Corporate Counsel in Columbus, Ohio at Gifthealth Inc

Position Summary

We are seeking a Corporate Counsel to join our Gifthealth Legal team. Reporting to the Chief Legal Officer, this role owns the full spectrum of employment and HR legal matters for Gifthealth on an in-house basis. The Corporate Counsel partners closely with HR and People leadership to build scalable legal frameworks, advise directly on employment and employee relations matters, and keep Gifthealth compliant across a growing, multi-state footprint.

This is a hands-on practitioner role for an attorney who is earlier in their career, hungry to own meaningful scope independently, and comfortable operating without a full legal department infrastructure. We are looking for someone who moves fast, gives direct advice, and is energized by building alongside a high-growth company — not someone who relies on outside counsel for routine employment questions or needs a detailed playbook before taking a position.

• HR Policy Drafting and Review: Draft, review, and maintain employee handbooks, PTO policies, remote work policies, codes of conduct, accommodation procedures, and related HR policy documentation. Ensure policies reflect current federal and state employment law requirements and are written for practical use by HR and managers.
• Employment Law Compliance: Advise HR and leadership on compliance with FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII, state wage-and-hour laws, and related federal and state employment regulations. Monitor legislative and regulatory developments across Gifthealth’s operating jurisdictions and translate requirements into internal policy and operational action.
• Classification and Pay Equity: Advise on exempt vs. non-exempt classification, employee vs. independent contractor classification, and compliance with state and federal pay transparency and pay equity requirements.
• Hiring Compliance: Review and advise on offer letters, background check processes, EEOC requirements, and onboarding documentation to ensure compliant hiring practices across all operating states.
• Separation and Termination: Draft and negotiate severance agreements, separation agreements, and releases across multiple states. Support and advise on reductions in force, involuntary terminations, and voluntary separations in a manner that appropriately manages legal risk.
• Employee Relations and Investigations: Advise HR on workplace investigations, employee complaints, performance improvement plans, and disciplinary processes. Provide timely, practical guidance that supports HR decision-making and reduces legal exposure.
• Dispute Resolution: Manage demand letters, EEOC charges, and pre-litigation settlement negotiations. Coordinate with outside counsel when matters escalate to formal litigation or require specialized expertise.
• Confidentiality and Restrictive Covenant Agreements: Draft and advise on NDAs, non-solicitation agreements, and confidentiality provisions, with attention to enforceability across jurisdictions and evolving state-level restrictions on non-compete agreements.
• Cross-Functional Business Partnering: Advise HR, Finance, and executive leadership directly and pragmatically on legal risk. Serve as a trusted internal resource who sizes risk rather than deflects it, and who helps the business make informed decisions with speed and confidence.

• Education: J.D. from an accredited law school required.
• Experience: 3+ years of employment law experience, whether in-house, at a boutique employment firm, or at a general practice firm with significant employment focus; demonstrated experience advising HR directly on employment matters; track record drafting and negotiating separation agreements and severance packages.
• Licensure/Certification: Active bar admission in at least one U.S. state required. Admission in Tennessee or other states where Gifthealth operates is a plus.
• Skills (Required): Deep working knowledge of FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII, and state wage-and-hour laws; demonstrated ability to draft employment policies, separation agreements, NDAs, and non-solicitation agreements; comfort advising on multi-state employment compliance; ability to size risk and give direct, practical legal advice rather than deflecting decisions; comfort operating with ambiguity in a high-growth environment where policies and processes are still maturing.
• Skills (Preferred): Experience in healthcare, pharmacy, or another regulated industry; familiarity with EEOC charge response and pre-litigation settlement processes; experience managing or building HR legal frameworks at a scaling company.

• Business partner first, legal technician second — brings employment law depth while keeping the practical needs of the business at the center of every piece of advice.
• Has drafted the hard stuff personally — severance agreements, releases, investigation memos — and has been in the room with HR when difficult decisions were made, not just on paper after the fact.
• Direct and confident in their advice — can give a clear answer under time pressure without over-qualifying every statement.
• Energized by ownership — excited to build scalable legal frameworks from the ground up rather than inherit a finished product.
• Comfortable with ambiguity — Gifthealth is scaling fast and policies are still maturing; this person helps build the playbook rather than waiting for one to exist.

• Location: Onsite/Hybrid
• Schedule: Full-time, in-house.
• Regular collaboration with HR, People leadership, Finance, and executive leadership. Reporting directly to the Chief Legal Officer.

• Must be able to perform sedentary office work for extended periods, including sustained use of a computer and telephone.
• Must be able to communicate effectively verbally and in writing across multiple organizational levels including HR, People leadership, Finance, and executive leadership.
• Must be able to manage multiple concurrent matters including active employee relations issues, policy drafting projects, and ongoing compliance monitoring simultaneously.
• Must be able to handle sensitive and confidential employee information with discretion and in compliance with applicable legal and ethical obligations.

Status: Full-time
FLSA: Exempt

Gifthealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or skills required of personnel. Gifthealth reserves the right to modify job duties or descriptions at any time.