Commercial Corporate Counsel
Costco Wholesale Corporation, Issaquah, WA
Description of position: Costco Wholesale is seeking an experienced commercial attorney to join the legal team at its corporate headquarters in Issaquah, Washington. Costco is one of the world’s top retailers, with over 118 million cardholders and 847 warehouses in 14 countries, and continues to expand globally. The Commercial Corporate Counsel will handle a broad range of commercial matters, providing legal advice and counsel to a variety of business units throughout Costco. This attorney will supervise outside counsel and other advisors on a variety of non-litigation matters. The candidate must be comfortable operating in a team environment with confidence in his or her judgments and demonstrate an ability to communicate with all levels in the company in a concise and effective way. This position is an “in the office” (not remote work) position.
Responsibilities:
● Draft and negotiate a wide variety of complex commercial contracts and manage the lifecycle of the transactions, including attention to compliance matters.
● Support Costco’s domestic and international e-commerce efforts by identifying and addressing legal, contractual, intellectual property and regulatory issues, including user experiences, technology tools and integrations, third-party relationships, and compliance with Internet and technology law.
● Support Costco’s private label product development, including reviews of product claims, labels, and packaging for compliance with FDA, FTC, and other regulations.
● Deliver advice on a wide range of legal topics, including commercial contracts, foundational intellectual property, pricing compliance, and merchandise and marketing compliance issues. Advise business leaders with respect to legal issues and risk management concerning the development and implementation of business strategy.
● Collaborate with other members of the Legal Department to facilitate the deployment and adoption of Costco’s enterprise contract lifecycle management system throughout the organization.
● Identify opportunities for and offer training to business clients on various legal, regulatory, and compliance topics.
● For all substantive areas of responsibility, track and interpret existing and emerging regulations; advise on regulatory changes and enforcement trends; support the continuous improvement and updating of form agreements, legal processes and compliance practices; and collaborate with outside counsel, consultants, and cross-functional stakeholders.
● Perform special projects and such other functions as directed.
● Monitor, manage, and review work and expenditures by outside counsel to ensure quality, value, and efficacy of legal services.
Qualifications:
● J.D. degree from an accredited law school.
● Admission in good standing to practice law in at least one U.S. state, and eligible to practice as in-house counsel in the State of Washington.
● At least six years of general corporate and transactional experience acquired in a law firm, with some in-house experience preferred.
● Experience with compliance with laws governing retail operations and regulatory matters. Understanding of and experience with consumer product and food and beverage labeling laws is a plus.
● Experience with contract lifecycle management systems preferred but not essential.
● Excellent business judgment and ability to assess legal risk while also thinking strategically and providing practical, business-oriented advice.
● Demonstrated ability to independently manage a diverse and complex workload while maintaining priorities and proactively anticipating issues.
● Exceptional communication, drafting and analytical skills for working with lawyers and non-lawyers, including training experience.
● Experience overseeing outside counsel.
● Ability to work both autonomously and collaboratively.
● Strong execution and project management skills and ability to develop consensus among stakeholders from across the organization.
Salary and Benefits: The annual base salary range for this position is $110,000 to $185,000, depending upon years of legal experience. In addition to annual base salary, the total compensation package includes an annual grant of restricted stock units ("RSUs") and an annual bonus (based on company and individual performance). The combined value of the bonus and the RSUs may exceed the base salary if the RSUs vest at a share price at or above the grant price. Attorneys are also eligible to participate in the executive deferred compensation plan with a matching contribution from Costco, and receive other executive benefits. We also offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, health benefits (medical, dental, vision, hearing aid, pharmacy, behavioral health, employee assistance), health care reimbursement account, dependent care assistance plan, commuter benefits, short-term and long-term disability insurance, AD&D insurance, life insurance, and 401(k).
At Costco, you will build a long-lasting career in a renowned culture where the company is committed to taking care of its employees, members, and suppliers. You will be empowered to independently drive results within your areas of responsibility, and you will feel good about what you are helping to build. To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to Stephanie Gardner at sgardner@costco.com.
Costco Wholesale is an equal-opportunity employer and strives to provide a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. We are also committed to recruiting, hiring, training and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds and make all employment decisions without regard to any protected status.
