Commercial Counsel

Company Description

Since its founding more than 100 years ago, ITW has become one of the world’s leading diversified manufacturers of specialized industrial equipment, consumables, and related service businesses. We place a high premium on the development of innovative solutions–most of which are developed in tandem with our customers. And we continue to ensure that our customers receive timely, cost-effective service for the innovative products we provide.

ITW’s differentiated business model is composed of a set of unique core capabilities: our proprietary 80/20 business process, customer-back innovation, and our well-known decentralized entrepreneurial culture. These capabilities are unmistakably ITW—and key to our longevity and strong performance.

ITW’s products and solutions are at work all over the world, in deep-sea oil rigs, aerospace technology, bridges and wind turbines, healthcare, the spaces in which we live and work, the cars we drive, and the mobile devices we rely on. We are never, whether we know it or not, more than a few steps from an innovative ITW solution.

Today, ITW (NYSE: ITW) is a Fortune 200 company that employs nearly 50,000 people with operations in 55 countries with headquarters in Glenview, IL. We are conveniently located across from the Metra commuter rail, with access to an on-site gym, café and active employee resource groups.

Job Description

Reporting to the Associate General Counsel, this position will provide dedicated legal support in two key areas: (A) Acting as a trusted legal advisor to ITW's Automotive OEM segment on a variety of commercial legal matters, with a principal focus on reviewing and negotiating commercial agreements, supporting commercial strategies and developing efficient contract management processes; and (B) Supporting ITW as a whole by providing legal counseling on mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, including reviewing and negotiating transactional documents, working closely with corporate functional areas, and managing external counsel, as appropriate. The successful candidate will have approximately three (3) to seven (7) years of legal experience gained in a sophisticated law firm environment or a prominent in-house legal department, with experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating complex commercial agreements and assisting on other transactional matters (preferably M&A).

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Preparing, reviewing and negotiating a wide range of commercial contracts and related arrangements, including customer and supplier terms & conditions and supply agreements, IT contracts and non-disclosure agreements.
• Reviewing, negotiating and advising on transactional documents in connection with mergers, acquisitions and divestitures;
• Working collaboratively with a broad range of stakeholders and developing strong partnerships with operating leaders by providing excellent customer service and facilitating efficient resolution of commercial questions.
• Partnering with the AGC to review existing contract management processes and developing and implementing simplified procedures for the review, negotiation and approval of commercial contracts.
• Assisting the AGC in developing training materials and delivering training to operating leaders on critical contract terms, negotiating strategies and related legal and commercial issues.
• Proactively engaging operating teams to review and evaluate business practices for legal risk.
• Providing legal counsel to operating leaders that effectively supports commercial operations and growth and profit objectives while mitigating risk, with appropriate oversight and direction from AGC.
• Coordinating seamlessly across all matters to obtain appropriate input from other subject matter experts within the Legal Department (i.e., Ethics & Compliance, Litigation, IP, Risk Management, Trade Compliance, etc.).
• Managing outside counsel as needed on specialized legal matters.
• Providing support on other special projects and conducting relevant legal research (as needed), as requested by the AGC and/or operating leaders of applicable Segments.

Qualifications

• JD degree from an ABA-accredited law school and admission to the IL bar required (in-house admitted status permitted).
• Approximately three (3) to seven (7) years of legal experience.
• Experience in a sophisticated law firm environment or prominent in-house legal department, with experience in drafting, review and negotiation of complex commercial agreements.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Self-starter who is collegial, flexible and able to multi-task while working in a fast paced and demanding global team environment providing timely responses to meet expectations of supported persons and business units.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving with the ability to think creatively with a sense of urgency.
• Solid interpersonal skills and values collaboration; reaches out to team members and cooperates with the team to establish a collaborative working environment within the Commercial Legal Team and Legal Department.
• Superior intellect, with the ability to think critically and make clear and well-reasoned decisions; ability to see and handle more than the legal issues of a project; strong, pragmatic business acumen with the ability to recognize the business consequences of legal advice; a strategic thinker who can bring value to his or her clients, anticipate issues and find creative solutions to complex legal problems.
• Continuous learner who enhances ITW’s global structure and broad product portfolio and views strategic change as a positive opportunity.
• Open to coaching and constructive feedback and can adapt and apply lessons learned.
• Available for moderate travel by car or commercial air to U.S. businesses and occasional travel to other businesses, subject to health and safety protocols, as appropriate.
• Reasonable after-hours availability by email or telephone to receive and respond to communications from supported persons.
• General availability in person at the Glenview corporate office to meet the demands of the role.

This position requires an accomplished attorney with a strong professional record and a business orientation. Personal and professional ‘fit’ within ITW’s culture is of paramount importance. Candidates must be self-motivated and exhibit a passion for understanding ITW’s business and contributing in a meaningful way to its strategy and long term strategic goals. In addition to possessing the requisite legal and technical skills, the successful candidate must approach this role from a business perspective and demonstrate a high degree of ethics and integrity, as well as strategic/conceptual thinking capabilities. A low-ego/high team mentality is crucial

Additional Information

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (“ITW” or “the Company”) is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access the online application system process due to your disability, please email corp_accessibility@itw.com to request assistance. No other requests will be acknowledged.