Senior Counsel - Business, Strategy, & Franchising Legal Team

Department Overview

The Business, Strategy, & Franchising Legal Team serves as a strategic legal partner to the U.S. business, including U.S. Field and enterprise leadership. The team provides practical, forward-looking advice on a broad range of business, operational, commercial, and franchising matters; leads the execution of domestic restaurant franchise transactions; and helps the business manage franchisee relationships, drive franchisee accountability, implement strategic priorities, and identify and mitigate risk.

Duties

The Senior Counsel / Director will serve as a senior, embedded legal advisor with responsibility for complex and high-impact matters. This attorney will combine strong legal judgment, business acumen, and relationship leadership to develop practical solutions, influence decision-making, and protect the Brand. The role requires an attorney who can independently lead significant matters, operate effectively in ambiguity, collaborate across a matrixed organization, and provide direction and development to other legal professionals.

In this role, you will: 

• Serve as a trusted strategic legal advisor to U.S. Field and enterprise leadership on complex business, franchising, operational, financial, and commercial matters.
• Actively engage in every aspect of assigned matters, including assessing legal and business risk, developing strategy, aligning stakeholders, negotiating solutions, overseeing execution, and communicating recommendations and outcomes to senior leaders.
• Provide practical, risk-calibrated advice that enables the business to advance strategic priorities while protecting the Brand and preserving the integrity of the franchising system.
• Advise on the interpretation, application, and enforcement of franchise agreements, operator’s leases, National Franchising Standards, franchising and finance policies, and related company standards and procedures.
• Lead and provide strategic legal oversight for complex domestic restaurant franchise transactions and initiatives, including franchise acquisition/spins, options to purchase, rights of first refusal, assignment and assumptions, development projects, and other matters involving multiple workstreams or stakeholders.
• Review and analyze proposed deal terms, business plans, policies, programs, communications, and implementation approaches; identify legal, business, operational, and reputational risks; and recommend clear, actionable paths forward.
• Counsel business partners on franchisee relationship matters, including issue prevention, escalation, negotiation, dispute avoidance, and resolution.
• Provide advice and counsel in connection with the development and rollout of new business policies, initiatives, programs, processes, equipment, products, technologies, laws and regulations that affect the U.S. business or franchising system.
• Lead or participate in cross-functional teams addressing strategic initiatives, business transformation, crisis management, or other matters requiring coordinated legal and business judgment.
• Partner with colleagues across Legal, including real estate, litigation, labor and employment, marketing, privacy, technology, and compliance, to deliver integrated legal support.
• Prepare and deliver clear, concise advice, decision materials, and presentations that translate complex legal and business issues for non-legal audiences.
• Provide substantive direction, coaching, and oversight to counsel, paralegals, and other legal professionals; delegate effectively, review work product, and support development and readiness for expanded responsibilities.
• Contribute to team strategy, prioritization, knowledge sharing, process improvement, and technology-enabled ways of working that increase consistency, efficiency, and client service.
• Exercise sound judgment and discretion on sensitive matters, escalate significant risks appropriately, and demonstrate ownership and accountability for decisions and outcomes.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school and active license, in good standing, to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• At least 8-10 years of relevant legal experience in a law firm, in-house legal department, government, or a combination thereof, with progressively increasing responsibility.
• Strong experience advising business clients on complex commercial, corporate, transactional, regulatory, operational, or strategic matters.
• Demonstrated ability to independently lead significant, sensitive, or high-profile matters from initial assessment through resolution or implementation.
• Strong business judgment and ability to provide practical, risk-calibrated advice in circumstances involving ambiguity, competing priorities, and significant stakeholder interests.
• Proven ability to build credibility and trusted relationships with senior leaders, influence without formal authority, and collaborate effectively across functions and organizational levels.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, negotiation, drafting, and written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex issues into clear recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Demonstrated ability to coach, develop, or provide substantive oversight to other legal professionals and contribute to a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team culture.

Compensation

Bonus Eligible: Yes

Long - Term Incentive: Yes

Benefits Eligible: Yes

Salary Range

The expected salary range for this role is $195,371.00 - $244,214.00 per year
 
The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we may also consider your experience, and other job-related factors.