Walton Enterprises is seeking a skilled, highly motivated, and experienced individual to join the team as Associate General Counsel for Walton Enterprises (WEI).

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

We are committed to embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the organization to foster an environment where all associates THRIVE and belong. We do this by creating:

• a culture committed to continuous learning that recognizes and values differences
• an environment of respect and connection to learn from the richness of identities, experiences, and perspectives
• fair access for all to opportunities for growth and advancement

About the Position:

In this role, the individual will work directly and closely with WEI’s General Counsel to provide legal advice and counsel to family members, their affiliated entities, and WEI across a broad range of matters impacting ultra-high net worth individuals.  The ideal candidate will serve as a trusted advisor, establishing positive working relationships with family members, the WEI leadership team, and the broader WEI legal team. 

Additionally, this role will lead an existing team of internal and external lawyers providing traditional family office advice on investments (direct & fund), asset purchases, routine commercial matters, compliance, wealth planning, and general legal matters.

The ideal candidate will work collaboratively with family office staff, affiliated entities’ staffs, and outside counsel to deliver timely and accurate legal advice.  Through this collaboration, the Associate General Counsel will ensure that the family’s goals, values, and interests are advanced and protected at all times. 

The Associate General Counsel will work with WEI’s General Counsel in developing a vision for the legal services offered within the family office for future generations, with specific focus on protecting the family, its wealth and its enterprise and promoting cohesiveness.

Responsibilities

The incoming Associate General Counsel will serve as a trusted advisor to family members, affiliated entity staffs, and WEI providing general legal services in a family office context. 

General responsibilities will include:

• Advising on investments, compliance, asset purchases and management, other commercial transactions, and general legal matters
• Leading a team of existing in-house lawyers in delivering efficient, timely, and accurate legal advice on similar topics
• Coordinating the delivery of timely and accurate legal advice through the use of external counsel
• Developing and maintaining a roster of external counsel to support the family and its activities
• Applying judgment, knowledge and expertise to evaluate advice developed by external advisors and sharing recommendations with family members, their staff, or WEI leadership
• Ensuring proper execution of legal decisions through internal collaboration with WEI associates
• Ensuring all legal and other activities are conducted in compliance with applicable laws
• Assisting the WEI General Counsel in development and evaluation of the long-term vision for the WEI legal team, in the leadership of the WEI legal team, and in handling confidential general legal matters on behalf of family members

The Associate General Counsel will directly support the Walton family by:

• Effectively anticipating and responding to the needs and requests of the family; overseeing and ensuring high quality service delivery
• Proactively identifying emerging issues and opportunities and providing information, advice, and counsel to help the family determine the best path forward
• Identifying and engaging leading subject matter experts to ensure options and considerations are offered to the family to inform their decision making
• Effectively implementing decisions made by the family

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

A successful Associate General Counsel will have the depth and breadth of professional and legal experience, strategic business acumen and advisory skills to lead a team in a demanding and fluid family office environment.

The following qualifications are required:

• JD from a top-tier law school
• At least 15+ years of in-house experience with a family office or experience representing or working with ultra-high net worth individuals or families
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
• Exceptional interpersonal skills
• Ability to act as a trusted advisor to principals and colleagues while demonstrating expertise and integrity
• Lifelong learner who enjoys new challenges and solving problems with bold thinking and innovation
• Ability to foster strong relationships with family members and key executives and act as counsel in legal matters
• Good judgment and calm composure particularly in high pressure times
• Trustworthy and able to keep highly sensitive information confidential
• Able to independently structure and manage workflow and priorities
• Familiarity with the structures, techniques, and other items used by high net worth individuals to manage wealth, including an understanding of trusts, estates, tax, and philanthropy

Additional characteristics and attributes

• Experience as a real estate, transactional, or corporate lawyer
• Strategic leadership, management, and mentoring skills
• An ability to develop, motivate and effectively lead a culture of quality and excellence
• An accessible, approachable, and inclusive team player who builds rapport with all family members and family office associates
• A proactive, flexible, and adaptive leader with a “roll up your sleeves” approach and mentality
• A results-oriented individual with a healthy balance of confidence, conviction, and humility
• An organized and efficient worker with the ability to effectively prioritize and delegate

Personal attributes that support your success

• Ability to act as a trusted advisor to principals and colleagues while demonstrating expertise and integrity
• You are helpful, a team player, and show respect while collaborating with others
• You are results oriented and exercise sound judgment in your work
• A lifelong learner, who is inquisitive and solves problems with bold thinking and innovation
• A visionary who plans for the future with imagination and wisdom
• You are dedicated to achieving excellence and work with others to tackle the tasks at hand

All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement, background check, credit check, drug screen and verification of being fully vaccinated for COVID-19.  Vaccination exemptions as a reasonable accommodation for a qualified disability or sincerely held religious belief can be discussed at the time of an offer.  In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States on your first day of work.

About Walton Enterprises

Walton Enterprises supports the personal, philanthropic and business activity for the Walton family. We are a family-led organization, supporting multiple generations of Sam & Helen Walton’s family.

Walton Enterprises is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building and maintaining a culturally diverse workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. We encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.