Lead Counsel, Product Claims

As a global leader in advanced mobility solutions, our outstanding team of legal professionals helps us navigate the continually changing legal and regulatory landscape. In our Office of General Counsel, you’ll be part of an organization that collaborates with outside counsel to operate as a global team and deliver world-class legal, tax and audit services to client groups throughout the company.

In this position…

Ford Motor Company’s Office of the General Counsel is seeking an outstanding attorney to join our Product Claims Team in the Controversies Practice Group.  A successful candidate for this position will demonstrate strong litigation capability, persuasive written and oral communication skills, as well as the ability to work independently and collaboratively across teams of business clients, internal legal colleagues, and outside counsel to effectively and strategically manage complex litigation matters. 

Client counseling is also an essential part of this position.  A successful candidate will demonstrate both business acumen and sound legal judgment to support and counsel Ford’s customer experience and field service organizations, and other business teams.  The ability to align goals of the business and legal department, while managing tactical and day-to-day requirements in time-sensitive situations and challenging environments is key, as well as the ability to provide legal advice and training to company leaders in a business-friendly manner.

To keep pace with the changing industry and legal landscape, we are also seeking a candidate that can identify and execute creative strategies to do our work more efficiently and effectively. This will include helping to design and implement new technology solutions and AI tools to our practice.
 

What you’ll do…

You will provide strategic oversight of a portfolio of pre-suit customer-direct and subrogation product liability matters nationwide, which will include: evaluating and assessing subrogation claims; retaining and managing outside counsel (when necessary); driving the assessment of litigation risk; optimizing Ford’s strategic and defensive posture in anticipation of litigation; leading settlement negotiations; implementing new technology solutions and workflow automations to efficiently manage matters and reduce costs; and providing support, counseling, and training to business teams on legal risks, lessons learned, and risk mitigation strategies. Additionally, you will direct a team of analysts responsible for investigating and resolving pre-suit, consumer direct product liability claims.

You will also regularly collaborate with other legal teams, including product litigation, class actions, consumer finance, regulatory, and more. Additionally, you will serve as a strategic legal partner to Ford and Ford Pro’s customer service and experience operations to guide early dispute resolution and mitigate litigation risk. In addition, you will support the regulatory team in monitoring trends; and assist with internal and third-party-driven investigations.

You'll have...

• Juris Doctorate from an ABA-accredited law school
• Membership in good standing of the Michigan Bar (or member in good standing of another state bar and eligible for RIHC status in Michigan)
• A minimum of 4-8 years of experience practicing as a litigation attorney in a law firm, corporation, or government agency
• Strong litigation background
• Excellent analytical, critical, and strategic thinking skills
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills 
• Skilled and confident in negotiation
• Proficient in applying AI tools to daily work
• An interest in optimizing and automating legal operations by analyzing data and leveraging legal technology
• A continuous improvement mindset
• Ability to work with a diverse team
• Experience managing a team

Even better, you may have…

• Experience with the automotive industry or other consumer manufacturing
• Product liability and insurance subrogation experience
• Live in or willing to relocate to the Detroit area, but remote candidates are welcome to apply 

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:
• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service 
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day 
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time. 

This position is leadership level 5 and ranges in Dearborn from $141,700-$268,300.  
Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.

Internal applicants: moving into this role may result in an adjustment to your current compensation based on the posted pay range for this role, taking into consideration your qualifications and other relevant factors.
For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/LL5

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is hybrid or remote. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week. #LI-Hybrid #LI-Remote

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