Employer: Thermo Bond 

Reports to: General Counsel

Location: Muth Electric/Thermo Bond Offices 

Employment Status: Full-time, exempt

Position Summary

• The Associate General Counsel is a full-time Thermo Bond employee who reports to the General Counsel and provides legal counsel and support across three areas: Thermo Bond, Muth Electric, and the Muth family and related family entities, as appropriate.
• This position manages day-to-day commercial, employment, corporate, and other legal matters; supports strategic transactions and due diligence; and assists the General Counsel with ownership family-related legal matters. The ideal candidate is a practical, business-minded attorney who exercises sound legal judgment, balances risk with business objectives, and maintains appropriate confidentiality across all areas of responsibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements, including customer and supplier contracts, purchase orders, nondisclosure agreements (NDAs), and service agreements.
• Advise HR and management on employment matters, workplace policies, employee relations, and wage-and-hour compliance, and applicable project labor agreements and prevailing wage requirements.
• Support regulatory and operational compliance, including workplace safety, environmental requirements, licensing, insurance, and bonding.
• Manage and coordinate claims, disputes, and litigation in collaboration with the General Counsel, outside counsel, insurers, and relevant business leaders.
• Provide legal guidance on construction and electrical contracting matters, including bids, subcontracts, change orders, lien rights, bond claims, and payment disputes.
• Assist with contract risk assessments, dispute resolution, and other legal matters affecting operations.
• Assist the General Counsel with legal matters involving the ownership family’s business interests, affiliated entities, real estate holdings, and corporate governance.
• Coordinate with outside legal counsel and other professional advisors to efficiently manage specialized legal matters.
• Maintain corporate governance and entity records, including entity formations, annual filings, meeting minutes, resolutions, and related documentation.
• Track legal deadlines, contractual obligations, renewals, and filing requirements to support timely compliance.
• Conduct legal research, analyze potential risks, and provide practical recommendations to the General Counsel and relevant business leaders.
• Support mergers and acquisitions and other strategic transactions as assigned.
• Develop and improve legal processes, procedures, and documentation to promote consistency, efficiency, and risk management.
• Perform other legal duties and special projects as assigned by the General Counsel.

Required Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an ABA-accredited law school
• Active license to practice law in South Dakota, in good standing, or eligibility for an applicable in-house counsel registration.
• Approximately 3–10 years of relevant legal experience in a law firm, in-house legal department, or a combination of both.
• Demonstrated experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial contracts. Working knowledge of employment law, corporate governance, and general business law. Strong legal research, analytical, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to exercise independent legal judgment, manage competing priorities, and handle confidential information with discretion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in manufacturing, construction, electrical contracting, or related industries.
• Prior in-house legal experience, particularly supporting multiple related companies or privately held, family-owned companies.
• Experience with mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, litigation management, or contract lifecycle management systems.
• Familiarity with artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging legal technologies, including their responsible use in legal research, contract review, drafting, and workflow improvement, with appropriate attention to confidentiality, data security, and professional responsibility.