
• Assist in managing intellectual property matters, including trademarks, patents, copyrights, and trade secrets, to protect the organization's assets.
• Develop and deliver legal and risk management training programs to employees to enhance awareness of legal risks and obligations.
• Lead the preparation and negotiation of project acquisitions, and other strategic transactions, including due diligence and integration efforts.
• Assist in reviewing and negotiating agreements with vendors and service providers, ensuring alignment with company objectives and legal requirements.
• Provide legal support to People, Safety, Finance, and IT Teams, and work with various departments to address legal requirements for documents, policies, procedures, claims, and enforcement. Counsel People Teams and coordinate outside counsel on labor and employment matters.
• Provide counsel for and assist in implementing cybersecurity and data protection best practices.
• Provide counsel regarding government contract obligations and contract compliance issues.
• Embody company values and adopt best practices regarding use of company systems and processes, management and leadership, collaboration, and mentoring.
• Contribute to a positive culture based on continuous learning, professional growth, and development.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree, and Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an ABA accredited law school. Admitted to practice as an attorney in at least one state in the United States. Ability to obtain additional corporate counsel registrations as may be required.
• 10+ years of relevant lawyering experience, with emphasis on design and construction law practice, with a strong preference for in-house counsel experience.
• Expert knowledge and skill in identifying, managing, and resolving project delivery issues and design and construction claims, disputes, and litigation. Familiarity with employment-related matters.
• Experience and skill in leading the drafting or review and negotiation of complex and large design, design-build, EPC, construction management, and program management contracts, particularly with clients and counterparties experienced in dealing with ENR Top 100 design and construction firms.
• Expert knowledge of, and ability to identify, explain, and structure project delivery methodologies, features, and roles in proposals and contracts including CM at Risk, Progressive Design-Build, EPC, EPCM, Design-Bid-Build, Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), Design-Build as a Construction Subcontractor, Program Management, CM Agent, CM Adviser, Early Contractor Involvement, Design Assist, Delegated Design, Fast-Tracking, Early GMP, Iterative GMP, and Target Value Delivery.
• Experience placing and managing business insurance programs for design and construction operations with emphasis on professional liability, commercial general liability, builder’s risk, subcontractor default, and cyber liability coverages.
• Must have a “roll up your sleeves and get the job done right” type attitude.
• Strong negotiation, communication, legal writing, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated qualities of integrity, credibility, and financial responsibility.
• Creative problem-solving skills matched with strength in executing under pressure.
• Self-motivated with proven ability to take ownership, initiative, and accountability.
• Position may require some travel, up to 1-2 weeks per quarter and/or as required by dispute resolution proceedings.
• Position located in Design Group’s St. Louis, Missouri office.