Associate Corporate Counsel

VGM Group—a 100% employee‑owned, nationally recognized provider of business solutions and shared services—is seeking an Associate Corporate Counsel who is eager to grow their career in a dynamic corporate environment. This role is an excellent fit for tenured attorneys looking to broaden their influence in an enterprise setting or earlier‑career attorneys seeking accelerated development and a pathway toward senior in‑house leadership, including potential advancement to Chief Legal Counsel.

We’re hiring licensed attorneys in the Waterloo, IA; Cedar Rapids, IA; or Des Moines, IA markets with experience in corporate law, regulatory/compliance, litigation support, dispute resolution, or related areas. As part of a growing legal team, you’ll gain meaningful exposure to high-impact work across our diverse family of companies, including:

• HR and employment matters
• Insurance and risk
• Mergers & acquisitions support
• Trademarks and IP
• Data privacy and information governance
• Corporate contracts and general business guidance

If you are motivated by continuous learning, business partnership, and the opportunity to shape and influence legal strategy over time, we encourage you to apply.

Click to view more about VGM!

Position Summary

The Associate Corporate Counsel supports the Chief Legal Officer (CLO) and VGM Group’s leadership team by delivering high-quality legal counsel, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and helping proactively manage organizational risk. This role partners closely with the CLO on day‑to‑day legal matters while gaining hands-on experience that contributes to long‑term career growth within the department.

You will help protect company assets and intellectual property, support new business initiatives, and provide practical, business-oriented legal guidance to leaders across the organization. The position offers broad exposure to legal processes that affect the rights, obligations, and operations of the company—making it an ideal steppingstone for attorneys aspiring to senior in‑house roles.

Who Thrives Here

A successful Associate Corporate Counsel is a proactive, relationship‑driven problem solver who enjoys navigating diverse legal issues, collaborating across departments, and identifying risks before they escalate. While the CLO sets enterprise strategy, the Staff Attorney drives strong execution, builds the foundation for future leadership, and contributes to a high performing, trusted in‑house legal function.

Reporting Accountability: Chief Legal Officer 

Working Location: Waterloo, IA, Cedar Rapids, IA, or Des Moines, IA and surrounding areas

Working Hours Classification: Full-Time, Exempt 

Key Responsibilities:

• Deliver timely, accurate legal guidance to internal stakeholders on routine operational, regulatory, and contractual matters.
• Partner with departments across the enterprise to ensure legal considerations are appropriately integrated into projects, initiatives, and strategic plans.
• Prepare, review, and negotiate a wide variety of contracts and agreements to ensure compliance, minimize risk, and support business objectives.
• Conduct thorough legal research, interpret statutes and regulations, and prepare memoranda or recommendations to support decision-making.
• Assist the CLO in coordinating and overseeing disputed and litigated matters, including counsel to business units and handling responses, managing discovery, drafting or reviewing pleadings, and working with outside counsel.
• Help monitor compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and internal policies; identify potential areas of risk or noncompliance; and recommend corrective actions.
• Draft legal documents, correspondence, and internal summaries related to corporate governance, compliance, contracts, and other legal topics.
• Review and update company policies to ensure legal accuracy, operational clarity, and alignment with current regulations.
• Proactively identify emerging legal risks and collaborate with business units to implement practical solutions that support compliant, ethical operations.
• Assist with protecting the organization’s intellectual property, including managing trademarks, confidentiality agreements, and related filings.
• Support the CLO in managing relationships with external counsel, providing necessary documentation, tracking progress, and evaluating outcomes.
• Maintain organized and accurate legal files, case records, contract databases, and other documentation.

Key Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
• Active license in Iowa required (or ability to become licensed).
• Minimum 3–5 years of experience practicing law, preferably in combination of corporate, regulatory, compliance, and litigation support or dispute resolution.
• Experience required in using legal research programs such as Westlaw and Lexis. 
• Experience in contract drafting, review, and negotiation required.
• Prior in-house counsel experience, or experience supporting corporate clients, is highly preferred.

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong understanding of corporate law and regulatory compliance practices.
• Ability to interpret and apply statutes, regulations, and case law to real-world business situations.
• Excellent legal research, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to draft clear, concise, and accurate legal documents and correspondence.
• Skilled in balancing legal risks with practical business considerations.
• High attention to detail with strong organization and prioritization skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Competencies

• Strong communication skills with the ability to explain legal concepts in simple, actionable terms.
• Sound judgment and discretion in handling sensitive or confidential information.
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to build relationships and work cross-functionally.
• Proactive and solutions-focused approach to identifying and mitigating risks.
• Professionalism, integrity, and alignment with VGM’s values.

Physical requirements

• Working at a physical desk, moving about the office and facility as needed for work. 
• Operation of office equipment and using technology efficiently such as computers, phones, misc. office equipment.  
• Visual abilities include reading, distance vision and peripheral vision.    
• Occasional travel to meetings, conferences, and events. 

Learn more about VGM Group, Inc.: 

Headquartered in Waterloo, Iowa, VGM is a 100% employee-owned company providing business and professional services to thousands of business customers across North America. Services include group purchasing, commercial insurance, management of healthcare services and networks in post-acute cases, healthcare distribution direct to patient homes, specialty consulting, online education, digital, print, and traditional marketing and more. VGM employs approximately 1,700 people across 40 states and Canada, with more than 1,100 working in Iowa. VGM has been named the Top Workplace in Iowa on multiple occasions and is proud of its role in the communities in which it serves. For more information visit www.vgmgroup.com.  

This job description reflects the general duties of the job but is not a detailed description of all duties which may be inherent to the position. Reasonably related additional duties may be assigned to the individual Associate.

VGM Group, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, pregnancy, national origin, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.