Associate General Counsel

MB Attorney Search is partnering with a high-growth North American agribusiness to identify an Associate General Counsel to serve as the senior legal leader for its Kansas City–based operations.

This is a strategically important, high-visibility role functioning effectively as the lead attorney for the business unit and supporting a dynamic organization backed by a larger enterprise platform and experiencing significant investment and expansion.

About the Company

Our client is a long-established, highly respected agricultural enterprise and the agriculture platform of a diversified parent company focused on food and fuel. With over a century of history and recent accelerated growth, the business has doubled in size in recent years with plans to double again by 2030.

The organization offers a stable yet growth-oriented environment, combining long-tenured leadership with a forward-looking investment strategy.

The Opportunity

This role sits at the intersection of legal strategy and business execution.
The Associate General Counsel will:

• Act as a key advisor to senior leadership

• Lead commercial contracting and negotiation strategy

• Provide regulatory, compliance, and risk guidance

• Support joint ventures, governance, and strategic initiatives

• Help build scalable legal processes and infrastructure

Unlike larger legal departments, this role requires someone who can operate at both a strategic and executional level, serving as a business partner while remaining hands-on.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial & Contracting Leadership

• Draft, negotiate, and manage complex agreements across:

  • Commodity transactions, supply chain, logistics, and transportation (rail, truck, barge)

  • Procurement, distribution, and services agreements

• Advise on risk allocation, indemnities, insurance, and dispute resolution

Regulatory & Compliance Advisory

• Provide guidance on industry-specific regulatory frameworks

• Support compliance programs, policies, and risk mitigation strategies

• Coordinate with outside counsel across the U.S. and Canada

Business Partnership

• Serve as a trusted advisor to Commercial, Operations, Finance, and Supply Chain teams

• Deliver practical, executive-ready legal guidance

Governance & Strategic Initiatives

• Support joint ventures, partnerships, and governance structures

• Assist with M&A, integrations, and cross-border matters

Legal Operations

• Improve contract lifecycle management (CLM), templates, and playbooks

• Enhance legal workflows and efficiency across the organization

Leadership

• Oversee a small team (compliance and legal support)

• Build relationships across the organization and parent company legal team

• J.D. and active bar admission (Missouri preferred or ability to obtain)

• ~6–10+ years of experience (law firm and/or in-house)

• Strong background in commercial contracting and negotiation

• Ability to operate independently and influence senior stakeholders

Preferred

• Experience in agribusiness, commodities, manufacturing, logistics, or supply chain

• Exposure to regulatory and compliance matters

• Experience with joint ventures or governance structures

• Prior in-house experience

Critical Traits

• Business-minded and pragmatic

• Comfortable being both strategic and hands-on

• Strong communicator with executive presence

• Long-term mindset and interest in growing with the business

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  Preference for candidates with ties to the Midwest/Kansas City, though relocation is considered

For the right attorney, this offers a long-term platform to build, influence, and grow alongside the organization.

To be considered for this opportunity, please submit your resume. All inquiries will be handled with strict confidentiality. We will not share your information with our client without your prior consent. Candidates selected for an initial screening will be provided with additional details about the company and role.